Matera, a city in the Basilicata region of Italy, is one of those places that you can’t help but fall in love with. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been featured as a location for many movies including Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.”
But when is the best time to visit Matera? Let’s take a look at the best months to visit the city while on your trip to Italy.
Best Time to Visit Matera – An Overview
Before going through the best months to visit Matera, let’s cover some essential information that may be helpful to plan your trip.
All in all, the best months to travel to Matera in Italy are May through October, when the weather is pleasant and hot, with little or no rainfall. In July, the average temperature in Matera is 31°C, while in January’s average temperature is 10°C.
Where is Matera?
Matera is a city located in the south of Italy.
It is historically and culturally one of the most important cities in Southern Italy and especially adequately known for its ancient buildings.
Matera is also known as “Città dei Sassi” which translates to the city of rocks, and it’s one of the best places you should include in your Southern Italy road trip.
However, it is important to know that Matera is always striving towards cultural growth and improvement both locally and internationally.
In fact, the Sassi di Matera are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This will be helpful in spreading awareness about Matera worldwide.
The great thing about Matera is that you can visit Bari, which is only a 1-hour drive away, as well as other small towns in Puglia.
How to Get to Matera?
The easiest method to get to Matera is to fly into Bari from any of Italy’s major cities. The airport bus from Bari will take an hour and a half and cost between 6€ and 8€. So, for less than $10 from Bari, you’ll get to reach Matera.
This is definitely something to consider since, let’s be honest, you need a budget to travel to Italy as costs can be pretty high. But not in Southern Italy – here, life is much more affordable than in bigger cities like Rome or Naples.
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Best Time to Visit Matera, Italy – Month By Month
Visit Matera, Italy, in January
In January in Matera, the climate is relatively dry (with 37mm of precipitation over 8 days). The weather is not improving when compared to the previous month since there was an average of 21mm of precipitation over 4 days in December.
This city’s climate is quite chilly, but dressing warmly makes it more bearable. The temperatures in Matera in January are on average 10°C.
Visit Matera, Italy, in February
In Matera, February is a highly arid month (with only 34mm of rainfall in seven days). Since January has an average of 37mm of precipitation over eight days, the weather is worse than last month.
Temperatures are cool here in February, although it is possible to live comfortably if you dress warmly. The average temperature increases to 12°C in February in Matera.
Visit Matera, Italy, in March
In Matera, the weather is wet in March (with 53mm of rain in ten days). The climate isn’t improving when compared to the previous month, since there was an average of 34mm of rain over seven days in February.
This area’s climate is quite fresh this month with temperatures averaging 14°C, but they’re certainly warmer than during the winter.
Visit Matera, Italy, in April
The weather in Matera in April is rainy (with 54mm of rainfall over 10 days). Because March saw an average of 53mm of precipitation over 10 days, the climate is much friendlier than it was in previous months.
The morning temperature is about 16°C in April. Maximum temperatures varied throughout the day, with a morning maximum of 19°C and an afternoon minimum of 17°C. April’s average temperature is therefore 18°C.
Visit Matera, Italy, in May
The climate of Matera is wet. The weather is nice from the previous month, as it received an average of 54mm of rain over 10 days in April. This month’s weather in that region is excellent. In this month of May in Matera, the seasonal average temperature is 22°C.
Visit Matera, Italy, in June
In Matera, the climate in June is rather dry (with 32mm of rain in 6 days). This is better than last month when it received an average of 46mm of precipitation over 10 days. This month’s weather in this city is quite pleasant.
The thermometer measured a high of 29°C. In the morning, temperatures fall to a low of 26°C. As a result, the typical temperature in June in Matera is 28°C
Visit Matera in July (Best Time to Visit Matera)
The climate in Matera, Italy, is typically dry throughout July (with 17mm of precipitation over three days). This is better than the previous month since June saw an average of 32mm of rainfall over six days.
In July, the temperature in this city reaches maximum levels. The mean temperature in July in Matera is 31°C.
Visit Matera, Italy, in August
The climate in Matera in August is rather dry; it hardly ever rains (12mm of rain over three days). The month of August is hot in this city. In the morning, temperatures exceeded 33°C on average. As a result, the average temperature throughout August in Matera is 31°C.
Visit Matera, Italy, in September
The month of September in Matera is quite dry (with 22mm of rain in 5 days). Unfortunately, the conditions are worsening than they were in August when there was an average of 12mm of rainfall over 3 days.
The weather is pleasant during this month of September. In this month of September, the mean temperature in Matera is 26°C.
Visit Matera, Italy, in October
The weather in Matera in October is rather dry, with only 38mm of rain during 8 days (compared to September’s 22mm over 5 days), but that’s the case in many places in autumn in Italy.
Unfortunately, the weather has gotten worse since September, when there was an average of 22mm of precipitation every 5 days.
To sum up, the climate here is pleasant. The thermometer registered a peak temperature of 22°C. The seasonal low is 20°C. As a result, the mean temperature for October in Matera is 21°C.
Visit Matera, Italy, in November
The average temperature in Matera during the month of November is 16°C (67°F), which is quite dry. The weather improves from the previous month, as it receives an average of 38mm of rain over 8 days in October.
This month’s climate is fairly comfortable; however, you should dress warmly if you want to have a comfortable trip.
Visit Matera, Italy, in December
In Matera, in December, the weather is generally dry (with 21mm of precipitation in four days). This is superior to the previous month when it received an average of 61mm of rain in seven days. In that location, December is a rather comfortable month, although wearing warm clothes helps.
The thermometer reached a maximum temperature of 13°C. The minimum was 11°C. As a result, 12°C is the monthly mean temperature in Matera in December.
Best Time to Visit Matera, Italy – Final Thoughts
The above-mentioned guide is a perfect way to introduce you to the best time months to visit Matera, Italy. The city has been nicknamed “the Capital of Basilicata” and it’s located in southern Italy near Naples and Taranto.
As we mentioned before, this region was once an important trade center between Greece and Rome during Antiquity. Today, visitors can explore many ancient buildings such as churches with Byzantine mosaics or tombs carved from rock dating back to prehistory.
In conclusion, all months are great to visit Matera with the best weather being from May to October.
