Don't visit Matera without hiking the Murgia Materana, if at all possible

Matera is no doubt one of the most interesting—and controversial—cities in Italy. Much has been written about it, but even after having spent a week here visiting sites and reading articles and a few books, I don’t feel confident weighing judgment on the job the government has done in managing the many issues the city has faced in the past 100 years. Nor do I feel up to the task of reviewing those issues in my blog, as doing justice to such a project would require an entire book. Instead, I will take on the smaller task of writing about one of the sometimes overlooked jewels of a visit to Matera—a hike in the Parco Regionale della Murgia Materana.

Matera at sunrise--a good reason to get up early.

The park consists of a rocky hillside on the far side of the valley across from the city. It can be reached by hiking down a trail from the city and crossing a cute suspension bridge which overlooks a stream called Torrente Gravina. One can also take a bus from the city and arrive at the top of the park, which saves a bit of walking. However, it only takes 15-20 minutes to walk from the city down to the bridge, so we chose the extra hike over driving or taking the bus. Even if you take the bus, you’ll still want to walk down to the bridge, so my advice is to just start in Matera.

Lucy made it down and up the valley without problems!

Lucy initially said she was not coming, and we were surprised when she woke up early and eager to go. “I figured I’d never be here again, or at least if I did come here in the future, I’d no longer be young enough to do this,” she said.

Me on the bridge

She actually did great, outpacing me at times and showing she is nearly fully recovered from breaking her foot and ankle less than two years ago. “But don’t expect to be able to do much else the rest of the day if you’re 69 years old,” she added.

September is a perfect month to hike the Murgia, as the weather is likely to only reach the high 70s or low 80s, even in mid-afternoon. However, the best time to start the hike is between 6 and 7 a.m., as you’ll be able to enjoy the sun rise, you’ll avoid the crowds, and you’ll finish before the sun is scorching hot. I’d recommend bringing a map or guidebook, so you know which caves were used as churches and have some artwork still visible on the walls. The art is more than a thousand years old, left over from when Byzantine Christians had to scatter because of unrest and violence in Eastern Europe and Asia.

Dave under the bridge.

A walking stick can help you maintain your balance when maneuvering over the rock terrain, and packing plenty of water is a must. We were gone for three or four hours, but we could easily have explored for another hour, especially if we had brought sack lunches to provide a mid-hike rest and some nourishment.

Matera viewed from inside a cave on the Murgia side of the valley.

It’s not my habit to post blogs that are primarily visual, so I’ll sort through my collection of photos and share just a handful of my favorites. My advice is to do the hike yourself, if at all possible, and come up with your own photo collection.

Wendy exiles Dave to a deep, water-filled cave.

“It was spectacular, amazing, awesome,” said Wendy Post, one of my travel partners. “The little cave churches were stunning. It was so nice to be there before tons of people arrived. We saw a herd of cows moseying down the hill. Coming back, though, there were a ton of people, and you had to wait in line to cross the bridge.”

Our other hiking partner, Dave Mullet, emphasized the importance of getting an early start. “The caves were nice to see,” he said, “but the best part for me was just enjoying the peace and quiet of being out when nobody else was on the trails. By leaving early, we escaped both the crowds and the heat. Of course, the views of Matera were spectacular.”

Dave in a cave.

Lucy on the roof of a former cave dwelling.

This rock looks like it's about to slip off into the valley.