What makes Matera's cave hotels different from regular hotels?

Rupestrian hotels are carved into or built within the ancient cave dwellings (sassi) that give Matera its UNESCO World Heritage status. The rock walls regulate temperature naturally - cool in summer, surprisingly warm in winter. Most have been sensitively converted with modern plumbing and lighting while retaining the cave structure and atmosphere. Sleeping in a rupestrian hotel is genuinely unlike any other accommodation experience in Italy.

Is Sasso Barisano or Sasso Caveoso better for accommodation?

Sasso Barisano (the northern ravine) has more hotels, restaurants, and general tourist infrastructure - it's easier and less isolated. Sasso Caveoso (the southern ravine) is quieter, has more intact cave churches, and feels closer to Matera's ancient character. Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita - the most celebrated luxury cave hotel - is in Caveoso. First-time visitors wanting a sociable base should choose Barisano; those seeking atmosphere over convenience should consider Caveoso.

Do I need a car to visit Matera?

For Matera itself, no - the Sassi are pedestrianised and the Piano (the modern town) is walkable. But getting to Matera from the nearest major cities requires planning: there are trains from Bari (FAL line to Matera Sud station) and a bus from Taranto. If you want to do day trips to Alberobello or Puglia coast, a car helps significantly.

How much do cave hotels in Matera cost?

Rupestrian accommodation spans a wide range. Basic sassi B&Bs run approximately €60–90/night. Mid-range cave hotels with more amenities run approximately €100–180/night. The luxury cave resorts - Sextantio, Aquatio, Sant'Angelo - start from approximately €200/night and reach €450+ for premium rooms as of 2026.

Where to Stay in Matera | The Italy Guides

Matera is one of Europe’s most extraordinary places to sleep. The Sassi - the two ravine communities of cave dwellings that have been continuously inhabited for over 9,000 years - were UNESCO World Heritage listed in 1993 and served as European Capital of Culture in 2019. For most of the 20th century they were considered slums; now they house some of the most unusual hotels in Italy. The choice of where to sleep here involves not just budget but philosophy: how deep into the cave city do you want to go?

Sasso Barisano

Sasso Barisano is the northern of Matera’s two ancient gorge communities, curling around the hill below the modern Piano quarter. It’s the more accessible and tourist-oriented of the two Sassi, with a higher concentration of hotels, restaurants, and craft shops cut into the old cave facades.

Pros: More restaurants and bars within easy walking distance. More hotels to choose from across all budgets. Closer to the Piano (the upper modern town) where buses arrive and everyday services are. The view from Sasso Barisano across to the cliff churches of the Murgia Materana is exceptional.

Cons: Slightly busier in terms of tourist foot traffic. Less raw than Caveoso. The atmosphere in summer evenings - full of visitors - is pleasant but not solitary.

Budget (under €80): Cave B&Bs and small guesthouses in restored sassi. La Dolce Vista and similar independently-run options in Barisano offer basic rupestrian rooms from approximately €60–80/night as of 2026. Standards vary - read recent reviews on booking platforms, as small family-run cave guesthouses can be excellent or rough depending on maintenance.

Mid-range (€85–160): Locanda di San Martino (Via Fiorentini 71) is one of Matera’s most established mid-range rupestrian hotels - converted from a complex of cave dwellings, with a candlelit atmosphere, cave-rock walls, and a courtyard that gives a real sense of the ancient city structure; doubles from approximately €100–145/night as of 2026. L’Hotel in Pietra (Via San Giovanni Vecchio 22) is a sensitively converted hotel with comfortable rooms in rock-cut spaces and a position overlooking the Barisano ravine; doubles from approximately €110–155/night as of 2026. Both have been hosting visitors for over a decade and represent the category’s most consistent options.

Luxury (€200+): Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA (Via Madonna delle Virtù 8) is cut into the upper slopes of Barisano with an outdoor infinity pool suspended above the gorge - one of the most photogenic hotel views in Italy. Rooms are finished to a high standard while retaining the cave structure; doubles from approximately €220–400/night as of 2026. Book directly with the hotel for best rates and room selection.

Sasso Caveoso

Caveoso is the southern ravine, older in feel, with more intact rupestrian churches (the rock-cut churches of Santa Maria de Idris and Madonna delle Virtù are here), quieter lanes, and a rawness that Barisano’s tourist development has smoothed away.

Pros: More atmospheric and less commercially developed. The rock churches and canyon views are extraordinary. The most celebrated cave hotel in Matera - Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita - is in Caveoso. Quieter in the evenings.

Cons: Fewer restaurant options in the immediate vicinity. Further from the Piano. The terrain is steeper and navigation requires more attention to step-counts and gradients.

Budget (under €80): Small affittacamere in the rock. La Casa di Lucio (Via Civita area) is a simple rupestrian B&B where the host’s knowledge of the caves is the real selling point; doubles from approximately €60–75/night as of 2026. Facilities are basic but the experience is genuine.

Mid-range (€90–165): Several restored cave guesthouses in the Caveoso lanes. Il Belvedere (Via Fiorentini, technically on the cusp of Barisano and Caveoso) is a solid mid-range property with gorge views from its terrace; doubles from approximately €90–130/night as of 2026.

