An historic, hypnotic metropolis hidden inside the hillside of Basilicata. A tribute to terrain and a treasure trove of panorama, where ancient cave dwellings are bedrooms and cafés are carved into cliffs. Bordering Puglia, Calabria and Campania, Matera is a majesty of visuals, even by Italian standards. A Palaeolithic relic of legendary scenery and topography so dramatically stunning it has captured filmmakers, photographers, visual artists of every genre and travellers with the deepest thirst for history’s most spectacularly preserved present. Matera, that mythical Mediterranean location between the toe (Calabria) and the heel (Puglia), is mind-bendingly beautiful, a harmonious hybrid of human civilization and history built into the hill.
We had the magnificent privilege of experiencing two luxury destinations where history and modernity effortlessly intertwine.
An accoladed member of the prestigiously select Small Luxury Hotels of the World, steeped within a UNESCO World Heritage site, Sant’Angelo Matera is an undeniably sacred hermitage. Suffused into the limestone, surrounded by roughly 150 churches emerging from the rock, collectively creating an atmosphere that is at once ethereal and grounding.
In Matera, getting swept away by sensorial saturation is a given, getting lost, a rite of passage. Softly cinematic in its quiet grandeur, our room, with its central staircase and hammocks hovering above the castles, like every room, is shaped by centuries. It’s not just beautiful, it’s something mythic, storying, sacred. An alchemy of history gifted inside the present.
Rooms are nestled inside natural caves. Terraces treat you to astonishing views of one of the oldest places on earth. Authentic preservation is soulful, original architecture conserved, local materials exclusively utilized to restore, collaborations with local producers support the economy and maintain a standard of sustainability.
Breakfast (included) is served atop the suffused staircase – a splendid selection of sweets and savouries are served overlooking the Basilicata region, a breathtaking daily beginning.
And the restaurant, Regia Corte, is a reverie of exquisite dining. Authentic, intimate, with a masterful cuisine, all served alongside a heart stopping view.
In an effort to stow away some of that Matera magic, we signed up for an Authentic Italian Farmhouse Cooking Class. Here, the beguiling beauty of the Italian countryside envelopes you in an organic olive farm just outside of Matera, where partners Silvia (the daughter of the family) and husband Greg, guide you on an idyllic journey creating southern Italian farmhouse delicacies. The secrets of their homemade pasta, their EVOO liquid gold, the simplicity of perfect ingredients, the generational recipes shared. I cannot overemphasise what a fulfilling experience this was. Silvia and Greg are the embodiment of graciousness, learning with them is a master class. Their passion is infectious, kindness irresistible and knowledge of craft, seemingly infinite. You do not want to sleep on an opportunity to make Silvia’s mamma’s homemade pasta from scratch, in southern Italy, where the bounty is immeasurable, the eco-diversity enormous and the culinary history, generations deep. Feast on the lunch you prepared and feel wonderfully one with Silvia, Greg and all the Southern Italian generations before them. A true treat.
When you’re not exploring the cobblestoned streets and troglodytic abodes James Bond traversed before you in No Time To Die (the cinematic appeal of Matera is undeniable), you can take the suspension bridge up to the caves, educate yourself in the various embedded museums and take in sunsets that make other horizons envious. Matera is an otherworldly offering.
Which takes us to our second refuge.
Echoing the essence of a destination so definitively transporting, Relais & Chateaux’s Vetera Matera is a revelation infusing the raw and the refined. Following eight years of deeply conscientious restoration, its five-star luxury moniker is evident in every meticulous amalgam of authenticity it effuses. A millennia-old ethos meets modern-day swank.
Located in the heart of the Sassi (cave dwellings, a common phrase around these parts), the pure construction of Vetera Matera is an immersive ride into wonder and awe. As the only five-star luxury albergo diffuso (a hotel spread across multiple historic buildings), it holds court.
Italy’s oldest city is crowned by Vetera Matera’s elite accommodations and gold standard hospitality. 23 rooms and eight suites winding their way through an ancient maze of porticos and terraces, suites carved into the rock, spellbinding views from limestone lined windows, it is epically, unequivocally, an embodiment of earthen grounds meets castle on the clouds.
