The Cammino Materano: Walking Through Stone and Silence to Matera

From Bari to Matera: a journey through stone

The Cammino Materano is a route of approximately 170 kilometres linking Bari to Matera across the Murgia plateau, one of the most singular landscapes in Italy. It is not an alpine trail — there are no peaks to conquer, no deep forests to traverse: here the protagonist is stone — that of the dry-stone walls dividing the fields, that of the cave churches carved into the tufa, that of the Sassi of Matera waiting at the journey's end.

It is a young trail, born in 2017, but one that has already won a small community of pilgrims drawn to its austerity: few services, few walkers, much solitude. Those seeking the comfort of the Camino de Santiago should look elsewhere. Those seeking deep Italy — the Italy of silences and the blinding light of the South — are exactly where they need to be.

The itinerary: seven stages across the Murgia

Stage 1: Bari – Modugno (18 km)

You set off from the Basilica of San Nicola in the heart of the old city and leave Bari through the outskirts. It is not the most scenic stage, but it has the merit of leaving the sea behind and projecting the walker into the interior. At Modugno the Murgia landscape begins: red earth, olive trees, dry-stone walls. Minimal elevation change, though the tarmac in the early hours can be tedious.

Stage 2: Modugno – Toritto (22 km)

The landscape changes gradually. The coastal plain gives way to the first undulations of the Murgia. You pass through masserie — some still working, others abandoned — their stone enclosures telling centuries of pastoral life. Toritto is celebrated for the Filippo Cea almond, a prized native variety. Elevation: 300 m positive.

Stage 3: Toritto – Cassano Murge (24 km)

The longest stage crosses the heart of the Bari Murgia. You walk between wheat fields and centuries-old olive groves, along white dirt roads that vanish into the horizon. The landscape has an austere, almost African beauty. At Cassano Murge you visit the karst caves and dine in one of the trattorias serving hand-rolled orecchiette and cime di rapa.

Stage 4: Cassano – Santeramo in Colle (20 km)

You enter the Alta Murgia, a karst plateau that in spring is covered with wild orchids and asphodels. The Alta Murgia National Park protects one of the last remnants of Mediterranean steppe in Europe. The lanner falcon and the short-toed eagle nest here, raptors now rare elsewhere. Santeramo, perched on a hilltop, offers a 360-degree view over the Murgia.

Stage 5: Santeramo – Altamura (22 km)

The descent toward Altamura crosses the Pulo, an impressive karst sinkhole 500 m in diameter and 75 m deep. Altamura is one of the most fascinating cities on the Murgia: the Frederician cathedral, the DOP bread baked in wood-fired ovens (the finest in Italy, many claim), the historic centre with its claustri. The gastronomic stage par excellence.

Stage 6: Altamura – Laterza (25 km)

You enter Basilicata territory, crossing a landscape that grows progressively wilder. The gravine — deep canyons carved by water through limestone — begin to appear. The Gravina di Laterza, 200 m deep and 12 km long, is the largest in southern Italy: a little Grand Canyon that few people know. Its walls harbour frescoed cave churches.

Stage 7: Laterza – Matera (30 km)

The last stage is the longest and most moving. You walk through the Murgia Materana, a territory of caves, cave churches and jazzi (livestock enclosures). Arriving at Matera is unforgettable: the Belvedere della Murgia Timone offers the vision of the Sassi from across the ravine, with the city appearing to grow from the rock like a living organism.

Practical information

Difficulty and terrain

The Cammino Materano is rated T/E (Tourist-Hiking). There are no technical difficulties, but the daily distances are significant and the southern sun can be merciless. The overall elevation gain is modest (roughly 2,500 m positive in total), but the terrain is often stony and uneven. Watch for white dirt roads that become scorching in summer.

Waymarking

The route is marked with yellow arrows and the trail logo. Waymarking has improved in recent years but remains patchy in some rural sections. The GPX track is essential and should be downloaded before departure.

When to go

• March–May: ideal period, the flowering Murgia is a spectacle. Perfect temperatures for walking.
• October–November: excellent, temperatures still mild, beautiful light.
• Summer: strongly discouraged. Temperatures above 40°C, no shade, risk of heatstroke.
• Winter: possible but the days are short and some accommodation closes.

Equipment

• Light trekking boots with a robust sole (stony terrain)
• Wide-brimmed hat and SPF 50 sunscreen (essential)
• At least 2–3 litres of water for the longer stages
• Sunglasses: the glare off limestone is blinding
• Light windproof jacket for mornings on the Murgia

Where to sleep

Hospitality is growing but still limited. B&Bs and agriturismi are available in the stage towns, with prices between 30 and 50 euros. In some places a transfer is necessary to reach accommodation off the route. In Matera, spending at least one night in a restored Sasso is an experience not to be missed.

A journey of light and stone

The Cammino Materano has neither the fame of the Via degli Dei nor the sea views of the coast. It has something else: a blinding light that transforms everything it touches, a silence the Murgia guards jealously, and the arrival at Matera — one of the most powerful visions Italy can offer. In a country that has built its identity on mountains and sea, the Murgia reminds us that a third way exists: that of steppe, stone and infinite space.