Matera’s Sassi & Crypt of the Original Sin: Ancient Wonders Near Palazzo Margherita

(39 km – 45 min drive)

A 45 minute drive from the Palazzo Margherita, the Sassi di Matera rise from the rock, one of Italy’s oldest continuously inhabited places and a UNESCO World Heritage site in the heart of Basilicata. Carved into the landscape over thousands of years, the Sassi are a remarkable network of ancient cave dwellings, stone homes, and rupestrian churches that reveal the deep history and traditions of Matera and the region’s connection to Palazzo Margherita’s history and decor⁠.

The two historic districts, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, wind through the ancient city in a maze of caves, passageways, and churches carved directly into the stone. At dusk, the golden walls of the Sassi glow, creating one of Italy’s most unforgettable landscapes.

In the historic center of Matera, the 13th-century Cathedral stands above the ancient city, surrounded by beautiful churches including San Francesco d’Assisi, Purgatorio, and Santa Chiara. Discover Matera’s art and culture through Palazzo Lanfranchi, the Museum of Modern Art of Basilicata, MUSMA (the Museum of Contemporary Sculpture of Matera), and Casa Cava, an underground concert hall carved into the rock.

The experience not to miss is the Crypt of the Original Sin, known as the Sistine Chapel of rupestrian art. Located in a cave church outside Matera, its extraordinary 9th-century frescoes depict scenes from the Old and New Testament, preserved in deep reds and ochres for more than a thousand years.