Matera is, par excellence, one of the most stunning cities in the world for its views, panoramas, and sunsets; a beauty that can be explored in an Ape Calessino, the cult vehicle of the Italian Dolce Vita, thanks to the initiative of brothers Paolo and Andrea Santeramo, who created Ape nei Sassi.

It all began in 2011, in Scilla, Calabria, while Paolo was strolling through the narrow streets of this charming fishing village and came across an Ape Calessino, immediately imagining it as the perfect vehicle for exploring the Sassi of Matera.

So, together with his brother Andrea, he created Ape nei Sassi, to offer guests of Italy’s oldest city an authentic experience, sharing its history and most iconic sights aboard an iconic vehicle.

The first time I saw Matera, I lost my mind, because it was simply perfect.

(Mel Gibson)

The Ape “Calessino” was, in fact, created in 1948 by Piaggio as one of the many versions of the Ape three-wheeler, originally conceived as a conversion of the Vespa scooter into a commercial vehicle.

Thanks to its affordability and practicality, which were well suited to the narrow streets of Italy’s many tourist destinations, from Capri to Portofino, it soon became one of the vehicles that best represents the Italian Dolce Vita in the collective imagination and in Hollywood.

Ask Paolo and Andrea to be taken on a tour of Matera’s most evocative areas, including the film sets for No Time to Die, the 007 movie filmed in the city, from Piazza San Giovanni Battista to Via Muro and Piazza Duomo, where the unmistakable Aston Martin DB5 sped through the curves and dreamy views.

The Secret

The Sassi of Matera are ancient dwellings carved into the limestone, forming a complex of caves, cisterns, and rock churches. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, they are divided into the Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano neighborhoods, with houses built on multiple levels where the roofs of the houses below become streets.

Useful Info

Ape nei Sassi
Via Casalnuovo 329
75100 Matera
Tel. +39 329 4658589 Paolo
Tel. +39 327 1233100 Andrea

Cost: from €25 per person