Viterbo or ??

The list is endless, but I love Orvieto. J

Viterbo is pretty, friendly, suited to a relaxed stay. It's said to have the largest medieval neighborhood in Italy. You can side trip easily from there to Bracciano which is nice with a great castle. I think Viterbo is a bit small for 4 days unless you seek decompression, but Orvieto is smaller yet. Perugia is 2 1/2 - 3 hours from Rome and has more to do than Viterbo.

Viterbo is a nice place to visit . I would plan to visit Tarquinia from there.

We visited Viterbo by car on the way to Orvieto. Orvieto has far more tourists, but I would also say that it is also more attractive and has more restaurants and art to see. Orvieto has a higher-end feel, as well as much more touristy. But I would not spend 4 days in Orvieto. I would spend 4 days in Florence or possibly Siena.

You don't say if you will have a car. Even in rural towns with train or bus stations, there are severe limits on what you can do in a single day of daytrips without a car. I am NOT saying you need a car to visit Rome or Milan, I'm talking about places like Orvieto or Siena.

Did you read some of the recent long thread asking "What is a Village?" I only bring that up because I don't think your OP makes clear enough what it is you want from your stay. Do you want to hear no English spoken and see widows wearing all black go to do their washing in the community laundry center? Or do you want to see neglected masterpieces of Renaissance art? Do you want to eat in a different place for lunch and dinner every single day? Do you need air conditioning or a pool in the SEARING summer heat of Tuscany?

Thank you for your replies. We have been to Italy several times but for this trip will be traveling with another couple who have only visited Rome, Florence, Siena and Bologna. Now they want to go to Naples and the Amalfi coast. There will be time for another 1-2 places. Not sure Matera would have enough for several nights. (Their preference is to spend atleast 4 nights in a place.) All of us enjoyed the feel of Bologna very much. We all prefer a place that is lively with primarily Italians. We’re not sure whether we’ll be renting a car our not after the AC; depends on where we go next.

You can combine Matera with parts of Puglia--there are several day trips in its immediate surroundings.

How many days can you imagine in Matera?

I stayed two days two years in a row and I could definitely stay longer (with a car).
I did day trips to Laterza (has a nice walk along a gorge with orchids underfoot and raptors overhead) and a tour of the abandoned village of Craco.
Other day trip options: Altamura/Gravina in Puglia, the mountain towns of Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa
Bari is just a 45 minute drive, Puglia's Itria Valley a bit longer.
Taranto is a bit over an hour for the history buff (great museum)

Any recommendations for places to stay in Matera? We’re hoping to keep it to under€150 per room, per night.

I've stayed multiple nights in both Orvieto and Viterbo, without a car. Those stays were in 2015, so things may have changed in both places. Viterbo was much, much, much less touristy than Orvieto. It does have a large historic district, and I love not being surrounded by English speakers, but it was not a lively place when I was there. I'd try to do some additional research to be sure there will be enough for you to do there over four nights.

While Orvieto is indisputably touristy, quite a lot of the tourists were Italian. Orvieto has more than the expected number of sights for a place its size, probably enough to keep you busy for about two full days. Then there's the potential for aimless wandering around the picturesque historic center.

Neither of those towns/cities is blessed with lots of easy day trips for those without a car. However, I visited Bagnoregio and Civita di Bagnoregio from Orvieto. Over the course of a weekend in Viterbo I went to Tuscania and Bolsena; I also visited the Villa Lante (for the gardens) just outside Viterbo.

Without a car, I think I'd choose Orvieto, because Viterbo might start feeling too quiet by Day 2. But that's just me.

Becky, I stayed twice at the excellent Torretta ai Sassi, but it is very small so check well in advance. There are a number of lovely boutique hotels in Matera though.

We really enjoyed our three nights at the B&B La Corte dei Pastori in Matera (https://lacortedeipastori.com/) --- that was 10 years ago, but It still looks good to me and it's where I would stay if we ever returned. The rooms are each in their own cave, good breakfast, views from your own terrace, comfortable beds, parking nearby, nice hosts, simple not fancy, and it's in the sassi but right at the top.

I highly recommend considering Bolsena as a destination for a 3-4 day stay within 2 hours of Rome. Bolsena is a town located on the shores of Lake Bolsena, in an ideal position to meet your needs. It's close to Orvieto, Viterbo, Pitigliano, Civita di Bagnoregio. You'll find relaxation, history, pleasant squares, architecture, art, and delicious food. I recommend staying in one of the local agriturismos, such as Agriturismo Dolce Vita, which offer excellent apartments for your relaxation.

Located in the upper Lazio region, this town is within 2 hours of major cities like Rome, Siena, and Perugia.

https://www.comune.bolsena.vt.it/

There’s that word, “touristy,” again. I don’t know what people mean when they use it to describe Orvieto. That city has one of the most stunningly beautiful cathedrals in Italy, a country replete with them. (And I am not a believer.). There are a number of other interesting sights. The town’s history stretches back to Etruscan times.
There are other towns nearby, like Pitigliano, Sorano, and Sovana, which merit visits. Saturnia and its environs are good if you like natural hot springs.
The mention of Civita da Bagnoregio brings out the ranter in me. It was almost deserted until a few years ago, when RS started puffing it as “one of his favorite hill towns,” in a region filled with lovely and interesting towns. What nonsense! No notable churches, no museums, no historic buidings or ruins. Its claim to fame is that because of its location on a mesa that is being eroded away, it will eventually be destroyed. Also, it’s really time-consuming to get to.

.The previous poster recommended Bolsena, to which I’ve never been, despite 16 trips to Italy. Given the list of side trip possibilities mentioned, it sounds good as a base.

Civita must be taken in context. It is without question a unique and wonderful place.
Does it lack splendor, cathedrals, massive statues spouting filthy water and make-believe soldiers with toy swords?
Yes. None of that there. Just some old buildings on a crumbling hilltop with one of the most wonderful Tuscan views to be found.
To each their own.

Enjoy the opinions, but note the original post is almost 6 months old.