Matera on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Matera is good on a budget because walking the Sassi is free and the paid sights are cheap. Plan on about €90 per person per day (bed €45, food €30, sights €12, transport €4).
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €45 | €85 | €200 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €50 | €90 |
| Sights & tickets | €12 | €25 | €60 |
| Local transport | €4 | €20 | €50 |
| Per person, per day | €91 | €180 | €400 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Matera day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk down into the Sasso Barisano from the Belvedere Luigi Guerricchio
- Climb to the Civita and look at the Cathedral from outside its Romanesque facade
- Watch the blue hour over the Sassi from Via Madonna delle Virtu
- Walk across the gorge to Murgia Timone and the Parco della Murgia Materana
- Sunset at the Belvedere di Murgia Timone opposite the town
- Wander the evening passeggiata around Piazza Vittorio Veneto and Piazza San Francesco
Cheap eats
- Pane di Matera with local cheese or salami from a bakery or deli: a few euros
- Cavatelli or orecchiette with fave e cicorie at a trattoria: about €10–14
- Crapiata soup of legumes and grains: about €10–12
- Peperoni cruschi as a starter: a few euros
- Trattoria meal with house wine: about €25–40 per person
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in B&Bs in the new town near Piazza Vittorio Veneto, about €70–120 for a double, a few minutes' walk from the Sassi and the station and easier for parking.
Getting around cheaply
Walk everywhere in town. From Bari, take the FAL train (about 1.5 hours, about €5–6) or the bus from Bari airport (about 1.25 hours). Outside town, a car or tour is needed.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk the Sasso Barisano and the Civita (free)
- Lunch: bread, cheese and peperoni cruschi from a deli (about €8)
- Afternoon: Casa Grotta and the Palombaro Lungo (about €8–10)
- Evening: blue hour on Via Madonna delle Virtu and a trattoria dinner (about €20–25)
- Total: about €40–45 plus your bed (€45 per person), so roughly €85–90
More ways to save
- Book the Palombaro Lungo slot on arrival; visits are short and fill up.
- Carry a refillable water bottle; tap water is safe.
- Do the Sassi early morning and evening, when light and temperatures are better.
- Skip the Volo dell'Angelo if money is tight; the Dolomites villages are beautiful from the ground.
- Visit in spring or autumn for lower room prices than in July and August.
- Picnic at Murgia Timone with food from the new town's shops.
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Common questions
Can you visit Matera on a budget?
Yes. Walking the Sassi is free, sights cost a few euros, and B&Bs in the new town are about €70–120.
What is the cheapest way from Bari?
The FAL train from Bari Centrale, about 1.5 hours and about €5–6.
Do you need a car?
Not in town. A car or tour is needed for Craco, the Crypt of Original Sin and the Lucanian Dolomites.