Open-Top Eco-Bus Ride

Open-Top Eco-Bus Ride, 1.5 hours, rated 4.56 across 1,241 traveller reviews.

Overview

This is a 1.5-hour open-top bus tour of the Sassi districts, run by Matera City Tour with a tour leader on board speaking Italian and English. The route crosses via Madonna delle Virtù, the street the listing calls the most panoramic in the Sassi, and continues until the canyon landscape of the Murgia Materana opens up on the far side. It is a sightseeing ride, not a transfer, with commentary on history and traditions as you go.

Partway through, the bus stops at Piazza San Pietro Caveoso in Sasso Caveoso. The stop lasts 40 minutes, of which roughly 25 minutes are free time to wander the alleyways around the square on your own. There is no guide during that free stretch, but the ticket includes entry to a furnished cave dwelling, Casa Grotta, so you can see how peasant families actually lived inside these spaces, plus a paper map of the Sassi.

The tour suits anyone who wants the geography of Matera explained quickly and comfortably. Several reviewers specifically recommend it for people who cannot manage the city's constant hills, or for families with children, since the walking is limited to the single stop.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Via Rocco ScotellaroCheck in at Matera City Tour, Via Rocco Scotellaro 4. A multi-storey car park sits opposite the venue.
2. Panoramic driveThe open-top bus crosses via Madonna delle Virtù, the most panoramic street of the Sassi, while the tour leader points out the sights.
3. Canyon viewsDeeper into the ancient districts, the landscape of the Murgia Materana and its canyon appears on the opposite side.
4. Stop at Piazza San Pietro CaveosoA 40-minute stop in the main square of Sasso Caveoso, including about 25 minutes of free time to explore the alleyways on your own. No guide accompanies this part.
5. Casa Grotta visitEntry to the furnished cave dwelling is included in the ticket, showing how peasants once lived in the Sassi.
6. Tour endsThe total running time of the tour is 1.5 hours.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points before booking, drawn from the listing and from what multiple travellers reported.

• Meeting point. There is no hotel pickup. Everyone gathers at Matera City Tour on Via Rocco Scotellaro 4, where a multi-storey car park sits directly opposite. Arrive early, because the operator waits only five minutes past the departure time before leaving.
• Fitness and pace. Walking is limited to the single stop in Sasso Caveoso, which makes this a good option if the hills of Matera are a problem. Reviewers with mobility difficulties and parents of young children both described it as manageable. Comfortable shoes are the only item on the bring list.
• Weather. Tours run in sunshine or rain, and bad weather alone does not mean cancellation. The operator reserves the right to postpone or cancel if conditions look unfavourable for safety and comfort. Since the bus is open-top, dress with the forecast in mind.
• Hearing the guide. A tour leader on board provides commentary in Italian and English. Some travellers found the bus noisy and the guide hard to hear from the back seats.
• Food and drink. Nothing to eat or drink is included.
• Getting oriented. A map of the Sassi is included with the ticket. Travellers said the tour gave a clear overview of Matera and the Sassi, which several found helpful when time or mobility was limited.

Common issues. This is not a hop-on hop-off service; there is exactly one stop, at San Pietro Caveoso Square, and you cannot board a later bus. Tickets are fixed to the date and time chosen at purchase and cannot be changed, and latecomers who miss the five-minute grace window get no refund. On-board sound is a recurring complaint, with more than one reviewer struggling to hear the guide over bus noise. Non-folding wheelchairs are not allowed on the vehicle.

Common Questions