I will not try here to describe Matera or boast its beauty because that is not the purpose of this account and I would not even be capable of it; on the subject I am limited to reporting a famous quotation from writer Licia Troisi that struck me and that I find fitting:
Matera is a difficult place to describe. It is difficult even to photograph. It escapes definitions, slips away between one shot and another, between one word and another. You have to go there.
Stop for a day in Matera: the right choice
When I decided to walk both paths, the idea of stopping for one day before heading to Alberobello proved to be a good call, as it allowed me to have the right amount of time and energy to visit the Sassi calmly and take a hike around the area.
To those who will not walk both paths and will end (or begin) the Cammino in Matera, I still recommend dedicating a day to this wonderful city, without rush or tired legs: it is really worth it.
Listing and describing in exhaustive detail all the activities that a pilgrim could do in Matera is the job of tour guides. Rather, I prefer to tell my personal experience and my impressions of how to visit Matera as “a pilgrim with a free day”.
Withdraw the Testimonium
Whoever arrives in Matera on the Via Ellenica or Via Peuceta can request to withdraw the Testimonium, which is the certificate of the end of the journey.
Since it was necessary to make an appointment with the stage manager, two days before arriving I contacted him to let him know; I was added to a WhatsApp chat with other walkers (if for privacy reasons you might not like this, it is better to ask explicitly that your number not be shared). We were given an appointment in the evening at the Statio Peregrinorum, just a few meters away from the Ostello dei Sassi, and there I picked up the parchment.
Visit the Cathedral and attached museum
Remember that by specifying that you have done the Cammino Materano, admission will be free; the visit is pleasant and not particularly long.
Buy a guided tour of the Sassi
My first choice was the contact indicated on the official Cammino website, but since he was not available I decided to invest 15 euros in a group tour with one of the various tourist agencies found in the center of Matera. They all apply roughly the same fees and the same itineraries, which usually consist of a couple of hours among the Sasso Caveoso, the Sasso Barisano, a couple of houses/caves and the inevitable souvenir shop.
The experience was nice and the price honest, and thanks to the guide’s explanations I noticed details that I would have otherwise missed, as well as references to the long history of those places; however, if you come prepared with a paper map and/or arrive in Matera “already studied”, you can also do without it and enjoy a tour of the sassi on your own.
Go down into the long palombaro
In the very center, under Piazza Vittorio Veneto, there is this huge underground cistern that in past centuries, with its capacity of several million cubic meters, was the main water reserve for the inhabitants; the visit is economical, quick and quite evocative.
Wander around the Sassi
Matera is also an ideal city to get lost in, wandering without a map and without a destination, following alleyways, views, stairs, panoramas and suggestions without asking too many questions.
Stay in training with an 11km excursion passing over the Tibetan bridge on the ravine
To keep my legs from relaxing too much, I decided to fill the “rest day” with a trekking of about a dozen kilometers around Matera.
It is a circular route that I found online on Komoot for which you should allow 3 to 4 hours. It starts with a descent into the ravine right at the feet of the Sassi and then runs along the suspended bridge that leads to the opposite bank. Going up you encounter a series of churches and very characteristic rock settlements that are worth visiting, from which you can enjoy a unique view of old Matera, which improves even more once you reach the plateau right in front of the city.
The route – which at one point I had to shorten due to fear of being caught in a thunderstorm in the middle of some steep slope – unexpectedly also passes through Parco Scultura La Palomba, just before heading back into town; it is an old quarry scattered with iron artworks, some gigantic, which I was able to visit in absolute solitude.
Taste the typical dishes
Since Matera is by far the most touristic city in the area, the menu of every restaurant always features the great classics of local cuisine, even when some ingredients would not be the perfect season (like broccoli rabe).
I had my two Matera dinners respectively in the outdoor seating of “Pane & Pomodoro” (abundant dishes and good choice) and the “Osteria Malatesta” (informal atmosphere, prices slightly below average and 10% discount for Cammino Materano pilgrims).
I did not miss a few “tettas di monaca” (in Matera you can also find them in chocolate and lemon variations) but as I have already written here, the best ones remain those of Altamura.
Bonus: Matera at Christmas
My visits to Matera were two: besides in spring, I visited Matera also between Christmas and New Year before starting the Via Lucana towards Tricarico. The Christmas atmosphere enhances the city even further, especially since the famous living nativity is held. It is a real traveling theatrical show, where visitors are guided along a route between the sassi, with various stages where actors perform various episodes related to the nativity. Certainly a show not to be missed if you happen to be there during the holiday season. Needless to say, it is better to book accommodation in advance, as tourist numbers increase considerably in those days.
