Why you should walk the Cammino Materano: Italy's hidden pilgrimage trail

Why should I walk the Cammino Materano?

The Cammino Materano offers something increasingly rare in European walking: a long-distance trail through deeply authentic landscapes and communities that most visitors to Italy never see. While the north draws the crowds, southern Italy — and Puglia and Basilicata in particular — remains genuinely off the beaten track. The walking is varied, the food and wine are outstanding, the people are welcoming, and it all ends in Matera: one of the most extraordinary cities in Europe.

Cicerone author Gillian Price, who has walked the routes multiple times while researching the guidebook, describes the landscape like this:

"Running between the southern Adriatic coast of Italy and the Ionian Sea are extensive low-lying plains planted with kilometre after kilometre of olives and grapevines, edged with prickly pear cactus. Lush doesn't come to mind at first. Arid and harsh at times, yes. And magnificent in its vastness, with lungfuls of space."

That vastness, plus the sense of stepping into a part of Italy that tourism hasn't yet smoothed into uniformity, is the heart of why walkers fall in love with this route.

What makes southern Italy so different from the rest of the country?

Most visitors to Italy stick to Rome, Florence, the Amalfi Coast, or the Italian Lakes. Puglia and Basilicata — the heel and instep of the Italian boot — are a different country in almost every sense. The architecture is different, the food is different, the light is different, and the pace of life is distinctly its own.

This is the Italy of trulli (the conical stone houses of Alberobello) and of the gravine: dramatic limestone ravines whose cliff faces are honeycombed with ancient cave dwellings. It's the Italy of whitewashed hilltowns like Ostuni, visible for miles across the plain, and of towns like Laterza, still producing hand-painted majolica ceramics using centuries-old methods. Inland Basilicata is wilder still: ridgeline villages, Roman roads, medieval watchtowers, and landscapes that feel genuinely remote.

For walkers, this is a gift. The paths are quiet, the waymarking is good, and the communities along the route are genuinely pleased to see you.

What is Matera, and why is it such a special place to finish?

Matera is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world — its cave dwellings, known as the Sassi, have been occupied for at least 9,000 years. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a European Capital of Culture in 2019, Matera has undergone a remarkable transformation from a city once considered a symbol of southern poverty to one of Italy's most visited and celebrated destinations.

Arriving on foot, after days of walking through the surrounding landscapes, makes the experience of entering Matera entirely different from arriving by tour bus. The city appears suddenly at the edge of a ravine — a cascade of pale stone buildings, churches, and cave dwellings tumbling into the gorge below. It is a genuinely moving arrival, and a destination fully worthy of the journey to reach it.

How does the Cammino Materano compare to the Camino de Santiago?

The Camino de Santiago is the world's most famous pilgrimage walk, and rightly celebrated. But its popularity is also its main drawback: in peak season, the final stretch into Santiago de Compostela can feel more like a procession than a pilgrimage. The Cammino Materano offers a similar combination of walking, culture, history, and a credential system — but in a fraction of the crowds.

Like the Camino, walkers on the CM collect stamps in their credential along the way and receive a testimonium on arrival in Matera. Accommodation is organised around the route, with a network of affiliated B&Bs, hostels, and small hotels. The community feel of fellow walkers, welcoming hosts, shared meals is very much present. But the paths are quieter, the landscape is less familiar, and the destination is arguably even more dramatic.

For walkers who have already done the Camino and are looking for something equally meaningful but less travelled, the Cammino Materano is an outstanding choice.

Is it difficult, and who is it suitable for?

Difficulty ranges from easyto moderately hard. Fit walkers covering 15–30 km per day will find the routes manageable. The CM is suitable for solo walkers, couples, and small groups, with many visitors walking alone. The credential and community support provide reassurance and structure for independent walkers.

What will I eat and drink along the way?

Southern Italian food is some of the best in the country, and walking through the region that produces it is one of the great pleasures of the Cammino Materano. Expect orecchiette and cavatelli (the characteristic pasta shapes of Puglia), panzerotti (deep-fried stuffed pastries), peperoni cruschi (dried sweet peppers, a Basilicata staple), lampascioni (wild onions), extraordinary local cheeses, and bread that Altamura — a town on the Via Peuceta — is famous for across all of Italy.

The wines are equally good. Primitivo di Manduria, Aglianico delle Vulture, and Malvasia Bianca are all produced in the regions the routes pass through. Many restaurants along the way offer a pilgrim menu for around €15–20, often with a discount for credential holders.

What are the three routes, and which should I choose?

All three routes finish in Matera. The choice between them depends on how much time you have and what kind of landscape appeals to you most.

• Via Peuceta — Bari to Matera, 168km, ~7 days The most accessible starting point, with Bari easily reached by air or train from across Europe. The Via Peuceta crosses a steppe-like plateau of olive groves, wheatfields, and woodland, passing through Altamura (famous for its bread and archaeological museum) and the spectacular ravine town of Gravina di Puglia before arriving in Matera. A satisfying week's walk with a manageable daily distance.

• Via Ellenica — Brindisi to Matera, 288km, ~14 days The longest and most varied of the three routes, beginning at the ancient port of Brindisi and passing through some of the most distinctive landscapes in southern Italy: the Valle d'Itria with its trulli houses, Ostuni, the cave ravines of Laterza and Ginosa, and the baroque architecture of Martina Franca. For walkers with two weeks, this is the richest experience the CM offers.

• Via Lucana — Tricarico to Matera, 115km, ~6 days The hilliest and most remote of the three, connecting inland Basilicata villages perched on ridgelines, with watchtowers, Roman road remnants, and landscapes that feel genuinely wild. A shorter route but physically the most demanding.

All three can be combined — many walkers complete two or all three on separate trips.

What cultural and historic highlights are there along the way?

Walkers encounter towns with rich local traditions, crafts, and architecture. Laterza is known for its majolica ceramics, while Miglionico boasts a medieval castle. Alberobello is famous for its conical trulli houses, and Ostuni charms visitors as a whitewashed hilltop town. Altamura is renowned for its bread ovens, and Gravina is notable for its aqueduct bridge. The region’s cuisine is equally distinctive, with fresh breads, orecchiette, cavatelli, panzerotti, peperoni cruschi, lampascioni, cheeses, and figs. Local wines such as Primitivo di Manduria, Aglianico delle Vulture, and Malvasia Bianca complement the food. Pilgrim menus, typically costing €15–20, are available at some restaurants, often with discounts for credential holders.