Places
Park·Moderate·Scenic·Popular
Parco della Murgia Materana
Basilicata
Across the Gravina ravine from Matera's UNESCO-listed Sassi, this park protects a stark karst landscape riddled with caves and dozens of rupestrian churches carved by Byzantine-era monks. Lesser kestrels nest in the cliff faces, and the plateau's dry grassland supports orchids and reptiles rarely seen elsewhere in the region. Trails link several frescoed cave churches, including Madonna delle Tre Porte.
Duration
4 hours
Distance
9 km
Elevation
+200 m
Best season
April – June, September – November
Highlights
- Byzantine rock-cut churches
- Nesting lesser kestrels
- Panorama of Matera's Sassi across the ravine
With your dog
Rocky karst plateau paths facing the Sassi; dogs on leash, exposed terrain.
