Parco della Murgia Materana

Parco della Murgia Materana

Parco della Murgia Materana
4.5
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Parco della Murgia Materana
The area
Address
See what travelers are saying
  • duhoz
    Beroun, Czech Republic6,279 contributions
    Must to do hike, save time for it
    When visiting Matera make sure you save time for this beautiful easy trek to see the city from the different perspective and take nice pics. It is easy to navigate around. The entrance to the trail-head is not far away from San Pietro Caveaso. To complete the trek in relax way to see the plateau and surroundings, take picture is 60-90 minutes. On the way up and down via the rover Gravina you will see some caves, small churches and viewing platforms for stunning views.
    Visited October 2021
    Written November 11, 2021
  • Travelhui
    Honolulu, Hawaii910 contributions
    Worth it just for the view!
    Absolutely worth the trek to get the view of Matera. The round trip from the entry point to the look out point and back took me about 2 hours and 20 minutes, and that was walking leisurely with many stops for taking pictures and lingering at scenic points. Also, I chose to go in the morning, and when I got to the look out point at 11:30 the sun was behind me and shining right on the Matera, perfect for pictures. Saw a number of caves, but none with paining: apparently some filming activities had caused the closure of parts of the mountain. Even without seeing painted caves, the view made it worthwhile.
    Visited November 2022
    Written November 25, 2022
  • Richard Wong
    Hong Kong, China50 contributions
    Rewarding view of Matera
    The view of Matera was stunning and rewarding once you get to the top. There were rock churches and sites, and explanatory signs in Italian and English. Tip: in summer days, avoid hiking from 12am to 4:30pm, the hottest period.
    Visited June 2022
    Traveled solo
    Written July 20, 2022
  • viking682018
    York, United Kingdom4 contributions
    Mountain goat path, but worth it for the view.
    Channel your inner mountain goat, take the exhilarating but risky path from via Madonna.The view is worth it.No wonder cinema directors have used this as a stand in for the Holy Land. I would have respected 007 more if he had attempted the climb to the top of the gorge. If you can’t face the walk back there’s a Miccolis bus back to the bus station.
    Visited April 2022
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 24, 2022
  • Ellen664
    Toronto, Canada63 contributions
    Breathtaking views
    Phenomenal afternoon enjoying the hike across. Breathtaking views to be enjoyed along the way and once on the other side and at the top of course as well. Did some reading beforehand and went well prepared, brought lunch, water and wearing good solid shoes made this hike a memorable one in the good sense. Saw several people slip and even fall..the very few first steps onto the path give you a good idea of what's ahead.
    Visited March 2022
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 12, 2022
  • daymoLiverpool
    Liverpool, United Kingdom909 contributions
    Love this park
    I got the special bus which is located right by the train station in Matera - the special bus goes every half hour and costs 1.50 Euros each way so 3 Euros return. The journey takes about 15 mins on the bus and it’s quite a nice ride. The bus leaves each way every half hour. You should bring supplies with you water and nibbles as there was no shop up there and no real place for shade. It had some great places to go exploring and take amazing panoramic views over the Sassi side. I loved being up it was very quiet and so a nice place to get the views over Matera. There is some gorgeous wildflowers growing and nice places to go searching.
    Visited April 2018
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 2, 2018
  • Persephone1977
    Oxford, United Kingdom16 contributions
    Quite a workout but a unique experience
    I had realised, the day I arrived in Matera, that this walk should be undertaken during the cooler parts of the day. However, it was still incredibly hot (for a Brit, at least) at 7am, when I chose to descend into the valley. There was a lovely breeze - especially lower down - however, so things weren't so bad. I question my wisdom in going when there were so few people around (I'd have been in trouble if I'd had an accident) but I really wanted to get on with it. Getting down was harder work than getting back up and I ended up doing some of it on my behind because it was pretty precarious. I saw some people in skirts and dresses trying to get down to the stream but I think you need some bits of proper walking gear if you want to do this walk completely safely. You really do need a good pair of trainers, at least, and if I did it again, I'd be sure to have walking boots. The terrain is uneven and slippery, in places, so although my trainers didn't let me down, I'd have been better off with more solid footwear. There is also quite a lot of broken glass on the route, sadly, so you need protection from that. I made it up to some of the caves and enjoyed the solitude there, which was why I'd chosen to visit early. I won't attempt to describe how it feels to look across to Matera, whilst sitting there. It was simply a unique experience. The valley is filled with sounds from building works going on in the city but that, somehow, adds poignancy to the place, despite the discordant noises. The flora and fauna made this a very pleasant experience. There was a huge number of beautiful dragonflies and lots of lizards to keep me company. Wild thyme grows along the route, too. This was hard work (I'm not a seasoned walker) but worth it. My legs certainly got a good workout. I imagine it would be almost impossible to do if you have knee or hip joint problems. Safety / convenience things to look out for: 1. Go during the cooler parts of the day. 2. Take plenty of water. 