A bountiful breakfast (included) rich in local breads, organic spreads and indigenous cuisine is served in the outdoor courtyard beneath the strung lights. Artema, their fine dining forage into Murgia, Lucania and Naples, is a most elegant expression of Executive Chef Eduardo Estatico’s journeyed soul and palate.
With the option to stay in in an upper-floor Noble Suite (generally a yes, because of the view) or a subterranean Hypogeal suite, the opportunity to sleep in a cave dwelling was too irresistible to pass. We stayed in Master Suite 5.
This trilevel refuge, this descending sprawl of space (over 1,000 sq ft) reveals an incomparable twist on the suite experience. The walls are art: limestone brick, travertine, a timeworn patina; arches and archways. The first level hosts a sofa bed and a bathroom. The floor beneath, a king-sized bed and a stunning, expansive bathroom. The third, a day bed and a wraparound marble mosaic indoor tub. Two days was never going to be enough.
The hotel’s staff are made up of the most gracious guardians: so clear on maintaining the integrity of these majestic grounds, executing zero waste solutions, upholding Relais & Chateaux standard and passionately protecting their surrounds through consistent eco-responsibility. A constant collaboration with local artisans and farmers assures the Matera identity will eternally preserve. I love this.
Every inhabitable nook, be it an open-air space to linger over an al fresco aperitif or a private spa within a suite, all are carefully and conscientiously restored ancient spaces. Graduations of panoramic terraces take you to mesmerizing heights. The timber and the iron and the travertine. Even their custom amenity line is formulated with aloe vera and EVOO, aromatically citrus with a gentle woodsy waft – the scent of summer in the Mediterranean.
And while we’re musing elation, the Elysium Spa. Every room booking includes a 90-minute private spa reservation to relish in their exceptional collection of relaxation experiences.
We began in the caldarium, an enormous circular spa pool inside the cavernous arches, where a gently heated hydromassage provides a glorious entry point. The Hammam steam opens the pores, purifies from the outside in. Follow with the Finnish sauna, where dry heat promotes deep detoxification, and finally, the Frigidarium where that famous power of cold promotes circulation and replenish. To top off, something they call an emotional shower. It is fragrant and I want one of my own.
Just outside the relaxation area – a private outdoor solarium. Tufted lounge chairs on a stone terrace beneath the Mediterranean sun overlooking the Sassi. A top tier tranquillity tradition truly at its finest.
Taking this relaxation refuge one step further, we each enjoyed a Massaggio Borgo Emotional (Borgo Emotional Massage). Capitalizing on the transformative power of fragrance (lavender, peppermint and bitter orange), essential oils and massage marry in this magnificent treatment within this irrefutable world class spa.
If ever an atmosphere had the ability to hover between history and holding up the highest contemporary standard, this haven has achieved it. The arches and the accents, the green that grows from corners and crevices, the glints of gold that light the night. The fresh cut blooms and indigenous art. The reason it holds the sole status of being the only albergo diffuso in the Relais & Chateaux portfolio.
Wherever you are from, I will bet the house this place will astound you. The views are poetry, the architectural rawness, the alchemy of every experience seems to be elevated by the next, where history has taken the lead and humanity preserved it.
Radical rehabilitation and a careful conscience for preservation gifted us what is now an undeniably majestic destination, an Italy lesser known, a siren for the most discerning world traveller. Matera is a tribute to resilience, with a history that will capture you, a charm that will captivate you and an invitation to enrapture in both, in the lap of next level luxury.
Both Sant’Angelo and Vetera Matera are benchmarks of a higher order of hospitality: testaments to the power of restoration, revitalization and the people who truly pledge allegiance to their land.
Fact Box:
Dining at Regia Corte (Sant’Angelo) is a spectacular memory in the making. Don’t sleep on it. Elysium Spa at Vetera Matera is available for non-guest bookings as well if you’re anywhere near Italy.
Swimming pools are not permitted in Matera, so if you visit during summer months, take note.