Luxury (€250+): Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita (Via Civita 28) is Italy’s most famous cave hotel - 18 rooms and suites carved directly into the 1st-century cave dwellings of the Civita district in Sasso Caveoso. The design philosophy is deliberately minimal: the cave architecture is unaltered, the lighting is by candlelight and soft fixtures, and the experience of sleeping in a space that has been inhabited for millennia is profound and genuinely moving. Doubles from approximately €280–500/night as of 2026. This is a special-occasion property, and the waitlist for peak season can be months long - book as early as possible. Sant’Angelo Luxury Resort (Piazza San Pietro Caveoso) offers a comparable luxury experience at the most photogenic square in Matera, overlooking the gorge and the Murgia plateau; doubles from approximately €230–420/night as of 2026.

Il Piano (Modern Town)

The modern Piano quarter sits above the Sassi - the area developed from the 1950s onward after the Italian government cleared the cave dwellings and rehoused Matera’s population. Hotels on the Piano are in conventional buildings with none of the cave atmosphere but with better parking, more services, and generally lower prices.

Pros: Easier access by car. More budget options. The Piano has the city’s main restaurants, bars, and supermarkets. Good views down into the Sassi from the belvedere terraces.

Cons: No cave experience - you’re sleeping in a conventional hotel and walking down into the Sassi to sightsee. Not why most people come to Matera.

Budget (under €65): Several two-star hotels and B&Bs on the Piano. Hotel Il Belvedere (Via Nazionale) and similar properties run approximately €55–70/night as of 2026 - useful if the Sassi options are fully booked or if budget is the priority.

Mid-range (€80–140): Three-star business-oriented hotels on the main roads. These are the practical default for groups and families who prioritise parking and space over atmosphere.

Plan your trip:

Booking and practical tips

Book cave hotels early. The best rupestrian properties - Sextantio, Aquatio, Locanda di San Martino - have limited rooms and fill six to twelve weeks ahead for spring and summer. The luxury cave resorts can book out months in advance. Don’t assume you can walk in.
Matera tourist tax: approximately €2–4/night per person charged on arrival, not included in booking platform rates.
Navigating the Sassi: The cave city is not flat. Expect steep descents, uneven stone steps, and climbs between the Sassi levels. Unsuitable footwear is the most common complaint from visitors who underestimated this. Bring shoes with grip.
Getting there: Matera doesn’t have a direct high-speed rail connection. From Bari: take the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL) train from Bari Centrale (FAL platform) to Matera Sud - approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. Bus services from Taranto and Naples are also available.
Summer temperatures: Matera’s rock city gets extremely hot in July and August - the cave hotels stay naturally cooler than the stone streets outside, which is a genuine selling point. Plan outdoor sightseeing for early morning (before 10am) and late afternoon (after 5pm).
How long to stay: Two nights is ideal for most visitors - enough for a full day exploring the Sassi on foot, including the rock churches, the gorge views, the Musma museum, and an evening dinner in one of the cave restaurants. Three nights if you want to add a day trip to Alberobello or Puglia coast.

For the full Matera picture: the Matera travel guide covers the Sassi history, the rock churches, and how to navigate the gorge. For what to eat: the Matera food guide covers strascinati pasta, peperone crusco, and the Lucanian wine tradition. For day trips: day trips from Matera covers Alberobello, Metaponto, and the Gravina di Puglia. For the wider Puglia picture: our Puglia food guide.

Ready to Plan Your Trip?

See our itineraries for inspiration:

Southern Italy Itinerary - ten days from Naples to Sicily
Puglia Itinerary - seven days through Italy’s heel
3 Weeks in Italy - the north-to-south grand tour from Milan to Sicily
2 Weeks in Italy - the ultimate two-week Italian itinerary

Further hotel recommendations

Sassi cave hotels

The converted cave dwellings of the Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso are the distinctive accommodation category. These are genuine cave rooms - the walls are tufa stone, the spaces are intimate, and the quality ranges from basic to extremely luxurious.

Budget cave rooms (€70–120/night): Basic B&Bs in the Sassi. Smaller, often without air conditioning (not usually needed - the rock maintains a stable temperature). Some have shared bathrooms.

Mid-range (€120–200/night): Good cave hotels with private bathrooms, often with terrace or balcony views over the canyon. The Sasso Caveoso tends to have slightly better views than the Sasso Barisano. Several well-regarded options in this range.

Top-end (€200–500+/night): Luxury cave hotels with remarkable design interventions - infinity pools cut into the rock, contemporary interiors within ancient cave structures, Michelin-starred restaurants. Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita (a converted former sassi neighbourhood), Palazzo Gattini, and the Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa are the main luxury options. These are some of the most remarkable hotels in Italy.

Named hotel recommendations

Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita (Via Civita 28) - The most distinctive cave hotel in Matera. Eighteen rooms restored with minimal intervention - original stone walls, candle-lit corridors. Doubles from approximately €200/night as of 2026. The atmosphere is extraordinary.

Palazzo Gattini (Piazza Duomo 13-14) - A five-star in a converted palazzo overlooking the Cathedral. Modern spa, rooftop terrace with Sassi views. Doubles from approximately €180/night. The most full-service hotel in Matera.

L’Hotel in Pietra (Via San Giovanni Vecchio 22) - A boutique cave hotel with 8 rooms carved into rock. Doubles from approximately €120/night. Atmospheric and well-managed.

Corte San Pietro (Via San Pietro Caveoso 16) - Cave dwellings near the best viewpoint. Doubles from approximately €90/night. Good value for a genuine cave experience.

B&B del Corso (Corso XX Settembre) - In the upper town rather than the Sassi. Doubles from approximately €50/night. The best budget option.

Where to Stay in Matera: Cave Hotels, Sassi B&Bs & Where to Book