Carved from the honeyed limestone of Matera’s ancient sassi, Vetera Matera is the only 5-star luxury albergo diffuso in the Relais & Châteaux portfolio, unfolding across restored cave dwellings within UNESCO-listed Sassi di Matera. After nearly eight years of meticulous restoration, the property reactivates a historic portion of Sasso Barisano, integrating contemporary hospitality into architecture shaped by human excavation since the Paleolithic era.

Vetera Matera extends across multiple historic buildings primarily dating from the Middle Ages through the 19^th century, with some dating back 2,000 years, in one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited settlements. The architectural significance of Vetera Matera cannot be separated from its setting. For generations, residents carved homes directly into calcarenite, forming neighborhoods through excavation rather than construction. The hotel preserves that structural logic, embedding luxury seamlessly within the fabric of the sassi and never disrupting the magic of Matera. Winding staircases connect courtyards, stone corridors, and a panoramic wine and cocktail bar terrace, while discreet internal elevators link some levels from within.

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Its 23 rooms, including eight suites, are each distinct in configuration yet unified by exposed calcarenite stone left deliberately intact. Some accommodations are sunlit, with windows framing open views across the sassi. Others extend underground, carved directly into the rock and unfolding across multiple levels with sleeping areas, lounges and modern bathrooms integrated into the stone caves. Select underground suites include indoor pools, bringing private, subterranean wellness within chambers originally shaped centuries ago.

Across categories, the design remains restrained. Furnishings are intentionally minimal, allowing architectural texture to dominate. Bathrooms of stone or marble feature generously proportioned showers and bathtubs, and beds are dressed in high-quality linens. Smart home systems and state-of-the-art climate control ensure modern performance in the unspoiled atmosphere.

Not far from the discreet reception space, Elysium SPA occupies a fully subterranean footprint within the ancient sassi. The spa circuit includes a caldarium, heated steam bath with built-in hydromassage and a frigidarium cold plunge carved directly into the rock.

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Experience showers, sauna, relaxation areas and changing facilities complete the hydrothermal escape. Three treatment rooms include a dedicated couple’s facility and Zerobody treatment space where floating on warm water creates a sensation of weightlessness engineered to support muscular release and regeneration. Elysium SPA also features an indoor relaxation area carved into the original stone and an outdoor solarium terrace overlooking the sassi, with padded daybeds for respite between treatments. A range of wellness paths, personalized massages and beauty services are offered.

© Bellevue Syrene

Lighter dining is available at Vetera Matera’s chic bar, but the main event is dinner at ARTEMA Restaurant, also underground. Here, the kitchen reinterprets Lucanian culinary tradition through a pair of elegant tasting menus presenting regional flavors with updated precision and style. Menus feature an array of local meats, produce and cheeses, but no Matera meal would be complete without a taste of the city’s famous sourdough bread. Similarly, the wine list here highlights regional labels for a curated exploration of Basilicata’s terroir. For extra special occasions apart from ARTEMA, descend a dramatic modern staircase deep within the sassi to access an original 14th-century wine cellar for tastings and private dining.

Beyond the property, Sassi di Matera unfolds as a network of cave dwellings, churches, stairways and terraces. Nearby Murgia Materana Regional Park extends the landscape outward, while artisans continue to work with calcarenite using traditional techniques at small shops within, and modern boutiques and cafés bring contemporary moments to the historic space. A guided tour early in your stay is the best way to minimize disorientation in the absolute labyrinth of this see-it-to-believe-it city, but carefree meandering is also a must.

Vetera Matera

Rione Vetera, 28,
75100 Matera, MT Italy
tel 39 0835 167 0514