3. Wear full-length trousers if you want to avoid scratches and scrapes to your legs. I didn't and I'm covered in marks. 4. Some kind of fingerless gloves will make the journey easier. There is broken glass and there are some scratchy plants but you may need to support yourself, at times, by putting your hands to the ground. 5. You may have to have a manicure afterwards. This was hard on my nails! 6. The bridge is perfectly robust but it wobbles a lot! I didn't like it and took two attempts to make the first crossing. I had to be very self-encouraging to get across and probably looked ridiculous talking myself from one side to the other. It doesn't look like a big deal to most people but if you have a little vertigo, you may need to steel yourself for this. 7. Be prepared to take your time. If this was in the UK, there would be all sorts of rails, fences, signs and supports around but one of the charms of this place is that it's been left as natural as possible and this comes with a few potential dangers. Prevention will possibly mean saying goodbye to your dignity for a while if you want to complete the walk as safely as possible. 8. I would be concerned about taking a small child.
    Visited August 2016
    Traveled solo
    Written August 2, 2016
  • sidder
    West Chester, Pennsylvania647 contributions
    Tips for walking/hiking the Parco
    We had a lovely morning hike in the Parco. Here are a few thoughts: 1. Entry along stairs gives an idea of the grade. 2. The suspension bridge at the bottom of the valley is an easier destination and provides interesting view of the old town 3. After crossing the bridge, follow the hike to the top of the other side of the ravine. Follow pathway toward Sassi, and then down again so that you can see the carved out caves, follow path down to bridge. 4. Budget about 2 hours to walk the loop
    Visited June 2016
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 29, 2016
  • Titus D
    Sri Lanka6,910 contributions
    With Beautiful Scenes, Parco della Murgia Materana having Parks, the Bridge of Rocks, Caves, Grottoes, Cave Church etc.
    This is really something to do when visiting Matera and it is an extraordinary place. The nature around is beautiful and it's a fine experience to walk there to visit the remains but also to enjoy the view of beautiful Matera from the other side. We loved it. This area and Matera itself is a photographers paradise, there are so many spectacular views, not to mention the ancient cave houses that pepper the limestone surroundings.A walk down into the ravine is a must for any visitor to Matera. Along the way, check out the ancient caves, then look back to the incredible views of the Sassi. It is quite an easy walk with a small amount of climbing at the finish. Pull into the restaurant at the top of the path for a refreshment and recovery break. From the city, walking out into the park looks complicated and strenuous. While it's definitely more than a stroll, the park is actually quite easy to navigate and it's not very hard to get to a magnificent view very quickly. There is a bridge of rocks that takes you easily across the water. From there, there are paths that crisscross the hills and take you wherever you want to go. Getting lost is not a worry because you can see everything around. I went up to the rocks across from the Sasso Barisano as there is no road that can take you to this spot by car. At the top there was a cave church and a cave that were very neat to see. Mostly though, the view of Matera is spectacular. I found directions in my lonely planet guide book telling me to take the stairs from a certain monastery that I could not find in google maps. Altereno Cafe is in the same spot (maybe in the building of the old Monastary. You take the path down the near rim of the ravine. When you hit the floor you can go left or right, if you want to go up to the rim closer to Sasso Caveosa where you can see a lot of caves / grottoes up at the rim, go right and find a place to cross the river (there are no bridges, but there are places where the rocks make it easy to cross) you can then take one of two switchback paths up the far rim of the ravine. To get to the rim closer to Sassp Barisano, take a left when you hit the floor of the ravine and follow the trail around the curve of the river. It is well worth a visit. You can then walk anywhere you fancy. Take care as there are some very steep drops.
    Visited August 2017
    Traveled with friends
    Written February 7, 2018
  • Me_n_my_rucksack
    Yorkshire, United Kingdom6,100 contributions
    Excellent Phot Opportunities - the best place to get a great photo of the City
    Having been attracted to come to Matera not only by its fascinating history, but also by the chance to get some atmospheric photos of the place I was dissapointed by the fact that arriving by car there were no views of the gorgeous old town. Did a bit of reasearch and found that this park is the place to go. You can hike down from the old town and cross a small footbridge or get to some excellent viewpoints by car (Leave Matera on the SS& heading for Taranto and a few Km out of town theres a small turning to the right to Belvedere Church or Belvedere point or something with Belvedere in it..... Anyway follow that small road upwards and eventually theres a free car park and voila - views ! We spent ages here admiring the old town and gettinp photographs - its very rocky and as its a steep sided valley there are very dangerous precipices so i would be fairly carefull when pottering about. Our abiding memory of Matera.
    Visited June 2016
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 26, 2016
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.5
965 reviews
Excellent
669
Very good
242
Average
37
Poor
13
Terrible
4

