The Park of the Rupestrian Churches, also known as the belvedere and Parco della Murgia Materana, is the most splendid site in Matera. Yet like so many things in southern Italy it lacks the resources and public will to make it a first-rate attraction. Nearly all of the rupestrian or rock-hewn churches are closed to the public. There are no waymarkers or self-guided trails. Detailed maps are hard to come by. Vipers inhabit the park. What's more, the karst landscape is riddled with unmarked sinkholes. Having said that, where there's a will there's a way. The enterprising residents of Matera have filled the government gap and offer every conceivable tour of the park. Join a guided bus tour and see the highlights. Hire a guide and search for rupestrian churches. Spend an hour or two at the belvedere or a half-day hiking or biking in the wild countryside. And, in addition to keeping your eyes peeled for Europe's smallest raptors, find out how water created caves and how the daily activity of the cave-dwellers transformed the grotto. The Murgia is a place where human and nature meet.