What to see and do in Matera, the oldest inhabited city in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, unique in the world for its houses and churches carved from tuff rock, creating a pristine landscape that has offered glimpses of incredible beauty for millennia.

Cinema has made the beauty of Matera famous throughout the world, from Pier Paolo Pasolini’s The Gospel According to Matthew to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, from No Time to Die with 007 to Wonder Woman, countless films have paid homage to this incredible city.

Matera is one of the oldest still-inhabited cities in the world, thanks to a unique characteristic: being made of calcarenite, an easy-to-work stone that made possible the excavation of the typical tuff caves that make up its most scenic part: the so-called Sassi di Matera.

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

(Mel Gibson)

After experiencing a period of wealth and great cultural development between the 17th and 18th centuries (in 1663, Matera became the capital of Basilicata), it then suffered dark years, until its Sassi were evacuated following the 1952 law that forced their abandonment for hygiene reasons.

In 1993, its “rebirth” started when it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its ingenious water collection system, an underground network of cisterns and canals carved into the rock that ensured autonomy and survival during periods of drought, then culminating in 2019 when it became the European Capital of Culture.

Our guide begins at the Vetera Matera retreat, inaugurated in 2025 in the heart of the Sasso Barisano, the city’s only 5-star luxury hotel affiliated with Relais & Châteaux, an incredible structure combining nature, ingenuity, and history.

The restoration of its rooms, located in the oldest part of the Sassi di Matera, took eight years to create a marvel of spaces dating from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century, connected by courtyards and stairways where every corner holds a truly exceptional detail or view.

Vetera Matera also houses the ARTEMA restaurant, a fine dining experience where chef Eduardo Estatico combines his love for Lucanian products with the ingenious Neapolitan flair to create exciting and engaging culinary experiences.

Vetera Matera offers its guests a truly exceptional concierge service that provides access to unique experiences, such as a visit to the 15th-century Palazzo Ferraù in the company of its owner, Anna Rosa Bernardini.

Built by the Ferraù family, the current entrance was erected for the visit of King Joseph Bonaparte to Matera in 1806, who was a guest in the palace’s ballroom. It later became the property of the Giudice Pietro family, and was purchased by the Bernardini family in 1973, who still live there today. Its terrace and bedroom window are truly incredible, offering breathtaking views of the Sassi of Matera, particularly the Idris cliff and the church of San Pietro Caveoso.

Near Vetera Matera, you’ll find some of the city’s major cultural attractions. Such as Casa Ortega, the palace where the Spanish painter José Ortega once lived: a charming house-museum where the artist’s works blend with the mastery of the many local artisans who decorated it, boasting also a panoramic terrace that’s a must-see.

Nearby, facing each other, are two ambassadors of Lucanian cuisine: the Conzato bistro and the Oi Marì restaurant, which since 1999 has continually grown in quality and beauty to become one of the best restaurants in Matera, also receiving numerous awards for its refined architectural restyling in 2018.

These are two exceptional addresses for enjoying traditional cuisine and relaxing in the beauty of their outdoor courtyards overlooking the Sassi.

Not far away, there’s another new addition to Matera, unique in the world, in keeping with the style of this incredible city: the Moyseion, the world’s first inhabited (luxury) museum, a hotel where you can experience history and savor age-old rituals linked to classical Greece.

Among its special features: the service staff, who don’t come from the hotel industry but have degrees in archaeology, art history, and other humanities, and the incredible Sanctuary of the Waters, one of the most scenic spots in Matera. Housed in a two-level cave, it is a splendid wellness center with pools and whirlpools created from ancient water cisterns and decorated with mosaics and statues of Demeter, Persephone, and nymphs.

Not far away, along the walk from Sasso Barisano to the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, is Matera’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Vitantonio Lombardo, named after its charismatic chef-owner.

The restaurant welcomes guests into a scenic cave in the center of the City of Stones and delights them with cuisine crafted with heart, love for local produce, and an international outlook.

Another fine dining destination is Dimora Ulmo, located in Palazzo Torraca, an 18th-century palazzo owned by the Ulmo family, one of the city’s most famous and wealthy aristocratic families. Here, in a magnificent dining room, the cuisine of chef Michele Castelli, a native of Matera with experience at Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana, takes center stage.

From the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, head toward the heart of the Sasso Caveoso, home to one of Matera’s most famous scenic streets, Via Muro, celebrated in particular in Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ, where the scene of Jesus falling under the weight of the cross was filmed.

Here, the only luxury hotel on Via Muro, is Palazzo del Duca, a boutique hotel offering views of rare beauty, a panoramic restaurant, and cave suites with private pools straight out of One Thousand and One Nights.

Just a few minutes away, you can visit MUSMA, the Museum of Contemporary Sculpture of Matera, the only cave museum in the world and the most important Italian exhibition center entirely dedicated to sculpture.

It’s no coincidence that the largest Italian museum dedicated to this art was founded in a city, Matera, carved from rock, thanks to the ease of working with calcarenite, the material from which it is made.

A short distance away, one of the most beautiful walks in Matera leads to the top of the Church of Santa Maria di Idris, which offers a unique view of the city and the Gravina (an amazing canyon park). There, you can stop for a drink at the Zipa Café, a café and cocktail bar with an exceptional view.

And to experience Matera as it is filmed, a dinner reservation is a must at La Lopa, a traditional osteria where you can sample the finest Lucanian flavors in a typical cave, once an ancient well, which also houses a small cinema for after-dinner drinks.

A candle-lit staircase leads to a room where a 20-minute short film featuring all the major films shot in Matera is shown on a loop. Sipping an amaro and watching the opening scenes of No Time to Die, when James Bond arrives in style in the Sassi…What more could you want from life? The slogan of Basilicata’s most famous amaro, Amaro Lucano, would be the answer.

In Pisticci, near Matera, you’ll find the Amaro Lucano museum, a liqueur produced by the Vena family since 1894. Today, they offer an emotional journey through its incredible history through an interactive tour and cocktail bar. A must-see.

Another worthwhile trip outside of Matera is to Altamura, where you can visit the ancient bakeries that bake world-famous bread.

For an after-dinner drink or a casual dinner, the unmissable spot is Area 8, a splendid venue with the feel of an old-fashioned cocktail bar located in the beautiful Palazzo Lanfranchi, just steps from La Lopa.

Matera is, par excellence, one of the most evocative 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.

Ask Paolo and Andrea for a tour of Matera’s most evocative areas, such as the film sets for No Time to Die, from Piazza San Giovanni Battista to Via Muro and Piazza Duomo, where the unmistakable Aston Martin DB5 whizzed through the curves and dreamy views.

Matera is one of those trips you should take at least once in your life.