Get lost in Matera, it’s the best way to experience it. And if you hike to the caves, go as early as they’ll let you.
| Sant’Angelo Matera (5-Star Cave Hotel with 33 rooms) |
| Piazza S. Pietro Caveoso, 75100, Matera MT, Italy. |
| Tel: +39 0835 314010 |
| Website: www.santangelomatera.it |
| Email: hello@santangelomatera.it |
| Vetera Matera (5-Star Luxury Hotel with 23 rooms and 8 suites) |
| Rione Vetera 28, 75100 Matera (MT), Italy. |
| Tel: +39 0835 1670514 |
| Website: www.veteramatera.com |
| Email: info@veteramatera.com |
Jolie Loeb is a Luxury Lifestyle columnist based in Los Angeles and one of our longest-standing regular writers.
Photographs courtesy of Vetera Matera and Sant’Angelo Matera
I LOVE that this exists in reality, not just in movies or in my mind. What an incredible way to intersect love of history, food, and luxury in one place! Thanks for the heads up
Do you recognize it from The Last Temptation? Matera met the cinematic ideals of both James Bond and Jesus.
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Our daughter is studying abroad in Rome fall semester and our family is planning a trip to Italy to visit. We may need to add this stop to our itinerary! It look so magical!
oh YAY!!! Make it happen! Pics are one thing but being there . . .keep me posted!
Wow! Vetera Matera looks amazing.
OMG!!!!! Packing my bags!!!
I’ve booked my ticket! Beautiful Italy here I come!
This area looks beautiful! I was just in Sicily, so I can appreciate the beauty and history of Italy.
Oooooohhh you were so close! Unreal how much there is to see in that beautiful boot.
In our world of been there done that Ihave just found in our here and now my Shangrla! Traveling though Jolies heart and vision is a glorious experience. Her love for authenticity capturing warmth and touching human connection….is unparreled. This review needs to be savored. It unto itself is a treasured experience.
Jolie’s mom.
Just reading about this already has me feeling transported to another time. This is our next family vacation, what an experience. Can’t wait!
Sounds like perfection all around! Can’t wait to explore this part of Italy…about to check if it’s doable when we visit Italy in November.
Maybe I should come with you guys so you don’t get lost.
Kurt Vonnegut wrote that, “ Unexpected travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God”. You always find ‘ out of the way’ luxury and make it seem magical and doable. Thank you for loving the road less traveled and sharing their stories.
AND THAT QUOTE!!!
I have never been to this part of Italy, but your glowing review has definitely given me the push I need to go! It sounds like such a magical little piece of heaven and so unique. Adding it to my list this minute!
Sounds and looks like a dream vacation! Loved seeing how happy everyone looked on your social feed.
Yeah I could not stop taking pictures. @loebtravelers for all the visuals you can eat!
L’Italia e la terra d’incanto….and by visiting these wonderful properties you were able to feel it.
WOW. This is going on the list for must-see’s when we next visit Italy. Absolutely incredible. Thank you for one of your always-inspiring reviews!
I am drooling! Your descriptions are incredible & I can feel its beauty & uniqueness…It looks and sounds magical. Adding it to the travel bucket list. In awe. 💜💜
I am drooling! Your descriptions are incredible & I can feel its beauty & uniqueness…It looks and sounds magical. Adding it to the travel bucket list. In awe. 💜💜
We’ve been to Italy 3 times and have loved every trip! After reading this article i’m sorry we never visited Matera!
That’s what’s so astounding about the country. Just when you think you’ve uncovered every beautiful nook about the boot. . .
OMG! This looks and sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. What could be better? You get romantic Italy and remarkable cuisine that you help create. Thanks for recommending it!
This is so beautiful and enchanting! We are hoping to get to Italy and now have some destinations I wouldn’t have thought about before reading this!
Looks magical! Can’t wait to check it out! Going out to Italy in November.
It sounds like a dream, we will put it on our list of adventures in Europe!
OMG! My heart is pounding with excitement! I absolutely love Italy. It was my first solo trip when I was just 18, and that’s when I fell completely in love with its beauty, culture, food, art, architecture, and fashion.
