Matera
City of History, Culture, and Timeless Beauty
Matera is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with human settlements dating back to the Paleolithic era. Its territory tells a remarkable story of human history across millennia.
Famous for its Sassi, Matera’s original urban core developed from natural caves carved into the rock and gradually transformed into complex structures within two natural amphitheaters: Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano.
In 1993, UNESCO designated the Sassi di Matera as a World Heritage Site, the first in southern Italy, recognizing for the first time the concept of Cultural Landscape—a criterion later applied globally. On October 17, 2014, Matera was named the European Capital of Culture for 2019.
In 2026, Matera (Italy) takes on a leading international role as the Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue, alongside Tetouan (Morocco). This joint designation reflects a shared ambition: to strengthen cultural exchange, encourage mutual understanding, and reinforce unity across the Euro-Mediterranean area.
For Matera, the title is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the richness of its hinterland—its landscapes, traditions, and lesser-known communities—transforming them into platforms for dialogue. Through contemporary art, participatory projects, and initiatives that reconnect people with their collective memory, Matera aims to build new bridges between cultures, showcasing how heritage can act not only as a legacy of the past but as a catalyst for collaboration and future-oriented growth.
The nearest airport is Bari Palese (60 km), from where you can get to Matera in the following ways:
You can get to Matera from Brindisi airport (about 154 km) with Pugliairbus via Bari Palese airport (and vice versa).
Naples Capodichino Airport is about 300 km from Matera.
Once landed, you can take a bus line (see section “By Bus” for more information).
If you arrive in Bari with the state railways (Trenitalia), exit from Bari Centrale Station, and you arrive at Piazza Aldo Moro. At that point, turn left to reach FAL, where several trains arrive in Matera Centrale Station in about 100 minutes.
WARNING: On public holidays there are no trains but only a few buses.
With Trenitalia you can book a trip to Matera Centrale with a transfer to Salerno (replacement bus called Freccialink).
With Italo Treno you can book a trip to Matera Centrale with a transfer to Naples (italobus replacement bus).
Both companies offer the Rome Bari route.
For those who decide to arrive in Matera with Italo Train’s rail services, the Italobus shuttle service is available, which connects the railway station of Napoli Centrale to Matera’s main station with 4 daily races. It is not possible, however, to buy a ticket just for the bus, but you need to buy a train ticket and request the shuttle service.
If you arrive in Ferrandina (30 km from Matera) with the state railways you can take a FAL bus (there are 7 daily trips available. On Sundays only at 11.15pm);
Those arriving by train to the Metaponto railway station (about 50 km from Matera) can take the SITA buses (remember: select Basilicata), informing them beforehand about the timetable because the races that connect Metaponto to Matera are not many.
The City of the Sassi: UNESCO World Heritage Site
The City of the Sassi: Matera attracts many visitors throughout the year; therefore, we strongly encourage Symposium participants to secure their accommodation well in advance.
Take the highway A14 Bologna-Taranto up to Bari Nord exit. Continue for Altamura-Matera street and exit to Matera 2 until you reach the center.
Follow the signs for Via Aldo Moro parking.
Take the highway A3 Salerno – Reggio Calabria. Take the exit for Potenza and continue towards Metaponto along the SS 407 “Basentana”. After Ferrandina Scalo, take the exit for Matera and take SS 7 “Appia” and exit at Matera 2.
Take the highway A3 Reggio Calabria-Salerno. After Cosenza, take the exit for Sibari and then SS 106 Jonica towards Taranto. Take the exit Matera, immediately after Metaponto and exit at Matera 2 until you reach the center.
Reach Brindisi and then follow the signs for Taranto.
Once in Taranto, follow the signs for SS 106 Jonica (direction Reggio Calabria) until the exit Matera, near Metaponto.
To get to Matera by bus from national and international locations, you can read the following informations:
Hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, farm stays and other accommodation in the municipality of Matera
Sorted by distance from the Symposium venue: Campus of the University of Basilicata, Via Lanera 20. Distances are in a straight line. Properties without a map position are listed last.