Author: Jaziba Luqman

Last Updated: September 2026

Matera is one of the most photographed cities in Italy, and one of the most confusing to research if you use a wheelchair. Search online, and you'll find two completely different cities described: one guide calls it "surprisingly accessible," while another warns that access "remains extremely limited" by endless stairs.

The truth is, both pictures are accurate, just about different parts of Matera.

The city is really two cities stacked into one hillside. The newer town above, Piano, is a normal modern Italian town with flat streets. But the ancient cave district below (the Sassi) is a maze of stone stairways and uneven terraces. Most of what makes Matera worth visiting sits in the old Sassi, exactly the part that gives wheelchair users the most trouble.

Online forums often blur the line between limited mobility (like traveling with a bad knee) and true wheelchair access. So, rather than giving one blanket verdict for the whole city, I cross-referenced official accessibility information, an architect's on-record account, and real visitor reports for eight of Matera's top sights. Here's a practical, honest breakdown of what we could verify about each one.

1. Sasso Barisano (the district itself)

What official sources say: Sasso Barisano is the larger of Matera's two historic cave districts, and some of its routes were included in the city's accessibility improvements, part of a citywide push, guided by an accessibility architect, to resurface paving and reduce architectural barriers ahead of Matera's year as European Capital of Culture.

What wheelchair-specific visitors report: A travel blogger who visited with mobility considerations in mind described the newer, restored streets here as considerably easier to navigate by wheelchair or mobility scooter than the older lanes of Sasso Caveoso, while cautioning in the same breath that the historic area overall still involves, in her words, "so many stairs."

Our verdict: 🟡 Possible on the main routes, confirm side streets first
Stick to the main resurfaced routes in Sasso Barisano and you'll have a genuinely manageable visit. Wander off them, and the terrain reverts quickly to steps and uneven stone.

2. Matera Cathedral (Cattedrale della Madonna della Bruna)

What official sources say: The Cathedral sits at Matera's highest point, on the "civita", deliberately placed there so it could be seen from everywhere in the city. According to an accessibility architect involved in the city's official inclusive-tourism project, wheelchair access is via a side entrance, and the interior itself has no architectural barriers, with the one change in floor level handled by a platform lift.

What wheelchair-specific visitors report: General visitor guides note that reaching the Cathedral involves a climb up from the surrounding streets, since it sits above them by design. We found no first-hand wheelchair-user account describing the approach route in detail, but no source contradicts the architect's account of the interior.

Our verdict: 🟢 Good wheelchair option, once you're at the top
The interior itself checks out as accessible on the basis of an official city project. The remaining unknown isn't the Cathedral, it's the uphill approach to reach it, which is worth confirming with your accommodation or a local guide.

3. San Pietro Barisano (rock church)

What official sources say: Matera's largest rock-cut church predates the Cathedral by centuries and, like most of the rupestrian churches carved into the Sassi, was never built with step-free access in mind. In recent years, a local cultural association has installed a multimedia museum at the site specifically to give visitors with mobility difficulties a way to experience it.

What wheelchair-specific visitors report: We found no first-hand account of a wheelchair user physically touring the rock-cut interior. What we could confirm is that the on-site multimedia setup uses technology to let visitors with mobility difficulties experience San Pietro Barisano and several nearby rock churches, Madonna de Idris, San Giovanni in Monterrone, and Santa Lucia alle Malve, without navigating the caves themselves, alongside scale models for blind visitors.

Our verdict: 🟡 Possible digitally / physical access unconfirmed
The multimedia setup provides a genuine alternative way to experience the site, but that isn't the same as confirming that the physical rock-cut interior is wheelchair-navigable.

4. Casa Grotta del Casalnuovo (Sasso Barisano)

What official sources say: This cave-house museum is a rare case in Matera: accessibility was a stated design goal, not an afterthought. It was developed as part of the "Architettura in Positivo" (Positive Architecture) project, specifically to make a multi-level cave dwelling usable by visitors with disabilities.

What wheelchair-specific visitors report: Specialist accessibility sources confirm the museum includes dedicated ramps connecting its different levels, tactile 3D models and touch-enabled maps for blind visitors, and a sign-language video guide for deaf visitors. It's specifically flagged as popular with wheelchair users, families with strollers, and seniors.

Our verdict: 🟢 Good wheelchair option
One of the few Matera attractions we can confirm as genuinely, deliberately accessible, in a city where most cave interiors involve steps between rooms.

5. Storica Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario (Sasso Caveoso)

What official sources say: A different cave-house museum from #4 above, easy to confuse by name. This one is a traditionally preserved 19th-century cave dwelling in Sasso Caveoso, showing peasant life exactly as it was, without a modern accessibility retrofit.

What wheelchair-specific visitors report: General visitor guides note the surrounding streets involve uneven surfaces and steps typical of the Sassi. We found no source describing wheelchair access into the dwelling itself.

Our verdict: 🟠 Significant limitations
The clearest example in Matera of two nearly identically named attractions sitting at opposite ends of the accessibility spectrum. If someone tells you "the Casa Grotta is accessible," ask which one they mean.

6. Palombaro Lungo

What official sources say: Matera's largest underground cistern, beneath Piazza Vittorio Veneto, is toured via stairs and suspended walkways above the water. The site's own visitor information describes access as being via steps down into the cavern.

What wheelchair-specific visitors report: Multiple visitor reviews independently describe two to three flights of steel stairs each way, with no adapted route mentioned by any source we could find.

Our verdict: 🔴 Not wheelchair accessible
The most clear-cut "no" on this list. The multi-level stairway isn't a side feature you can route around, it's the only way in.

