Fenix Tours
By the end of the nineteenth century an amateur archaeologist, the doctor Domenico Ridola, taken by his passion for archeology began to "discover" the various Neolithic and later age villages (bronze and iron age) scattered on the Murgia and launched a hypothesis that took hold: in remote times there were three villages: one on the Murgia Timone plateau, another one on the Murgecchia, both of them on the left side of the Gravina of Matera and a hypothetical third one (never found and proved) on the Civita, the historic center of Matera. By virtue of frequent summer droughts and the presence of a perennial pond at the confluence of the Gravina stream and its tributary Jesce, Ridola thought that the three villages had to forcibly supplying water from the pond and therefore there was an interdependence between them. Later, for unknown reasons, the two villages of Murgecchia and Murgia Timone were abandoned in favor of Civita; when however, it was never ascertained. Undoubtedly at the beginning of the twentieth century the means to date archaeological discoveries did not exist and often the most abstruse theories came to the light of day.
Despite all the of archaeological world "little" lies, Matera is an AWESOME place. The city, or better said the Sassi, developed on a very thick bank of soft limestone called locally tuff (not to be confused with volcanic tuff - the tuff present in Matera is geologically called "Gravina limestone") and unlike other centers of Puglia of which Matera is part but at administrative level, here what it is impressive, is the extension of the tuff bank and therefore the occupation of the inhabited center throughout the tufaceous rock outcropping. On the page specifically dedicated to Matera there are many more insights.
To complete the visit I recommend at least an excursion in the park. However, it is important to bear in mind in the park, to reach some of the most interesting places such as the Villaggio Saraceno or the Tempa Rossa means trekking even if for a short distance.
Please do not forget to read the Terms and Conditions before booking. The reservation is valid after the payment of the advance or the full amount.
For the same tour there are two prices based on the number of people: 1 to 3 and 4 to 7 people. For groups of 8 or more people, please contact us.
After deciding which excursion you want to do, click on the booking button that will open a partially pre-filled e-mail. You must indicate the date, the number of participants and your special requests. Probably it will take more than one e-mail to define the excursion but as soon as you receive our confirmation email, you can make the payment (in advance or in full).
By clicking any payment button opens a window and you can choose whether to pay with your Paypal account (if you have one) or by credit card or any other online payment method existing in your country that is affiliated with Paypal. This alternative changes depending on the country.
If your currency is not the euro (€), you can pay via the Wise or XE platforms. Paypal applies commercial exchange rates (those of the bureaus of exchange for example) very unfavorable, while Wise and XE apply the official rates with very low fees. Simply open a Wise or XE account and make the payment via the mobile app or PC by making the transfer to the bank account of Fenix Tours. The bank account will be communicated to you in the confirmation e-mail
The balance can be be paid by PayPal, Wise or XE or at the latest, at the start of the tour by credit card 
or cash (euro)
.
With the exception of the road connecting the Sassi built during the Fascist period, there are no roads accessible by car.
The only way to explore it is on foot.
There are many monuments scattered in the various areas of tourist interest, in the Sassi, on the Civita, in the Piano and in the immediate vicinity of the city. The half-day excursion does not allow you to visit them all but at least in addition to walking through much of the old town, you can visit some churches such as the Madonna dell'Idris or some small museums that show what life was like for the farmers of old Matera. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes for long walks.
This excursion is free for those who buy at least two days of tour in total.
| 1-3 people | 4-7 people | ||||
| Full Price | Down Payment | Balance | Full Price | Down Payment | Balance |
| 200 € | 60 € | 140 € | 280 € | 84 € | 196 € |
The day tour allows a quiet exploration of the historic center of Matera. In the Sassi, however, with the exception of the "road connecting the Sassi" built during the Fascist period, there are no roads that can be travelled by car. The only way to explore them is on foot.
There are many monuments scattered in the various areas of tourist interest: in the Sassi, on the Civita, in the Piano and in the immediate vicinity of the city. The day trip allows you to visit many points of interest: Romanesque churches such as the one dedicated to San Giovanni, the Convicino di Sant'Antonio, a beautiful monastery composed of several rock churches reused as cellars, The spectacular complex of Monterrone-Madonna dell'Idris, the small museums and shops that in addition to selling original souvenirs allow knowledge of the farming world that fell the lives of the inhabitants of Sassi before the 50s and much more. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes for long walks. For those who buy at least 2 days of excursions, the price of the half-day excursion applies.
| 1-3 people | 4-7 people | ||||
| Full Price | Down Payment | Balance | Full Price | Down Payment | Balance |
| 300 € | 90 € | 210 € | 420 € | 126 € | 294 € |
The basic tour includes the descent on foot along the path that descends towards the Gravina (canyon), from the parking lot of the "Madonna delle Virtù". Then we will cross the Gravina di Matera via the Tibetan bridge to go up the path that climbs up to the Murgia Timone.
The plateau of Murgia Timone has several rock churches and villages and a wonderful overall view of the Sassi of Matera. The rupestrian villages are an example of how the Sassi looked up to the year 1000, being the city of Mathera (ancient name of Matera) limited to the Civita alone. Near the Visitor Center of the Murgia Park there is a Neolithic village documented for the first time by the archaeologist Domenico Ridola at the end of the 19th century. For those who don't feel like making the outward journey again, you can return to Matera with the local bus made available by the Municipality of Matera.
| 1-3 people | 4-7 people | ||||
| Full Price | Down Payment | Balance | Full Price | Down Payment | Balance |
| 300 € | 90 € | 210 € | 420 € | 126 € | 294 € |
The full day tour involves moving between different sites several kilometers apart by car. In addition to the plateau of Murgia Timone, with a visit to the Neolithic village and some rock villages, we will visit the Madonna delle Vergini (Murgecchia) with other historical and prehistoric sites of considerable interest. For those who feel like exploring the valley below, you can go down a path that crosses a valley full of Mediterranean vegetation to reach the church of Monteverde and for the more athletic, from here you can go up the hill to the church of the Madonna degli Angeli . This ascent presents some difficulties; and it is not recommended for those who are not in good physical shape.
In addition to the Murgecchia and Murgia Timone, plateaus from which you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Sassi, we can visit the following sites: Grotta dei Pipistrelli, Villaggio dell'Ofra, Cristo la Selva, Villaggio Saraceno, Madonna della Löe. Most places can be reached after a short or long walk. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes for long walks.
| 1-3 people | 4-7 people | ||||
| Full Price | Down Payment | Balance | Full Price | Down Payment | Balance |
| 450 € | 135 € | 315 € | 630 € | 189 € | 441 € |
