The Cammino Materano begins with the glimmering sea and the old city of Bari, where kids play in the streets and old ladies make fresh orecchiette pasta in front of their home. It's just the beginning of the journey, but one can already grasp the sense of this trip.
The simple pleasures of life, the slow life, the things that nurture the soul, the unexpected beauty - seven days through Puglia and finally Matera, a magical city carved in stone, unlike anywhere else on earth.
Olive groves, almond trees and wild flowers, villages on the edge of deep ravines and Southern towns of bustling piazzas, filled with life, welcoming as in few other places of Italy.
The SloWays version of the Cammino Materano covers 96 km over 7 days and 6 nights, starting in Bari and ending in Matera. The route includes 5 walking stages and passes through Cassano delle Murge, Santeramo in Colle, Altamura, Gravina in Puglia, and Lago San Giuliano before the final approach to Matera.
Accommodations are a mix of 2- and 3-star hotels, family-run B&Bs, and agriturismi, all with private rooms and private bathrooms. The trip includes stays in Bari, Santeramo, Altamura, Gravina di Puglia, Masseria La Fiorita, and Matera, with luggage transferred from hotel to hotel each day.
The Cammino Materano is rated Level 3 out of 5, which makes it moderately challenging. The route is not technically difficult, but some stages are long and require a reasonable base fitness level and some preparatory training, especially for walkers new to multi-day hiking.
The route combines nature, history, and culture, with highlights such as the Mesola forest, Alta Murgia National Park, the Archaeological Museum in Altamura, the underground city of Gravina in Puglia, the ancient Via Appia, and the Sassi of Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The best time to walk the Cammino Materano is spring or autumn, when temperatures are milder and the landscape is at its most beautiful. The trip is available from April to October, while July and August can be hot, especially inland.
Yes, the SloWays Cammino Materano is a self-guided walking holiday. The trip includes 6 nights of accommodation with breakfast, luggage transfers, transfers described in the itinerary, digital maps and route descriptions, a Pilgrim Passport, travel insurance, and 24-hour phone assistance.
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