Crossing a Sasso de Matera, the viewpoint, the Gravina valley

Starting point at the end of Rue Venti Settembre, in the square, with your back to the large building and facing the gaping hole leading to the cisterns.

(S/E) Go round the entrance to the cisterns and head eastwards to the small building opposite, featuring three arches, with a bell tower to its left. Walk through this small building. You will come out onto a terrace very popular with tourists. You are now at the most famous viewpoint over the Sasso di Matera, the Luigi Guerrichio pittore belvedere. Leave the small building and turn right, heading north along Via San Biagio. You will reach the large Piazza San Giovanni; turn right into Via San Rocco, which runs south-east before turning east.

(1) About 40 metres after this bend, go down the narrow flight of steps on your right, facing south. You will come to a narrow street facing east called Via San Giovanni Vecchio. Turn left and walk along it for about 100 metres. Turn right again and go down the wide steps to the main street (Via Fiorentini). Turn left into this street, heading north, and walk for about 100 metres.

(2) At the junction with Via d’Addozio, which branches off to the left, turn right and walk up a stepped alleyway, the Gradelle San Nicola Del Sole. At the top of the steps, you are beneath the rock. Turn left and walk up the north-facing street (Via San Nicola Del Sole). The street narrows, turns right towards the east and passes beneath the houses. You then leave Sasso Matera and enter the second sasso.
Walk down the street, which now heads south-east, until you reach Via Madonna delle Virtù, a busy tarmac road. Walk to the Belvedere al Vecchio.

(3) Pass to the left of the road and walk southwards along the belvedere square. Just after the belvedere, on your left below, a sign indicates “Parco della Murgia Materana” and trail 406. Take this path and descend to the bottom of the gorge.

(4) Take the footbridge (it moves a little) and cross the Torrente Gravina di Matera. Left bank. Head back up following the main path. Its switchbacks pass several cave dwellings, whilst the shortcuts bypass them. Reach a viewpoint overlooking the town.

(5) Continue northwards and go round the hill to follow the valley on the left bank of the Lesce stream. Join the tarmac road (Strada del belvedere.

(6) Follow it to the left to pass the hairpin bend (the path here is quite perilous).
Immediately after the hairpin bend, rejoin the very well-marked path heading north-east and descending to Strada 7 (cave dwellings on the descent). Turn left onto the road and cross the bridge.

(7) Immediately afterwards, on the left, head up towards the north-west and then west along the wide path that passes between some ruins. Take the small path branching off to the left, heading south, to skirt the edge of the valley on the right bank of the Lesce stream (beautiful views). Follow it until you reach the town of Matera, near the cave dwellings. The path disappears.

(8) Take the stony track marked on the map as Sentiero Italia Tappa R06B (Via Madonna delle Vergini). The few markings are now red and white.
At the end of this road, you will find a large, deep quarry on your right. Follow the road until you reach Strada 7.

(9) Turn left, heading west, just before the junction and go down this small street. At the end, take Strada 7 to cross the bridge over the canal and continue to the roundabout.

(10) Walk back up a few metres to your left and cross towards the west, leaving the south-bound road behind. Join a small, west-bound uphill street (you are still on the Sentiero Italia R06B stage, marked in red and white).
Further on, on your left, you’ll see some fine remains of quarrying activity.

(11) Go under the railway bridge, walk up the street, and at the junction cross over to the opposite side, heading south, to join Via Nazionale.

(12) Turn left and head south-east along Via Nazionale until you reach Via Venti Settembre

(13) Follow Via Venti Settembre to return to the starting point (S/E).

Parking in Matera: we couldn’t find a better option than parking along Via Nazionale, which you’ll walk back along if you do the full loop.

The author draws the attention of interested hikers to the virtual absence of signposts, directions or directional signs along the entire route.
You’ll need to be particularly careful during your hike, regularly checking your GPS to stay on track.
Furthermore, it is impossible to describe precisely the descent into the old quarter known as Sasso Matera and the subsequent climb back up.
However, to put your mind at ease, we have mapped out the simplest route combined with the most scenic viewpoints in Sasso Matera.
So don’t panic if you take a wrong turn!

GPS required. Like all smartphone GPS systems, the signal bounces off the buildings and can sometimes throw you off course. So be patient when checking it; let it recalibrate – this will save you, as it did us, a few trips up and down the stairs.

It’s not certain that our route is accurate to the metre, for the same reasons as yours (our GPS signal bounces). We hope you’ll forgive us for that.

If you don’t have GPS, start at the beginning: look downwards; you’ll see a wide street running east to west through the Sasso, leading down to the stream (Via Madonna delle Virtu).
Look for a staircase leading down to this street, which you should follow all the way to reach the large Al Vecchio viewpoint and then the point (4).

No water, no shelter. In hot and stormy weather, we used up all our water before reaching (9), i.e. 3 litres.
Light walking shoes. The descent towards the stream is a bit steep in places and slippery.
The footbridge over the stream moves a little, so be warned!

Update 29 April 2026: There is now a charge to cross the footbridge (€15!). Do the route the other way round to end up at the viewpoint and the Sassi crossing; that part is free, but you’ll still need energy to climb back up into the Sassi.

The Sassi of Matera are worth a visit if only for the unique character of these neighbourhoods.
We didn’t hesitate to visit exhibitions to see the interiors of the cave dwellings and, of course, many churches (whether cave dwellings or not).
The rock-hewn church of Santa Maria di Idris is exceptional, with its 17th-century entrance hall and the narrow passage leading to a church carved into the rock dating from the early centuries.
At the starting point, you have a lovely view of the Sasso, as well as an extraordinary tour of the town’s water cistern, now disused.
Plenty of monuments, early Christian churches, cave dwellings and caves to visit. We stayed there for three days in total.