Cammino Materano

In short: Cammino Materano: from Bari to Matera. Length: around 160 km on the Via Peuceta, duration: about 7 days. Best time: Spring and autumn.

Overview

The Cammino Materano is a network of several routes that meet in Matera. The best known is the Via Peuceta, which starts in Bari, the city with the tomb of St Nicholas.

It leads through olive groves and across the Murge plateau to the Sassi of Matera, the cave districts that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The whole network is much longer than the Via Peuceta. Puglia gets very hot in summer, so plan the route for spring or autumn.

Planning your stages

How long you need depends on your daily distance. The table works this out for 160 kilometres, with one rest day a week.

Who is this route for?

This route suits a first pilgrimage well. You need no mountain experience, normal basic fitness and broken-in shoes are enough.

What does the route cost?

With an albergue or simple guesthouse and one hot meal, 60 to 80 euros a day is usually enough. Over about 9 days that comes to roughly 550 to 700 euros, plus travel and gear. This is a guide figure.

You can find more routes under Pilgrimage routes in Europe, Pilgrimage in Italy, sorted by religion under Christian pilgrimage routes.