7. MUSMA- Museum of Contemporary Sculpture

What official sources say: MUSMA occupies the 16th-century Palazzo Pomarici, combining ten rooms on the palace's upper floor with seven natural caves on a lower level once used as stables and cellars. No official source specifies how, or whether, wheelchair users can move between the two levels.

What wheelchair-specific visitors report: Visitor reviews focus on the museum's caves and its slightly tricky location, but none we found addresses wheelchair access between the upper palace rooms and the lower caves, the two halves of the collection.

Our verdict: 🟡 Access uncertain. Confirm first
The split-level cave-and-palace layout that makes MUSMA unique is exactly what makes it hard to vouch for. Call ahead and ask specifically whether the lower caves are reachable without stairs.

8. Parco della Murgia Materana & Belvedere di Murgia Timone

What official sources say: This UNESCO-listed nature park, facing the Sassi across the ravine, is a separate accessibility story from its most famous viewpoint. The park itself runs guided routes designed around universal accessibility and multisensory access, tactile maps, sign-language guiding, and sensory markers along the trail. Its best-known viewpoint, Belvedere di Murgia Timone, is also reachable via the popular Trail #406 hiking route, which crosses the ravine on a suspension bridge.

What wheelchair-specific visitors report: Hiking-focused sources are unanimous that Trail #406 itself is a moderate, several-kilometre hike over uneven, rocky terrain, not wheelchair-passable. Separately, the viewpoint is also reachable by a short drive with dedicated parking, described by general visitor guides as a smooth, paved approach once you arrive by car.

Our verdict: 🟡 Depends entirely on how you arrive
The park has invested specifically in accessible-tourism infrastructure, and the viewpoint is manageable if you drive to it directly. The famous suspension-bridge hiking route to the same spot is a different matter entirely. The park's accessible-tourism facilities should not be taken to mean that Trail #406 is wheelchair accessible.

Matera's 8 Attractions Compared

So, Can You Really Explore Matera in a Wheelchair?

Partially, and which part of the city you mean matters more here than in most places on this list.

Matera doesn't have one accessibility story. It has at least three: a newer town (Piano) that's genuinely flat and easy; a restored cave district (Sasso Barisano) that's manageable if you stay on the main routes and includes at least two attractions, the Cathedral and Casa Grotta del Casalnuovo, that are confirmed accessible thanks to a deliberate, named city accessibility project; and an older district plus most underground or rock-cut sites (Sasso Caveoso, Palombaro Lungo, the traditional Casa Grotta, the rock churches) that involve real steps with no physical workaround, though some now offer digital alternatives.

The real visitor accounts we found back this up: nobody described Matera as fully accessible, but nobody described it as impossible either. The consistent theme was slow pacing, taxis for the harder stretches, and picking your battles about which sights matter most to you.

If you're planning a visit, treat Matera less as "accessible" or "not accessible" and more as a city with a genuine, official accessibility effort underway that has clearly reached some sights and not others yet. Lean on the confirmed-accessible sights, use taxis for the connections between them, and call ahead for anything marked "confirm first."

Practical Notes for Planning

A few logistics worth knowing before you go, based on Matera's official tourism information:

• Wheelchair rental: A local supplier (Nova Salus) rents wheelchairs in Matera; it's worth arranging this before arrival rather than assuming availability on the day.
• Getting into town: Matera's airport shuttle from Bari is described by the city's own tourism office as independently accessible for passengers with reduced mobility, and city buses run with boarding ramps and a dedicated wheelchair space.
• Into the Sassi: The historic centre is a limited traffic zone, so cars (including taxis) can't simply drive into most of it, the two main access points into the Sassi are on Via D'Addozio (Sasso Barisano side) and Via Bruno Buozzi (Sasso Caveoso side).
• Cost consideration: Matera has waived the municipal tourist tax for visitors with a certified disability since 2013, worth mentioning when you book accommodation.
• Guided tours: A local association (SassieMurgia), originally set up to guide blind and deaf visitors, now also offers guided routes for wheelchair users specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need to visit Matera in a wheelchair?

You can cover the main accessible sights in a day, particularly if you focus on Piano and the more manageable routes through Sasso Barisano. For a slower pace, two to three nights gives you more time to use taxis, rest between sights, and visit attractions without rushing.

Are wheelchair rental or assistance services available in Matera?

Yes. Nova Salus rents wheelchairs in Matera, while SassieMurgia offers guided routes adapted for wheelchair users. Contact both in advance to confirm availability for your dates.

How much does a wheelchair-friendly trip to Matera cost?

Costs vary by accommodation, transport, and whether you book an adapted tour. One cost break worth knowing: Matera has exempted visitors with a certified disability from its municipal tourist tax since 2013.

Are there wheelchair-accessible hotels in Matera?

Yes, but accessibility varies considerably between properties. This is especially important with hotels converted from historic cave dwellings, where the original layout may include steps. Before booking, confirm the exact room features, bathroom access, entrance, and route from the street.

Is Matera easy to get around in a wheelchair?

Piano is the easiest part of Matera to navigate by wheelchair. Some main routes through Sasso Barisano are manageable, while Sasso Caveoso and many underground or rock-cut attractions present much greater difficulties. The individual attraction verdicts above are a better guide than treating the whole city as either accessible or inaccessible.

Sources consulted: TripAdvisor visitor reviews and forum discussions on Matera; apassionandapassport.com's Matera itinerary guide; Arcobaleno in Viaggio's coverage of Matera's accessibility architect and city project (originally reported by Corriere della Sera); Matera's official tourism accessibility page (materawelcome.it); Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno's reporting on Matera's disability-tourism initiatives; and specialist accessibility guides covering Casa Grotta del Casalnuovo and San Pietro Barisano.