viking682018
York, UK4 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
Channel your inner mountain goat, take the exhilarating but risky path from via Madonna.The view is worth it.No wonder cinema directors have used this as a stand in for the Holy Land. I would have respected 007 more if he had attempted the climb to the top of the gorge. If you can’t face the walk back there’s a Miccolis bus back to the bus station.
Written April 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ellen664
Toronto, Canada63 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
Phenomenal afternoon enjoying the hike across. Breathtaking views to be enjoyed along the way and once on the other side and at the top of course as well.
Did some reading beforehand and went well prepared, brought lunch, water and wearing good solid shoes made this hike a memorable one in the good sense. Saw several people slip and even fall..the very few first steps onto the path give you a good idea of what's ahead.
Written March 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

daymoLiverpool
Liverpool, UK909 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
I got the special bus which is located right by the train station in Matera - the special bus goes every half hour and costs 1.50 Euros each way so 3 Euros return. The journey takes about 15 mins on the bus and it’s quite a nice ride. The bus leaves each way every half hour.
You should bring supplies with you water and nibbles as there was no shop up there and no real place for shade. It had some great places to go exploring and take amazing panoramic views over the Sassi side. I loved being up it was very quiet and so a nice place to get the views over Matera. There is some gorgeous wildflowers growing and nice places to go searching.
Written May 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Persephone1977
Oxford, UK16 contributions
Aug 2016 • Solo
I had realised, the day I arrived in Matera, that this walk should be undertaken during the cooler parts of the day. However, it was still incredibly hot (for a Brit, at least) at 7am, when I chose to descend into the valley. There was a lovely breeze - especially lower down - however, so things weren't so bad. I question my wisdom in going when there were so few people around (I'd have been in trouble if I'd had an accident) but I really wanted to get on with it.

Getting down was harder work than getting back up and I ended up doing some of it on my behind because it was pretty precarious. I saw some people in skirts and dresses trying to get down to the stream but I think you need some bits of proper walking gear if you want to do this walk completely safely. You really do need a good pair of trainers, at least, and if I did it again, I'd be sure to have walking boots. The terrain is uneven and slippery, in places, so although my trainers didn't let me down, I'd have been better off with more solid footwear. There is also quite a lot of broken glass on the route, sadly, so you need protection from that.

