Civita
Matera, Italy
The hilltop area between the two Sassi districts, home to the cathedral.
Places in Civita
- Civita hilltop cafes Cafes near the cathedral offering views across both Sassi districts.
- Civita viewpoint bars Bars near the cathedral offering sweeping evening views over both Sassi districts.
Practical notes for Matera
- Best time to visit
- April to June and September to October offer comfortable temperatures for exploring the sassi on foot.
- Getting around
- Matera's Sassi districts are entirely walkable, though steep steps and uneven stone paths make comfortable shoes essential.
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Language
- Italian. English is common in tourist areas.
- Timezone
- CET (UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer)
- Current trends
- Former cave dwellings continue being repurposed into unique luxury hotels for sophisticated travellers, with properties like Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita pairing ancient stone with modern amenities like heated floors and Philippe Starck bathtubs.
Other neighborhoods in Matera
- Sasso Caveoso — One of the two main cave districts, considered the more atmospheric and less renovated of the two.
- Sasso Barisano — The other main cave district, home to many of the boutique cave hotels.
Read the full Matera guide