Reading this brought me right back to that time and all the feelings I had discovering Italy for the first time. I can’t wait to read more of your reviews and experience it all through your eyes and will definitely be looking into visiting the places you write about.
Thank you for sharing not only your knowledge, but your heart. I could absolutely feel it in every word as I read this. 🇮🇹❤️
Wow, your descriptions and photos are awesome!
Italy is magical … every inch … and this inch I never heard about! What a gem! Looks so majestic and historical all at once. I will need to add it to my list of places to visit! Thanks for the find!
Loved this trip! Matera is a bucket list spot for sure! Especially all the historical caves!
It sounds like a dream of an adventure. We are putting it on our list!
This sounds magical. Thank you Jolie for introducing me to so many amazing places around the world. My daughter is spending the fall semester in Rome. I’m letting her know she should go visit the middle part of the foot! Lol!
Sounds like she’ll need a chaperone. Better book your own ticket, just in case.
Ancient City of Matera for my aging (but not ancient) body. A little travel is what I need to rejuvenate myself and now I’ve been introduced to the perfect place. Many thanks.
Says the guy who hits the gym every morning at 5am. Those stone steps are waiting for you.
this look AMAZING!!! I want to go now! I always want to go to every place you write about. It sounds magical.
An absolutely amazing trip! Such a cool place to discover and learn about.
WOW. I have been to 83 countries including Italy and all 7 continents but after reading your review about these two locations, I need to high tail it to Italy pronto!! Not only are these two locations breathtakingly beautiful but the food, serenity and spas are the icing on the cannoli! Thanks for this information!!
Matera is one of the most unusually beautiful places I’ve ever visited. From the history, to the topography, to the people (and definitely the accommodations and food), we had (to me) the perfect combination of adventure, relaxation, and family time. Sant’Angelo and Vetera Matera were both incredibly welcoming places to stay with wonderfully kind and helpful staff. There is plenty to see in Matera (including, among many other things, a tour of the film locations from the James Bond film “No Time to Die”); but, there are also multiple beaches (you can even pick two different seas) within an hour or so plus incredible experiences like the pasta making class at Agriturismo L’Assolio with Sylvia and Greg (apparently, I make a pretty good orecchiette).
I can’t possibly recommend Matera more highly — get there before it gets too well discovered!
Wow, just WOW! Visiting southern Italy has been on my bucket list for a long time, and now I know EXACTLY where I want to go!
OMG with your eye you would never come home. Pack it all.
What a magnificent tribute to a place that seems to exist somewhere between history and imagination. Your words make Matera feel less like a destination to visit and more like a living story to be experienced, savored, and held in awe. The extraordinary care taken to preserve its ancient character while thoughtfully embracing modern hospitality is especially inspiring.
I’m captivated by the idea of sleeping within those ancient caves, wandering streets shaped by centuries, and experiencing the land through its food, people, and traditions. Matera has officially moved to the very top of my “must experience” list. What a gift to have shared this journey and an even greater gift to have brought its magic to life through your beautiful storytelling.
What an incredible piece. We passed through for the day once and were enthralled but now I definitely need to spend a night or two. Love everything about this article !
Being born and raised in Los Angeles, this whole idea of being nestled in a centuries-old city, is completely foreign. And completely enthralling. So much history at your fingertips, while at the same time being so luxuriously pampered, is such a compelling an invitation. Add to it the cultural richness of a cooking class and you have me staring at my calendar, and hitting my keyboard, ready to launch myself into paradise.
This historic local was brought to life by your exquisite description. One of the many reasons I love Italy is the diverse food, topography and history. I need to add this town to my next visit.
You had me at Emotional Shower! How on earth do you find these wonderful places? I have never heard of Matera, but now you have put it at the top of my travel list.
I’m usually tempted by the food, but that cave room Master suite #5 might be calling my name!!!
This now needs to bump to the top of my travel list, like every destination that you write about!
STUNNING! I’ve never heard of Matera somehow. What a special place!
The photos, the descriptions, Just lovely.