I made it up to some of the caves and enjoyed the solitude there, which was why I'd chosen to visit early. I won't attempt to describe how it feels to look across to Matera, whilst sitting there. It was simply a unique experience. The valley is filled with sounds from building works going on in the city but that, somehow, adds poignancy to the place, despite the discordant noises.

The flora and fauna made this a very pleasant experience. There was a huge number of beautiful dragonflies and lots of lizards to keep me company. Wild thyme grows along the route, too.

This was hard work (I'm not a seasoned walker) but worth it. My legs certainly got a good workout. I imagine it would be almost impossible to do if you have knee or hip joint problems.

Safety / convenience things to look out for:

1. Go during the cooler parts of the day.
2. Take plenty of water.
3. Wear full-length trousers if you want to avoid scratches and scrapes to your legs. I didn't and I'm covered in marks.
4. Some kind of fingerless gloves will make the journey easier. There is broken glass and there are some scratchy plants but you may need to support yourself, at times, by putting your hands to the ground.
5. You may have to have a manicure afterwards. This was hard on my nails!
6. The bridge is perfectly robust but it wobbles a lot! I didn't like it and took two attempts to make the first crossing. I had to be very self-encouraging to get across and probably looked ridiculous talking myself from one side to the other. It doesn't look like a big deal to most people but if you have a little vertigo, you may need to steel yourself for this.
7. Be prepared to take your time. If this was in the UK, there would be all sorts of rails, fences, signs and supports around but one of the charms of this place is that it's been left as natural as possible and this comes with a few potential dangers. Prevention will possibly mean saying goodbye to your dignity for a while if you want to complete the walk as safely as possible.
8. I would be concerned about taking a small child.
Written August 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sidder
West Chester, PA647 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
We had a lovely morning hike in the Parco. Here are a few thoughts:
1. Entry along stairs gives an idea of the grade.
2. The suspension bridge at the bottom of the valley is an easier destination and provides interesting view of the old town
3. After crossing the bridge, follow the hike to the top of the other side of the ravine. Follow pathway toward Sassi, and then down again so that you can see the carved out caves, follow path down to bridge.
4. Budget about 2 hours to walk the loop
Written June 30, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Titus D
Sri Lanka6,910 contributions
Aug 2017 • Friends
This is really something to do when visiting Matera and it is an extraordinary place. The nature around is beautiful and it's a fine experience to walk there to visit the remains but also to enjoy the view of beautiful Matera from the other side. We loved it.
This area and Matera itself is a photographers paradise, there are so many spectacular views, not to mention the ancient cave houses that pepper the limestone surroundings.A walk down into the ravine is a must for any visitor to Matera.
Along the way, check out the ancient caves, then look back to the incredible views of the Sassi. It is quite an easy walk with a small amount of climbing at the finish. Pull into the restaurant at the top of the path for a refreshment and recovery break.
From the city, walking out into the park looks complicated and strenuous. While it's definitely more than a stroll, the park is actually quite easy to navigate and it's not very hard to get to a magnificent view very quickly.
There is a bridge of rocks that takes you easily across the water. From there, there are paths that crisscross the hills and take you wherever you want to go.
Getting lost is not a worry because you can see everything around. I went up to the rocks across from the Sasso Barisano as there is no road that can take you to this spot by car.
At the top there was a cave church and a cave that were very neat to see. Mostly though, the view of Matera is spectacular.
I found directions in my lonely planet guide book telling me to take the stairs from a certain monastery that I could not find in google maps. Altereno Cafe is in the same spot (maybe in the building of the old Monastary.
You take the path down the near rim of the ravine. When you hit the floor you can go left or right, if you want to go up to the rim closer to Sasso Caveosa where you can see a lot of caves / grottoes up at the rim, go right and find a place to cross the river (there are no bridges, but there are places where the rocks make it easy to cross) you can then take one of two switchback paths up the far rim of the ravine.
To get to the rim closer to Sassp Barisano, take a left when you hit the floor of the ravine and follow the trail around the curve of the river. It is well worth a visit. You can then walk anywhere you fancy. Take care as there are some very steep drops.
Written February 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Me_n_my_rucksack
Yorkshire, UK6,100 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
Having been attracted to come to Matera not only by its fascinating history, but also by the chance to get some atmospheric photos of the place I was dissapointed by the fact that arriving by car there were no views of the gorgeous old town.

