Contemporary, designer accommodation amidst the winding lanes and stairways of the ‘sassi’ of Matera.

Staying in a beautiful cave hotel with art works and modern amenities

Spending a day exploring the UNESCO historic centre, among rock churches, palaces and caves dwellings

Rock-hewn archways and huge stone bathtubs sit side-by-side with contemporary artworks and Wifi in this unique B&B, created out of a complex of cave dwellings in the UNESCO protected ‘sassi’ district of the southern Italian town of Matera.

The outstanding preservation and restoration of the caves, uninhabited for over 50 years, is thanks to the commitment of owners Fernando and Marisa who are keen to share their enthusiasm for the town’s remarkable history with their guests.

Accessed down a winding lane, the original caves have been lovingly restored and redesigned into five bedrooms and suites, each with access to a pretty courtyard filled with sweet-scented Mediterranean plants.

Designer lighting, crisp white bed linen and soft furnishings in shades of oatmeal complement the simplicity of the raw stone walls and heavy beamed ceilings. The bathrooms reflect the same minimalism, with modern fittings, solid square bath tubs and cool polished stone floors.

Choose from a classic double bedroom, a room in the loft with a window overlooking the Madonna de Idris church, or a choice of suites.

Step out into a world that instantly takes you back through the centuries, compared by many to a giant nativity scene.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993, Matera is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited settlements in history, with its first settlers dating back to around 15,000BC.

There are still over 150 ‘rock’ churches in and around Matera, with frescoed caves, many of which have only recently been rediscovered. The town’s ‘sassi’ refer to its two neighbourhoods of stone dwellings that are carved into the rock, divided by narrow lanes and stairways.

The ‘sassi’ have several times been chosen as the setting for Biblical films, from Pasolini’s The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964) to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ (2004). Up on the cliff top, the new town of Matera is very lively, with elegant churches, palazzi and the pedestrianised Piazza Vittorio Veneto.