Cave dwellings, rock churches and giant ancient cisterns: explore Matera's historic centre in a fun and comfortable way on this tuk-tuk tour. Discover the 2019 European Capital of Culture from a new perspective!
Matera Tuk-Tuk Tour
After meeting your guide in Via Alessandro Volta, you'll climb on board your tuk-tuk ready to begin your tour of historic Matera. Did you know that this fun vehicle is called an "Ape calessino" in Italian?
Throughout your tuk-tuk tour, you'll make a number of different stops at the city's most important places of interest, allowing you to investigate them up close and take photos. Your first visit will be the Church of Purgatory. Built in 1747, this church stands out for its numerous architectural references to death. Discover why its façade features so many skulls and skeletons on your guided tour!
Just five minutes away from the Church of Purgatory, you'll reach Matera Cathedral. Located at the highest point in the city, this temple is known for its 52-metre-tall (170 feet) belfry, which towers over the historic centre, and whose seven bells can be heard all around the city.
Climb back on board your tuk-tuk for the journey to the Church of San Giovanni, before heading deep into the famous Sasso Barisano and Sasso Cavoso neighbourhoods. These districts are home to the incredible ancient 'sassi di Matera', or cave dwellings, which have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. The rock-hewn houses and golden-stone streets of the Sassi districts are so reminiscent of Jerusalem that they have been used as filming locations for iconic movies, including Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
From here, we'll begin wrapping up our tour as we make our way to Piazza San Francesco after an immersive 50-minute tuk-tuk tour.
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