Did a bit of reasearch and found that this park is the place to go. You can hike down from the old town and cross a small footbridge or get to some excellent viewpoints by car (Leave Matera on the SS& heading for Taranto and a few Km out of town theres a small turning to the right to Belvedere Church or Belvedere point or something with Belvedere in it..... Anyway follow that small road upwards and eventually theres a free car park and voila - views !

We spent ages here admiring the old town and gettinp photographs - its very rocky and as its a steep sided valley there are very dangerous precipices so i would be fairly carefull when pottering about.

Our abiding memory of Matera.
Written June 26, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fleur A
Sheffield, UK57 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
We took the “special bus” which was very cheap at only €1.50 each way and ran frequently but unfortunately only on Saturday and Sunday. However, it was well worth the wait for Saturday, spectacular views and good paths to spend a few hours exploring the caves and cave churches. We did not hire a guide and thoroughly enjoyed it. Would have liked to spend more time exploring on other days but the bus limited the opportunity. Hopefully the foot bridge will eventually re-open!
Written May 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PVJS345
Lima, Lima Region13 contributions
May 2018 • Family
Matera's Sassi is beautiful and there are superb walks and views from across the Gravina di Matera gorge. By road this is about 3 km from the centre of Matera. On foot from the Sassi you should be able to descend down steps from Via Madonna delle Virtu into the gorge, down a clear but rough path and cross the Ponte Tibetano della Gravina footbridge and up paths the other side to the viewpoint. At present, the access to the steps is closed for refurbishments (for 2019 when Matera is European city of Culture), and the bridge crossing is also blocked. Today (1 May) was a public holiday and public access by car to the car parks at the viewpoint (Belvedere) was blocked by a police car at the turn off on the Taranto-Laterza road. At a tourist info kiosk we were directed to a bus service (EUR 1.50 pp each way) running regularly from Matera station to the viewpoint car park.

At the car park there are quite good contoured map boards showing the main paths (worth taking a pic with you on the walk), but no warnings that the footbridge and path back to the Sassi are currently blocked. There are plenty of paths to explore the Chiese Rupestre and great views. You can easily spend the day wandering about. It is worth noting that the main car park, Bar and Centro Visite Jazzo Gattini are spread a few kms apaprt from each other so worth taking plenty of water and food.

We walked along a ridge just below the top of the gorge going roughly north as far as another minor gorge looking across to the Chiese Rupestre della Madonna Delle Virgeni, then back to the car park / bus stop and then roughly south towards Chiesa Rupestre della Madonna delle Croci.
Written May 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CWT
Ottawa, Canada338 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
We hiked down, crossed the bridge and hiked up the other side. Most groups were walking without guides. The start is easy to find - it’s at one end of the parking lot on Via Madonna delle Virtu. There is a signboard. You definitely need walking/running shoes. You will see some broken glass on the path and you scramble over rocks on some parts. I did not find the hike strenuous although I was nervous at certain points as there is nothing to stop you falling down the side if you lose your footing. That said, there are beautiful views and it was definitely worth the effort.
Written October 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 97
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Parco della Murgia Materana - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Parco della Murgia Materana

We recommend booking Parco della Murgia Materana tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 8 Parco della Murgia Materana tours on Tripadvisor




Parco della Murgia Materana Information

Excellent Reviews

669

Very Good Reviews

242

Parco della Murgia Materana Photos

922