English Group City Walk

English Group City Walk, 2 to 3 hours, rated 4.9 across 1,940 traveller reviews.

Overview

This is a guided walking tour of Matera's two Sassi districts, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, run in English by a local guide. It runs for 2 to 3 hours and follows the steep, narrow lanes between the cave dwellings and rupestrian churches that earned the city its UNESCO listing. Along the way the guide explains how Matera went from being called the shame of Italy to a protected world heritage site, drawing on the city's unique history and evolution.

The walk includes entry to the Diver and a visit inside a cave house. Travellers on recent departures have described guides who tell stories about their grandfathers being relocated from the Sassi and who bring a personal dimension to the city's history. Several reviewers also praised the clear English and the humour throughout the walk.

It suits first-time visitors who want a proper grounding in the Sassi before exploring on their own. The group is capped at 20 travellers, so it is a shared walk rather than a private one. Most travellers can participate, though the route is not wheelchair accessible.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet your guideThe listing does not publish a fixed itinerary, so confirm the meeting arrangements on the live booking page.
2. Tour the Sassi districtsThe guide leads an in-depth walk through Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, covering the districts' history and evolution.
3. See rupestrian structuresThe route takes in rupestrian structures and the steep, narrow lanes of the ancient city.
4. Enter the DiverEntrance to the Diver is included in the tour price.
5. Visit a cave houseA visit to a cave house is included, as listed on the booking page.

What To Expect From The Tour

Here is what past travellers and the listing say you should know before you book.

• Group size. The listing caps the group at 20 travellers. This is a shared group walk rather than a private one.
• Pace. Reviews differ on pace, with one calling it slow and several others calling it just right. Either way, plan for a walk of 2 to 3 hours through steep, narrow lanes.
• Fitness level. The lanes are steep and narrow and the tour involves plenty of walking. Most travellers can participate per the listing, but it is not wheelchair accessible.
• Weather. The tour requires good weather and may be cancelled in poor conditions, with a different date or a full refund offered. The listing also advises that the experience needs a minimum number of travellers to run.
• What is covered. This is a history-focused walk rather than a checklist of big attractions. One reviewer noted it did not stop at the major sights, so plan separate time for those if you want them.
• Local insight. Several reviewers highlighted the guides' personal and family ties to the Sassi as the strength of the tour. Expect stories and lived history rather than a scripted commentary.

Common issues. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and the route covers steep, narrow lanes with a lot of walking. One reviewer reported a no-show guide with no follow-up contact, which appears to be an isolated incident among otherwise positive reports. Tours require a minimum number of travellers and good weather; if either condition fails, you are offered a different date or a full refund.

Common Questions