When people think of Matera, their mind goes straight to the Sassi.
Stone houses carved into white rock.
Golden light at sunset.
A landscape that feels suspended somewhere between history, cinema and dream.
And honestly? They are right.
Matera’s Sassi are one of the most extraordinary places in Italy – maybe in Europe. But there is much more to them than the postcard version you usually see online.
Because the Sassi are not just beautiful: they are complex, layered, alive. And if you truly want to experience them, you should know a few things before you go.
Matera’s Sassi: what are they?
The word Sassi literally means “stones”, but that barely explains what you are looking at.
These famous cave houses in Matera, Italy, are ancient dwellings carved directly into limestone rock, creating a city that seems to emerge naturally from the landscape itself.
For centuries, families, animals and entire communities lived inside these cave homes. And not in some distant mythical past: until the 1950s, many people in Matera’s Sassi still lived in extremely difficult conditions, often without electricity or running water.
That contrast is part of what makes the place so fascinating today: beauty and hardship, history and reinvention, all existing together.
A UNESCO site with a complicated history
Today, Matera is internationally celebrated – it was even elected European Capital of Culture in 2019. But for a long time, the Sassi were considered a symbol of poverty rather than heritage.
In the mid-20th century, the Italian government relocated thousands of residents away from the cave districts because living conditions had become unsustainable. For years, the area remained almost abandoned.
Then something changed.
People slowly began to recognize the incredible cultural value of the city, and restoration projects transformed the Sassi into what we know today.
In 1993, the history of Matera’s Sassi was rewarded and they officially became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not because they were perfect, but because they were – and are – unique. And we personally think that you can still feel their layered history while walking through it.
9 things you didn’t know about Matera’s Sassi
Beyond the famous views and the UNESCO Site label, the Sassi hide countless stories, contradictions and details that most visitors never hear about. Here are 9 things you probably didn’t know about Matera’s most iconic place.
- Many streets in the Sassi are actually the roofs of the houses below them. They are built vertically and in layers, so while walking through the city you are often unknowingly walking on top of someone else’s home.
- The Sassi are not natural caves: they were carved by hand into limestone rock over centuries, then expanded and completed with built facades.
- One of the reasons Matera became a UNESCO World Heritage Site was its extraordinary ancient water management system. Beneath the city lies a network of more than 2.000 cisterns, canals and underground reservoirs designed to collect and conserve rainwater in an extremely dry territory.
- For many years, experts believed the Sassi were impossible to restore because of their complexity and poor conditions. Today, many of Matera’s boutique hotels, art galleries and restaurants occupy those same spaces.
- Matera’s Sassi have often been used as a stand-in for ancient Jerusalem in international cinema, because of their raw and timeless appearance.
- The city has appeared in films such as The Passion of the Christ, Wonder Woman and No Time To Die. That’s right: James Bond’s car chase scenes were shot in the Sassi di Matera!
- One of the best and most Instagram-worthy views of Matera is not from inside the Sassi, but from the opposite side of the ravine, at Belvedere Murgia Timone. From there, the city looks almost unreal.
- Matera is a city built more “inside” than “outside”. Beyond the visible streets and facades, there is an enormous hidden world made of tunnels, caves, underground churches, cisterns and ancient storage spaces.
- The Sassi completely change their personality between day and night. In daylight they feel bright, sculptural and almost lunar; after sunset they become cinematic, intimate and deeply atmospheric.
Most visitors approach Matera the same way: they spend hours walking up and down staircases under the sun, taking photos from panoramic terraces, entering churches carved into rock, getting lost in narrow alleys. Which is exactly what you should do.
But here is the part many travel guides leave out: the Sassi can also become exhausting, especially in warmer months. By lunch or aperitivo time, many people end up sitting in the first available place they find – often crowded, tourist-oriented restaurants with inflated prices and very similar menus. And that’s where the experience risks becoming generic.
What’s the best restaurant in the Sassi of Matera?
Let’s be honest: there are good restaurants in the Sassi area, but there are also many places built mainly around the location itself.
Same views.
Same menus.
Same “traditional experience”.
Which is understandable, since tourism changed the city dramatically.
But if you are looking for something more personal, quieter and less predictable, the best choice is often surprisingly simple: step slightly outside the Sassi.
Believe us: after hours of exploring caves, churches and panoramic viewpoints, what you will find yourself craving is not another crowded terrace. It’s a pause.
A slower atmosphere.
A fresh glass of wine.
Food that feels thoughtful instead of performative.
That is exactly why many travelers end up appreciating places beyond the tourist flow, like Materia Prima Bistrot.
We are located only a few steps from the Sassi, near the church of San Giovanni Battista – close enough to reach easily, far enough to breathe.
No chaotic tourist energy, no rushed tables. Just seasonal food, natural wines, unique beers and an outdoor courtyard where you can finally slow down after a long walk through the city.
So yes, visit the caves.
Take the photos.
Walk every staircase.
But then leave the crowds behind for a while.
The best way to experience Matera and the Sassi is not only to look at it: it’s to feel part of it. Preferably with good food and a glass of natural wine in front of you. With us, unconventional by nature.
