Oh Matera, Let me Count the Ways...
Sassi Di Matera
A quick travel guide for Italy’s most spectacular city…
I have met a city or two that has left me speechless, but nothing, I really mean nothing, compares to the stone city right on the border of Basilicata and Puglia..Oh Matera, let me count the ways!
Though you’ve probably never heard of it, this ancient city carved into the soft limestone cliffs has been inhabited by neolithic trogeldytes, Byzantine monks, and modern Italian citizens for more than 9000 years. That makes Matera it the 3rd continuously inhabited place on earth, just after Aleppo and Jericho. From the archaic cave dwellings just across the gorge to the two ‘Sassi’ districts, the story of human development will unfold before your eyes as you explore the stone passages and preserved Casa Grottos. The rich history and full-blown comeback story of this mysterious place are only a couple of reasons it was chosen as 2019's Cultural Capital of Italy, beating out Venice and Siena. As hidden gems go, this place will not be so secret for much longer. With an ever expanding train system, the Sassi (which literally means stone btw) is becoming increasingly easier to reach.. Here's how you can get your Matera fix before the hipsters ruin it for all of us! =P
Getting there…
Best ways to reach Matera.
There aren't a ton of American tourist who venture to Basilicata or Puglia (,the south of Italy) but you mark my words.. Its coming. With super cheap flights into Bari, the closest Airport to Matera, and now direct train lines and buses, you SHOULD add it to your Italian getaway-
Coming from Bari, you have 2 affordable options.. Well 3, but if you haven't driven extensively in Italy, I highly recommend you don’t let this be your practice run.— Or if you can splurge, grab a taxi at the airport.
Second Option from Bari is to take the Puglia Air Bus. Now, this is hands down the simplest option, the only problem is the timetable. Like I said before.. Matera isn’t a well known tourist town so the bus doesn’t run a ton. Be sure to check your the schedule before you book your flight
If Flying into Bari, take the train toward Bari Centrale. You’ll need to get off at this station and walk to Bari Nord Station across the street to grab the direct line at the private rail line (FAL) to Matera. This is a local train, so you can just purchase directly from the station. There are 6 express trains (no transferring). Just be sure that if you have a hardcopy ticket, you MUST validate it by poking into the little red boxes (you'll see them) to have the date/time stamped. The one way ticket is 4$ and the trip from door to door is about 3 hours.
If you are already galavantin around Italy, it may be easier to plan your arrival from another Hub. I found going through Salerno to be the easiest way. Italo Train line now offers a combination ticket where you can buy the train leg and bus portion of your journey together. The catch is you have to buy them at the same time, because you can’t JUST book the bus portion. Example: From Florence, I took Italo Train 3 hours south to Salerno, then hopped on a ferry to play in Amalfi a few days. I thought I would be able to catch the Miccolis bus to Matera but the timing didn’t match my plans. So, because I'm a travel-hack genius, I loopholed the Italo situation and just booked the short trip from Naples to Salerno WITH the bus from Salerno to Matera, with zero intention of using the Naples to Salerno portion. Once I hopped off the TravelMar ferry back in Salerno, I just walked the 2 blocks over to the train station, and caught the shuttle. Super easy, and super cheap! 25$ for a 3 hr tour through Basilicata can't be beat!
