Planning a trip to Matera

Matera has no government-run tourist office. Private agencies abound, but beware: Many are in business to sell you expensive and often uninformative walking tours of the Sassi. Your hotel will most likely provide you with a map. A good online resource is www.sassiweb.it. For excellent background on Matera, step into Casa Noha, Recinto Cavone 9 (www.fondoambiente.it; tel. 0835/335452), where visual projections and a good soundtrack trace the city's history and its unique social and architectural heritage; the staff can also set you up with a free walking-tour app. It's open March to December daily 10am to 6pm; admission is 6€.