Storica Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario
Cave dwelling in the Sassi (historic cave districts) of Matera, set up as a museum: a single room partly carved into the rock and partly built, with original furnishings and tools.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario is a typical cave dwelling in the Sasso Caveoso district of Matera. After the 1952 law for the rehabilitation of the Sassi, families gradually left the houses carved into the rock; according to the museum’s materials, the last family left around 1956. The dwelling was opened to the public as a museum in 1977.
The museum is recognised and supported by the Municipality of Matera and is run by the Associazione Culturale Gruppo Teatro Matera. The visit is organised as a route that includes, in addition to the house, the Neviera, a natural cave, and the rock church of Sant’Agostino al Casalnuovo.
The house consists of a single room, partly carved into the rock and partly built. Furniture and tools divide the space: the hearth with the kitchen, the communal table, the bed on iron trestles and the stable for the mule. A cistern and a channel for collecting water complete the room. An audio commentary in several languages accompanies the visit.
Highlights
- Single-room cave dwelling with original furnishings
- Hearth, bed on iron trestles and stable for the mule
- Cistern and channel for collecting water
- Combined ticket with the Neviera, natural cave and rock church of Sant’Agostino al Casalnuovo
- Free audio guide in ten languages via smartphone
Permanent exhibition
- Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario – Cave dwelling furnished with hearth, bed, stable, cistern and everyday tools of life in the Sassi.
- Founded
- 1977
- Operated by
- Associazione Culturale Gruppo Teatro Matera
- Visitors per year
- approx. 124,264
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Groups with an authorised guide, members of FAI and CTG, over 65s, university students |
| Children & teens | €3free up to age 10 · Free admission up to age 10; €3 for young people aged 11 to 18. |
| Seniors | €5Reduced rate for over 65s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities. |
| Students & apprentices | €5Reduced rate for university students; school groups €3. |
| Groups | €5 per personGroups with an authorised guide. |
Tariffs valid from 4 April 2026. The ticket includes Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario, the Neviera, the natural cave and the rock church of Sant’Agostino al Casalnuovo. Free admission also for journalists, authorised guides and residents of the Municipality of Matera.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Access is from Vico Solitario via a wide staircase with a gentle slope, which may not suit people with some disabilities; the museum states that it is working to make the entrance accessible. Visitors with specific needs are advised to contact the museum before their visit.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi in the museum rooms, usable for the audio guide.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Audio guide | yes (IT, EN, FR, DE, ZH, JA, ES, RU, PL, PT) |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The audio guide is included in the ticket and is used with your own smartphone by scanning the QR codes displayed in the rooms; booking is possible online. Dedicated entrances are provided for groups and school parties. |
