Sassi of Matera hosts Puglia by UTMB on 23 October
Published on 09/27/2026 at 17:23 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Sassi of Matera (Sassi di Matera) will host the Puglia by UTMB ultra-trail on 23 October 2026, linking the historic quarter with a long route through the Gravine landscape. The race starts in Matera at 9pm and finishes towards Castellaneta Marina on the Ionian coast.
Puglia by UTMB starts at the Sassi of Matera on 23 October
The official race page lists a 23 October 2026 start for the 145-kilometre course, with 3,500 metres of elevation gain and a maximum time of 27 hours. It gives Matera as the starting place and identifies the race as part of Puglia by UTMB.
The course runs from the land of the Sassi through the Terra delle Gravine, a landscape shaped by limestone ravines, water and wind. The organiser describes a route passing hypogea, rock churches and olive trees before reaching the final kilometres at Castellaneta Marina. The official race details for 23 October also state that runners must arrange a bib collection slot by 14 October 2026.
The race route connects Matera history with the Gravine
The start is not simply beside a historic attraction. It places runners at the edge of a settlement whose houses, churches, monasteries and hermitages were cut into the natural caves of the Murgia plateau.
UNESCO describes the World Heritage property as covering 1,016 hectares and containing more than 1,000 dwellings, alongside shops and workshops. The first inhabited zone dates from the Palaeolithic period, while occupation of the natural caves intensified from the eighth century. The two historic districts, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, developed around the Civita, the earliest nucleus of Matera.
This makes the October route a direct meeting of sport and historic landscape: the runners leave a living rock-cut city and continue across the ravines and plateau that form part of its wider setting. UNESCO records the property as a World Heritage site under criteria linked to its settlement, architecture and relationship with the environment. Its World Heritage description of Matera identifies the ancient districts and the Rupestrian Churches Park as one protected property.
Visiting Sassi of Matera: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Puglia by UTMB race starts at Matera on 23 October 2026 at 9pm. The course is listed at 145 kilometres, with the organiser also describing 144 kilometres in its route summary.
- The event is a trail race rather than a general visitor programme. The organiser states that runners must collect their bibs in person and reserve a collection slot by 14 October 2026.
- The Sassi are in Matera, in Italy's southern Basilicata region. The race route continues from Matera towards Castellaneta Marina on the Ionian coast.
- The terrain includes limestone ravines, caves, rock churches, uneven paths and a highland plateau. The route therefore involves substantial elevation gain and long sections away from paved urban streets.
- Italian is the official language and the currency is the euro.
Searching for Sassi of Matera on social platforms
These links open searches for Sassi of Matera on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Sassi of Matera
When does the Puglia by UTMB race take place at the Sassi of Matera?
The race starts in Matera at 9pm on 23 October 2026. The listed course covers 145 kilometres and has a 27-hour maximum time.
Where are the Sassi of Matera and how do you get there?
The Sassi are in Matera, in southern Italy's Basilicata region. The Puglia by UTMB start is listed in Matera, with the route continuing towards Castellaneta Marina.
What are the Sassi of Matera?
They are historic rock-cut districts forming part of a UNESCO World Heritage property. The site includes cave dwellings, churches, monasteries and hermitages on the Murgia plateau.
