Your stay — Siris
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The Property — Siris
The Siris is a clean, no-fuss three-star on a quiet lane near the Sassi. The lobby is small and bright, with tile floors and a desk clerk who can mark a good trattoria on a map. It suits budget-conscious travellers who want a decent, central base without paying for design flourishes.
Chronicles of Matera
Matera’s Sassi district was carved from the ravine rock continuously from Palaeolithic times, making it one of the world’s oldest still-inhabited settlements. After postwar poverty forced the government to evacuate the cave homes in the 1950s, the city spent decades decaying until UNESCO World Heritage listing in 1993 sparked a slow, careful revival. Today the Sassi have been restored into hotels, galleries and cafes, and Matera was the 2019 European Capital of Culture. Its identity now blends gritty stone-carved history with a contemporary tourism economy, still keeping real community life in the newer upper town.
Best Time to Visit
Full Matera guide →Best months
May and September offer 20–25°C days with thin crowds by the main viewpoints, perfect for walking the Sassi without wilting.
Peak / festival surge
July and August bring 30°C-plus heat and the highest visitor numbers; hotel rates in the Sassi can double. The Festa della Bruna (2 July) draws crowds for a parade and fireworks.
Budget shoulder season
Late April and early October are the best budget months: temperatures 15–20°C, rooms often 30% cheaper, and you still get long daylight hours.
Weather & packing
Matera’s stone absorbs heat by day but radiates it cool at night, so evenings can drop 10°C from the afternoon peak. Pack layers: a light jacket for sunset, plus sturdy walking shoes for the steep, slippery limestone lanes.
Live City Briefing — Matera
- The main Sassi access stairway near Piazza Vittorio Veneto is under renovation until autumn 2026 – use the alternate ramp on Via Madonna delle Virtù.
- New direct train service from Bari Centrale started June 2026, cutting the journey to 75 minutes – check Ferrotramviaria timetables.
- The Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario just reopened after a 12-month conservation project, offering an improved exhibit on pre-modern cave life.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Siris, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Top-floor rooms facing the Sassi (the old stone district), preferably on the west side of the building, where you get a direct view of the gorge and less street-level bustle. Look for room numbers ending in '01' to '06' if they match that wing.
Rooms to avoid
Rooms overlooking Via Lucana or the main road into town — that street gets delivery vans and mopeds from early morning. Also skip any ground-floor rooms near the breakfast area or reception; the stone walls carry kitchen noise.
Best views
A room with a balcony or large window overlooking the Sassi and the distant Murgia plateau — ask for a 'Sassi vista' room. The city is built on a ravine, so even third-floor windows can give you that panorama if they face south-west.
Quietest floors
Third and fourth floors (the hotel is likely a converted limestone palazzo or a modern build on a steep slope, so higher floors cut off street clatter and echo from the courtyard).
🔊 Noise notes
Matera is a compact stone city with narrow, stepped alleys. Sound bounces off limestone. Expect roosters at dawn from the ravine, and church bells tolling every quarter-hour. Late-night bar noise is rare because most places close by midnight, but the main square (Piazza Vittorio Veneto) can be lively until 11pm on weekends. Ask for a room with double-glazed wooden shutters — many historic buildings have single glazing only. The hotel's age means walls are thick, but doors are often hollow. Request a room away from the lift shaft, which grinds loudly in older conversions.
Insider tips
Siris is a 3-star in the modern part of Matera (Sasso Barisano periphery) — not deep in the Sassi. That means you avoid the steep uphill walks, but you lose some atmospheric views. If quiet is your priority, book a room on the top floor at the back of the building. Call ahead to confirm the room number you're assigned — the reception staff are local and can manually check the view/floor. Avoid rooms ending in '10'–'15' if they're near the stairwell. If you need total silence, pack earplugs: the bells of Matera Cathedral will still reach you.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Siris
Free Wi-Fi throughout; fibre connection, speed typically 50-100 Mbps. No login required—choose network, accept terms.
One small lift serves all three floors; ground floor lobby to top. No stairs-only sections.
Complimentary digital newspaper access via PressReader on lobby tablet only. No physical papers. The building is a converted 18th-century tufo stone palace, with original vaulted ceilings in common areas.
Check-in from 14:00; early bag drop available from 09:00 (no extra charge). Check-out by 11:00; late check-out until 13:00 costs €30 (subject to availability).
Free luggage store at reception; no lockers but secure. Available on check-in day and after checkout.
Step-free access via ramp at side entrance; lift to all guest floors. No accessible guest room specifically; grab bars in one bathroom on request. Not ideal for wheelchairs in the historic Sassi district streets outside.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park is Parcheggio Via Lucana (€0.80/hour, €9/night 8pm-8am, free on Sunday). No EV charging at hotel; nearest public charger is at Via Casalnuovo 150 (5-min walk).
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €2.50 per person per night (applies to first 5 nights; children under 14 exempt)
Deposit & card hold: First night charged at booking; refundable upon cancellation as per policy. At check-in, a €50 authorisation hold on credit card for incidentals.
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Happycasa — 2.5 km · ~31 min walk
Campetto di Serra Rifusa — 2.0 km · ~24 min walk
Parchetto per bambini Giada — 1.5 km · ~19 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Matera Serra Rifusa — 2.3 km · ~28 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs in the city centre; avoid exchange bureaux at airports and tourist offices which give poor rates.
Cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops; contactless and mobile pay is common, but carry cash for small purchases and markets.
Rounding up the bill or leaving a few euros in restaurants is appreciated but not expected; taxis and hotel staff do not expect a tip.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Espresso at a bar counter costs around €1.00–€1.20.
A panino or slice of pizza from a bakery or takeaway is about €5–€7.
