Go somewhere that feels remote in time, where the pale nuances of the architecture blend with the rawness of nature in the background. The beauty of Matera is astonishing and its heritage is deep. Here, do not follow a path but rather get lost to appreciate the most unexpected corners of this unreal destination. This BeMyJourney’s Travel Experience takes you under the skin of Matera, to discover its culture and live an intimate candlelight escape that I dedicate to all lovers.
Matera is not far from other Italian pearls like Calabria and Puglia. To get advice on your journey planning to discover some of the areas near Matera, get in touch with Andrea.
SUGGESTED LENGTH: A long weekend, if you stay just in Matera, or more if you want to combine this escape with another one or two destinations. Be MyJourney has a handpicked portfolio of hotels and experiences in the area, get in touch with Andrea to learn more.
SUGGESTED SEASON: All year round, possibly avoiding summer when it can get extremely hot.
THE CAVES, A SENSORIAL EXPERIENCE
The Sassi district of Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. Here, the earliest inhabitants date back to the stone and bronze age. During the first half of the past century, this was a forgotten town and a symbol of poverty represented by the caves, where entire families used to live. Today, thanks to Sextantio‘s conservative restoration project, some of those caves have been transformed into romantic guest rooms to sleep in, have a candlelight massage or bath and even a yoga or pilates session. This is why Sextantio is not just a stay but rather a unique experience. Learn more below.
Prices start from 250 euro per night, get in touch with Andrea to learn more.
TOUCH: BREAD, HERITAGE OF MATERA
The history of Matera is a complex one and for many years, for many people, bread was the basic food and often the only one possible. This is how a whole world of memories and traditions developed around the local bread. Coming from a long-established family of bakers, during this experience Patrizia Perrone will walk you through the history behind this tradition before taking you to the lab and letting you experiment with your touch by preparing your piece of bread. If you are curious about the history of this tradition, read more about it in this article written by Patrizia for Be MyJourney.
Prices start from 35 euro per person, click here to learn more.
___________
WHERE ~ Matera
BEMYJOURNEY’S EXPERIENCE ~ “Sextantio represents an open conversation between the local heritage and history and the surrounding environment. I’d say that staying here, for me, was a once- in-a-lifetime experience, so I was not surprised when I read that The Times included Sextantio “among the ten most beautiful hotels in the world” referring to the unique concept of “emotional luxury experience”. Andrea
BEMYJOURNEY’S EXTRA ~ Lovers’ Escape promo for booking made by the end of Feb 2022 / Book on Sextantio website mentioning “BeMyJourney” in the notes of your booking and you will get a 15% discount on your stay (the discount does not apply to other offers available on the booking website).
BeMyJourney’s travellers who will stay longer than 7 nights will get a welcome gift and a room upgrade (upon availability).
WHAT TO EXPECT ~ Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita is located in the oldest area of the town, facing the spectacular Murgia natural park and its rock-hewn churches. At Sextantio, you will immerse yourself in a unique atmosphere evoking the local cultural and human history. The hotel comprises 18 rooms (some of them exceeding 160m²) and an ancient church now used as a common area. The whole structure was renovated to retain the original features and each cave reveals the original shape and materials.
FOOD PHILOSOPHY ~ Breakfast is served in the XIII Century Cave Church. Cakes, pastries, biscuits and cookies, marmalades, cheeses and cold cuts are for the most part produced in a local organic farm nearby or supplied by trusted artisan producers in the near proximity. There is no restaurant available onsite, but the property can organise private candlelight dining experiences and it is nearby the historic town where you will have access to many local restaurants.
COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY ~ By creating a dialogue with the cityscape and its history, Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita is not just a hotel, but a cultural project hosted in the historical heart of Matera. The 18 caves have been restored through a careful and conservative process conducted with the utmost respect for the local cultural heritage. Sextantio’s approach to conserving the interiors would involve a minimalist approach, using plain furnishing. The whole project aims to have a simplicity of form, blending with the structure, without interrupting the dramatic setting of The Sassi.
OTHER INFORMATION
Due to the exclusive location of the hotel, there is no onsite parking area. However, Sextantio reserves parking slots to their guest in the nearest surveilled parking at a cost of 28 euro for the first night and 25 euro for the following ones as well as a complimentary shuttle service to the hotel.
Closest airports: Bari Airport, 45 km
Pets are welcomed
On New Year Eve and during other specific times of the year the hotel has a minimum stay policy of 2 nights.
Check-in time: from 2.00 PM
Check-out time: by 12.00 PM
CANCELLATION POLICY ~ In order to confirm the booking, the hotel will ask for credit card details. Up to 5 days before arrival cancellation is free of charge. Afterwards, the hotel will charge 100% of the booking amount.
DROP A LINE TO ANDREA, SCHEDULE A CALL AND PICK HER BRAIN TO DISCOVER OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH DESTINATIONS IN ITALY YOU WOULD NOT FIND OTHERWISE
Or join BeMyJourney’s community of travellers to fuel your travel dreams. Sign up below to get the inspirational content designed by Andrea exclusively for the community.
This BeMyJourney’s Travel Experience takes you to a hermitage designed for the modern traveller to enjoy a full digital detox break, spending a few days having a yoga studio by hand (no instructor available onsite), while rediscovering the almost forgotten luxury of silence and peace. Moreover, with BeMyJourney you even get 10% off on your stay.