PARCO DELLA MURGIA MATERANA

Protected since 1990 and listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO along with the sassi of Matera, the Murgia Materana Regional Park offers one of the most spectacular landscapes in southern Italy. This limestone territory of about 8,000 hectares, criss-crossed by crevices and caves, has been occupied by man since the Paleolithic era. Troglodytic dwellings, traces of Neolithic villages and no less than 150 rock churches dating back to the Middle Ages bear witness to a very ancient and permanent human presence. The Belvedere Murgia Timone is a good starting point to discover the Park. It can be reached by car along the SS 7 towards Taranto, or on foot from Matera (Via Madonna delle Virtù) along path 406 that crosses the Tibetan bridge at the bottom of the canyon bordering the town to the east (be careful, the path is a bit steep!). On arrival, the view of Matera, with the sassi and the tuff cliffs studded with cavities, is very impressive. The small rock churches of Sant'Agnese and of the Madonna delle Tre Porte, whose frescoes have remained surprisingly vivid, are located nearby. The Madonna delle Croci can be reached by the 408 trail (20 minutes walk). Those who wish to explore this territory in greater depth and learn about its natural and cultural attractions can request the services of an environmental guide from the Park (parcomurgia.it) or the Centro di Educazione Ambientale (ceamatera.it).