Updates: travel, festivities, and contact information

Dear Friends and Family

here is an update on few key information about travel, events and accommodation.

Shuttle service

For those flying to Bari Airport and not wishing to hire a car, we advice to take a shuttle from the airport to their destination in Matera. Shuttle service has to arranged in advance and there are a few options:

- some hotel offer this service. Please check with your hotel if they can arrange it for you

- there is a public shuttle service from Bari Airport to Matera center. There only two departure times from the airport (at 9.15 and 14.40). Tickets have to have to be purchased in advance (cost 5EUR). Please see Pugliairbus website for more details.

- there are a couple private shuttle services. Please contact Shuttle Matera or Viaggi Lionetti for more info and booking. Prices range from ca. 55EUR for one person to 80EUR for four persons.

For those travelling by train to Bari there are two options to reach Matera:

- hire a private shuttle service using one of the services above.

- take a local train from Bari to Matera. The service is run a private rain company (called FAL). Their station is across the same plaza of the National Rail station, located on the left. Check the FAL website for info and timetable (click on Orario Treni Basilicata once on the website).

For those travelling by train from Rome or Naples and arriving in Ferrandina, you can get a private shuttle service to Matera - see info above.

Addresses and contacts

Our address in the UK is:

8C Raleigh Gardens 

SW2 1AD London UK

The address of the Monacelle, where the reception is taking place is:

Le Monacelle

Via Riscatto 9/10

75100 Matera - Italy

A few telephone numbers where we would be reachable once in Matera

Elizabeth: +44 750 3350113

Fabio: +39 328 2288873

Richard & Joan (Elizabeth's parents): +39 328 8092749

Aldo & Rosa (Fabio's parents): +39 335 8075669

Events schedule

- Friday: we will be having a welcome celebration at the Montemurro family Sax Cafe' in the Sassi starting at 7pm. The address is Via Fiorentini 247. It is in the heart of the old town at walking distance from all the accommodation we recommended. It won't be difficult to find it - please ask you hotel if you need info to get there. Maps, town information, and event locations will be available on Friday night, so please sure you get copies.

- Saturday. We organized a tour of the historic center of town for our guests. The tour will start at the Sax Cafe' at 11am and will last about two hours. All are welcome.

The civil ceremony will start at 6pm at Ex Convento di Santa Lucia e Agata in Via Madonna delle Virtu'. Please notice this is a different location than that on our original invitation. The Ex Convento is in the Sassi, again at walking distance from all the accommodations and the Sax Cafe'. If you have difficulties in locating it, we will give you directions on Friday night or you might to your hotel.

You are invited to walk with Elizabeth and her friends and family to the ceremony

Reception will follow the ceremony at the Monacelle. We will all walk together there from the ceremony.

- Sunday. An "open house" farewell brunch will be held between 10am and 2pm at the Palazzo Gattini Hotel. The hotel is on the Cathedral Square, just a few meters away from the Monacelle.

Arrival and departure info

Please let us know your arrival and departure information, so that we know when to expect you. We also encourage to use the comment area of the blog to try to coordinate with other guests regarding shuttle service, car hire, etc.

A few days from now...

About the two poems...

For those of you who have asked and others of you who might be wondering, it was Fabio who sent the Steinbeck and Elizabeth replied with Montale's poem.

Wedding Gifts

No, we are not registered anywhere!

First, for us the greatest gift is to celebrate our wedding we you. We mean this sincerely - we know that most of you will be making a big effort and taking a long trip to get to Matera and we really appreciate that.

Secondly, please feel free to give any gift inspired by your heart. For example we know that some of you have expressed the desire to contribute to our honeymoon and that's wonderful.

Lastly, for those of you who would like to give us a gift but don't have something specific in mind, the thing that seems to make more sense for us now would be money.  As some of you might recollect from your own experience, we are facing new expenses as a fresh young couple and still figuring out where to put roots.

We hope this is helpful.

Looking forward to seeing you all in June 

Calendar of festivities

A festival of a weekend?!

Friday night before the wedding everyone is invited to partake in an evening of music, theatre, poetry at the Montemurro's cafe... so please bring along musical instruments, past stories, marionettes, memories, photos, lyrics, high spirits and join us for this warming-up party! 

Saturday morning there will be a tour of the Sassi for anyone interested in discovering the ancient Matera neighborhood. Please let us know if you would like to join in. 

And Sunday after the wedding there will be a 'farewell' brunch to meet and greet before everybody leaves!

We would of course like to have as many of you to come as possible, so please keep these events in mind when you make your travel plans. 

Check out the new accommodations

We have added two new accommodations that have both offer discounts. Take a look at the accommodation post below for more information.

