Matera is a municipality 77 km. from Bari, capital of the homonymous province and second city of Basilicata by population. Coming from Bari by car along E843 or SS96 + SS99 (1h + 15min.). Called "City of Sassi" and "Underground City", it is known for its historic Sassi districts, which make Matera one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. On December 9, 1993, the Sassi were recognized by UNESCO, at the Assembly of Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), HUMANITY HERITAGE. On October 17, 2014, Matera was named European Capital of Culture for 2019.