This tour has the particularity of being free of stairs, which are present almost everywhere in the old center of Matera. A small exception concerns the easy staircase that leads to the hypogea (underground places) located under Piazza Vittorio Veneto, which I still recommend visiting.
On the Piano area, in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, from the astonishing Belvedere Guerricchio, we will admire the first breathtaking panorama that the ancient center of Matera offers us: a glimpse of the Sasso Barisano district and the Civita area with its Cathedral.
In the square we will discover many monuments: the Ferdinandea Fountain, the Palazzo dell’Annunziata, the Church of San Domenico, the Church of the Mater Domini. Descending below the floor level of the square we will visit one or two hypogea: the cave Church of the Santo Spirito (free entry) and, for the people who are more curious and passionate about underground cavities and engineering artefacts, the enormous Cisterna del Palombaro Lungo (small individual ticket).
Once back on the surface, we will walk along the lively Via San Biagio to arrive at the beautiful Church of San Giovanni Battista (free entry).
Then we will head towards the characteristic Via delle Beccherie, which will lead us to the oldest part of the Piano district: the lovely Piazza del Sedile, dominated by the Palazzo del Sedile of the same name.
We will continue along Via Duomo, where we will enjoy the beauty of another splendid panorama. Then we will arrive in the Civita quarter, on the square with the marvelous Cathedral, dedicated to the Madonna della Bruna and Sant’Eustachio, patron saints of the city. Once here, we will perhaps feel like expert secret agents with a license to kill, since a scene from the film No time to die, the last of the 007 saga, was filmed in this very square.
We will enter the Cathedral from the famous Via Riscatto (a small individual entrance ticket is required).
After enjoying so much beauty, we will go back to the Piano area and discover the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi (free entry) which dominates the square of the same name. Below it, numerous hypogea extend up to the Palazzo del Sedile.
After a few steps, we will be amazed by the imposing baroque facade of the Church of Purgatorio Nuovo, to continue along Via Ridola and admire the beautiful Church of Santa Chiara (free entry), whose former convent is home to the National Archaeological Museum.
We will arrive in Piazza Pascoli, in front of Palazzo Lanfranchi, which houses the National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art.
Close to the Palace there is the Goccia, a monument by Kengiro Azuma, and, on the left, there is a new and beautiful panoramic view of the Park of the Murgia Materana and the Sasso Caveoso district, with its Monterrone, the rocky spur in which there are two cave churches: Santa Maria de Idris and San Giovanni in Monterrone.