Accommodation

Hi Everybody!

...where are you gonna sleep in Matera?

There are plenty of places to stay in Matera, and we have been talking to different bed and breakfasts and residencies in the old neighborhood in order to get some special rates. We have found accommodations for families, couples and singles within a range of prices and in walking distance to the ceremony and the reception - and we would highly suggest the following places:

Residence San Giorgio

This residence has offered suites priced from 50 euros for a single suite to 85 for a double suite, and most rooms have the option of one or two additional beds for 10 euros each. 

Residence San Pietro Barisano

This hotel features five self-catering "apartments" ranging from 60 euro (single use) to 110 (double) - all with breakfast included. The owner has ensured us that he will offer discount to our guests - at the moment of reservation please tell him you are coming to the Montemurro-Cooper wedding.

Residenza Sassi San Gennaro

This residence offers eight self-catering "apartments" and three B&B rooms with prices from 60 to 80 - depending on the room an extra bed for extra 25 euro can be added. As for the hotel above,  the owner has ensured us that he will offer discount to our guests - at the moment of reservation please tell him you are coming to the Montemurro-Cooper

Hotel Sassi

This hotel has offered rooms from 65 euros (single room) to 115 euros (suite). Again, most of the rooms can come with one or two additional beds at 15 euros each. Under the same management there is also an hostel for those you looking for more economical accommodation. 

Hotel in Pietra

There are rooms at this hotel at preferential rates ranging from 90 euros (standard) to 170 (luxury suite). Depending on the room, up to three extra beds can be added. 

Le Monacelle

This is the location where the wedding reception will take place. The structure includes hotel suites, standard rooms and hostel accommodation. If you are interested in staying here please contact us directly. 

If you choose to book in the above places (excepting Le Monacelle) please mention that you are part of the Montemurro-Cooper wedding in order to receive the discount rate. This rate will be valid until our RSVP date of April 5.

In addition to the above places that have given us special rates, two other very nice options for you could be the Locanda di San Martino (mid price range) and the Palazzo Gattini (top range).

If none of the suggested places suit you, here is the official list of the accommodation in Matera.

If for any reason you have problems finding or booking a place in Matera please let us know and we will do our best to help. 

We are looking forward to celebrating with you in Matera!

Matera

Here is a post for all of you who are wondering, "Where is Matera? and.... How do I get there?"



View Larger Map

The three closest airports to Matera in order of (least) distance are: Bari, Naples and Rome.

Bari:
Bari Palese (BRI) is the closest airport to Matera. Bari is approximately 60 kilometers from Matera and would be by far the easiest connection to Matera.

For those of you traveling from outside Italy there are a multiple low cost airlines connections to Bari from various locations including: London-Stansted, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Stuttgart and Paris. Please keep in mind these low cost airlines do not usually operate out of the major international airports, and therefore you will need to leave time to transfer between airports.

From the Bari airport you can rent a car and drive to Matera.
This may be a good option for those of you who plan to travel freely around the immediate region before/after the wedding. However, if you plan to stay in Matera there is not much need of a car - Matera is a small city and car access is restricted in the old part of town. We also plan on organizing some activities for those who are in Matera a few days prior to the wedding.

There is a commercial shuttle service between Bari and Matera. Information and prices can be found at the following website. If you send us your travel details by the RSVP date April 5, we can coordinate groups of wedding guests catching this shuttle together.

Normally in the summer there is a free public shuttle from the Bari airport to Matera that leaves the airport only three times a day. This is the website to check if and when the services resume in summer 2009: Pugliairbus

Naples:
Napoli Capodichino airport (NAP) is the next closest international airport. Naples is approximately 250 kilometers from Matera You can rent a car from Naples and drive to Matera. (However, the same comments regarding car rental above apply here too.)

It is possible to catch a train from Napoli to Ferrandina-Pomarico (the closest stop to Matera). You must however first transfer from the airport to the train station in Naples via taxi or bus. A direct train ride between Napoli and Ferrandina-Pomarico usually takes 3 to 4 hours. There is then a shuttle service from the Ferrandina-Pomarico station to Matera which takes 30 minutes. Because, as with all train travel in Italy, services are not that frequent it is crucial to check the train schedule between Naples and Ferrandina before you buy your flight.

Rome:
Roma Fiumicino (FCO) is approximately 450 kilometers form Matera. Although Rome is far from Matera it may be a good option for those of you looking to visit Rome or other parts of Italy prior to the wedding.

From Rome there are flights to Bari, as well as train connections to Naples and Bari. For travel information from Naples and Bari to Matera please see above.