Matera, or the most famous city of the Sassi, is the European Capital of Culture for 2019.

Famous throughout the world for the historic districts of the Sassi, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 9 December 1993, Matera is one of the oldest and most charming cities in southern Italy.

Matera is a city rich in history and culture. The two districts of the Sassi (Barisano and Caveoso) are an urban settlement derived from different forms of civilization that succeeded each other over time, and constitute the most ancient part of the city.

The city is known for its cistern and water collection systems, numerous archaeological sites and its natural areas such as the Murgia Materana Park, which includes the entire territory of Gravina di Matera and the famous rock churches.