Today's crossing to Matera is not long and will take you just under half an hour (route). However, rather than going straight into town, a good alternative is to make a stop at the Parco delle Chiese Rupestri di Matera, where you can take a walk and admire the cave houses. There is a wonderful view of the city of Matera from the park. The route from the accommodation is here. You can just look at the viewpoint and walk around the area, or you can easily spend more than two hours here and walk all the local trails.

Accommodation – Endea Suite Rooms provide absolutely amazing accommodation! It's right in the historic centre; the rooms are gorgeous and the staff are very friendly. They can be booked directly or through Booking.com. A cheaper option is the holiday home Appartamento Mariana. Unfortunately, you will always have to think about where to leave your car. Ideally, ask when booking your accommodation, the locals will be able to advise you. The other option is to simply try to drive as close to the accommodation as possible and leave the car on the side of the road like everyone else.

The town of Matera is impressive and beautiful, but at the same time mysterious and a bit rough. It looks more like a labyrinth of stone houses, steep staircases, and narrow streets. The Sassi di Matera district is full of caves, which until recently were the shame of Italy as they were still inhabited by people. The whole town is beautiful, a bit peculiar and you can spend a lot of time just wandering through the streets. The place is so interesting that it's worth considering taking a guide for a few hours. If you want to book a tour, try MATERA GUIDED. Contact them online in advance, you'll save money. But you can get by without a guide without any problems. In that case, it's quite useful to stop by the local info centre (here). Get a map and possibly some suggestions on where to go and what to see.

Where to go for dinner? There are plenty of good restaurants in town. We were happy at Ristorante Soul Kitchen. Give it a try! I believe you won't regret it.

Alternatives: the Cripta del Peccato Originale tour is very nice. However, it is necessary to have a reservation. If you've had enough walking for the day, relax at the Aqvaworld Bluwellness Family Club.