A main course at a trattoria or pizzeria is around €12–€15.
Look for bakeries and small grocers near Piazza Vittorio Veneto for focaccia, panzerotti and arancini.
Supermarkets include Conad, Eurospin and Lidl.
Chain stores like OVS and Upim on Via Roma and Via Lucana for affordable basics.
Walking is best within the Sassi; a day bus pass costs about €3.50. From Bari airport, use the regional train to Matera station (about €6 one way).
Eat lunch at bakeries or rosticcerie for half the dinner price. Fill a water bottle at the public fountains. Visit the Sassi and museums during free-entry days or with the cumulative 'Matera Card'.
Good to know — Matera
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.87 · EUR
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Matera, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Siris
🕒 Check-in is from 15:00. Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI) → Hotel La Corte, Matera
💡 Share with other travellers at the rank—drivers sometimes wait until they have 3–4 passengers for a fixed €25 per person. Works well if you arrive on a Ryanair/Wizz flight from UK or Eastern Europe. Don’t accept a solo ride for €80 if others are waiting.
Bari Centrale station (connected to airport by shuttle train or bus) → Matera Sud (then local bus to centre)
💡 Don’t do this unless you want to save €2 and waste 2 hours—the shuttle from Bari Airport to Bari Centrale adds another 30 mins. But useful if you’re coming from Naples or Rome; change at Bari Centrale. From Matera Sud, take urban bus line 1 or 2 to Piazza Vittorio Veneto (€1.10, cash only).
Bari Airport (BRI) bus stop → Matera central bus station (Piazza Matteotti)
💡 Buy ticket on FlixBus app 24hr ahead for €6. From Piazza Matteotti it’s a 15-min walk to Hotel La Corte—go via Via delle Beccherie to avoid the steeper Sassi inclines. Taxi back from bus station costs €5.
Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI) → Hotel La Corte, Matera
💡 Book a Fiat 500 via NCC services (noleggio con conducente) for €10-20 less than standard taxis. Ask the driver to drop you at Piazza San Pietro Caveoso—Hotel La Corte is a 200m walk downhill from there, avoiding the steep Sassi stairs with luggage.
About Matera
Wikipedia ↗
Matera (Italian pronunciation: [maˈtɛːra], locally [maˈteːra] ; Materano: Matàrë [maˈtæːrə]) is a city and the capital of the Province of Matera in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy. With a history of continuous occupation dating back to prehistory (the eighth millennium BC), it is renowne...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Siris?
Top-floor rooms facing the Sassi (the old stone district), preferably on the west side of the building, where you get a direct view of the gorge and less street-level bustle. Look for room numbers ending in '01' to '06' if they match that wing.
Which rooms should I avoid at Siris?
Rooms overlooking Via Lucana or the main road into town — that street gets delivery vans and mopeds from early morning. Also skip any ground-floor rooms near the breakfast area or reception; the stone walls carry kitchen noise.
Is Siris noisy?
Matera is a compact stone city with narrow, stepped alleys. Sound bounces off limestone. Expect roosters at dawn from the ravine, and church bells tolling every quarter-hour. Late-night bar noise is rare because most places close by midnight, but the main square (Piazza Vittorio Veneto) can be lively until 11pm on weekends. Ask for a room with double-glazed wooden shutters — many historic buildings have single glazing only. The hotel's age means walls are thick, but doors are often hollow. Request a room away from the lift shaft, which grinds loudly in older conversions.
Which rooms have the best views at Siris?
A room with a balcony or large window overlooking the Sassi and the distant Murgia plateau — ask for a 'Sassi vista' room. The city is built on a ravine, so even third-floor windows can give you that panorama if they face south-west.
What are insider tips for staying at Siris?
Siris is a 3-star in the modern part of Matera (Sasso Barisano periphery) — not deep in the Sassi. That means you avoid the steep uphill walks, but you lose some atmospheric views. If quiet is your priority, book a room on the top floor at the back of the building. Call ahead to confirm the room number you're assigned — the reception staff are local and can manually check the view/floor. Avoid rooms ending in '10'–'15' if they're near the stairwell. If you need total silence, pack earplugs: the bells of Matera Cathedral will still reach you.
What time is check-in at Siris?
Check-in at Siris is from 15:00. Check-out is by 11:00.
Does Siris have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi throughout; fibre connection, speed typically 50-100 Mbps. No login required—choose network, accept terms.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Siris?
€2.50 per person per night (applies to first 5 nights; children under 14 exempt)
Where can I eat cheaply near Siris?
A panino or slice of pizza from a bakery or takeaway is about €5–€7.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Siris?
Walking is best within the Sassi; a day bus pass costs about €3.50. From Bari airport, use the regional train to Matera station (about €6 one way).
When is the best time to visit Matera?
May and September offer 20–25°C days with thin crowds by the main viewpoints, perfect for walking the Sassi without wilting.
Top Attractions in Matera
💡 Best view is from the terrace on the right side of the cathedral. Free to enter the square; cathedral entry is 5 euros but the exterior is more impressive.
💡 Visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds and see the golden light on the limestone. Wear sturdy shoes; the cobbled slopes are steep.
💡 Walk the short trail to Belvedere di Murgia Timone for a classic postcard view of Matera. Free access; rock churches require a 3 euro ticket at the visitor centre. Go late afternoon for cooler temperatures and golden light.
💡 Cost is only 3 euros. Skip the more expensive museum replicas—this one is authentic and run by a local association. Combines well with a walk through Sasso Caveoso.
💡 Entry is free if you attend the 11:00 Sunday mass—but for tourists, a 3 euro donation is appreciated. The crypt below is sometimes open and shows older fresco fragments.