Let’s get one thing straight: the Sassi are incredible. You should wander through their cave houses, admire the golden light at sunset and get lost among staircases that seem to lead nowhere.

But if you’re searching for unusual things to do in Matera, you probably want more than the classic copy-paste itinerary. You want the hidden side of the city: contemporary art in ancient caves, Magna Grecia rituals, street art, natural wine and much more.

Get ready: here are our 9 favorite Matera hidden gems.

1. Visit a contemporary art museum carved into the rock

Most museums of contemporary art are housed in modern buildings. The MUSMA, instead, is housed inside caves.

Short for “Museo della Scultura Contemporanea of Matera”, MUSMA is one of the most unusual museums in Italy: contemporary sculptures live inside ancient cave spaces, creating a natural dialogue between past and present. Installations emerge from the rock, light filters through tiny openings, and the ancient side of Matera suddenly feels alive.

2. Discover the city’s most unconventional museum

If MUSMA feels underground and intimate, TAM (Tower Art Museum) is bold and experimental.

This contemporary art museum challenges the idea that Matera should only be seen as an open-air archaeological site. Inside, exhibitions and installations speak about today’s world while staying connected to the city, in a continuous work-in-progress that will feed your curiosity.

3. Have ice cream in an art gallery

Momart Gallery is a contemporary art gallery housed inside a cave in the Sassi, where exhibitions coexist with an artisanal ice cream corner and a small refreshment area.

You can admire works by emerging artists, sip a coffee, taste a homemade gelato and forget about time. Only Matera could make it feel so natural!

4. Go on a street art treasure hunt

When people picture Matera, they imagine ancient stone more than street art. Nevertheless, scattered throughout the city are murals, posters and urban interventions hidden in unexpected corners.

For example, look for MOMO’s colorful geometric shapes on the walls of the Bramante school; search for Rouge’s delicate and poetic blindfolded Goddess of Luck; keep an eye out for Luis Gomez’s impactful “Corpus Domini” mural in Via Croce; don’t miss Jorit’s painting of Yvan Sagnet’s eyes, realized together with the art students of the city. 

Just keep in mind that finding street art in Matera is less like following an itinerary and more like going on a treasure hunt – but don’t let this discourage you!

5. Travel back to Magna Grecia

Imagine sleeping in a place inspired by Ancient Greece. Not in a kitschy way, but in a thoughtful and immersive one.

That’s what Moyseion offers: part boutique hotel, part cultural project, it invites guests to rediscover Magna Grecia through architecture, food, music and rituals (yes, rituals!).

This is definitely unusual, immersive and very Matera.

6. Make something with your hands

Some holiday souvenirs end up forgotten in a drawer, but experiences don’t.

Matera offers plenty of workshops where you can learn traditional crafts: pottery and ceramics, fresh pasta making, tuff stone engraving or local cooking classes.

You just have to choose and experiment with a slower way to travel, where you stop being a spectator and become part of the story.

7. Visit a church full of skulls

The Church of Purgatory is unlike any other church in Matera.

Its Rococo façade is decorated with skulls, skeletons and symbols of death, reminding visitors that earthly life is temporary. It’s that mix of elegance and gothic mood that can’t leave you indifferent.

Not your typical Instagram spot, we agree, but definitely worth visiting.

8. Play in an open-air artwork

Located in Piazza degli Olmi, Open Playful Space transformed an ordinary court into a playground of colors, shapes and imagination. As part of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019, Italian and international artists painted walls, stairs and surfaces with vibrant colors and sharp geometries.

Children love it, and adults secretly love it too. Moreover, it proves once more that Matera isn’t trapped in the past.

9. Taste Matera from another angle

After all this exploring, you will probably be hungry or thirsty. Here’s our most unconventional suggestion: step outside the Sassi, just enough to escape the crowds and find a culinary hidden gem.

At Materia Prima Bistrot, right in the historic center of town, you’ll experience another side of Matera: seasonal dishes inspired by local ingredients, natural wines chosen one by one, and unique beers, including non-alcoholic and gluten-free options.

We strongly believe that discovering a place is not only about monuments and museums. It’s also about flavors – actually, that’s what makes a trip truly unforgettable. 

So, after enjoying all of the unusual things you can do in Matera, make sure you book a table at our bistrot. We are unconventional by nature, so you can’t miss us!