Best Hotels in Matera for Every Budget — 49 Real Picks From £53 (2026)

Our top Matera hotel pick for 2026 is Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA for the definitive cave-luxury stay — but the real story of Matera is that you can sleep inside a 9,000-year-old UNESCO cave city from just £53 a night. This is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth: a honey-stone labyrinth of cave dwellings, rock churches and a dramatic ravine, once branded "the shame of Italy" and now a European Capital of Culture and a James Bond film set. We've built this guide around all three price bands — 5 cave-luxury flagships, 10 mid-range hotels, and 34 budget rooms and Sassi B&Bs — 49 real, distinct, currently bookable properties in all, each linking straight to its live prices. Matera is small and books out fast in spring and autumn, so the cheap cave rooms go first.

Jump to your budget: Cave-luxury flagships · Mid-range hotels · Budget stays from £53 · FAQs

Scout's 3 best-value picks right now: 🕳️ Home Sweet Home — from ~£53, the cheapest real room in the city, a simple base a short walk from the caves. 🏛 Donna Gina — from ~£77, a well-reviewed Sassi guesthouse that puts you inside the cave district for under £80. 🍷 HOTEL MOSAICO — from ~£93, a 4-star with over 800 reviews and the lowest mid-range price here. From-prices are live midweek rates pulled while writing — tap any hotel for today's price on your dates.

Matera sits in Basilicata, the arch of the Italian "boot", about an hour inland from Bari on the Adriatic side. There's no airport in Matera itself — you fly to Bari (BRI), direct from several UK airports with Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and BA, then it's roughly an hour by train, bus or car into the Sassi. The defining landmarks — the two Sassi (Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso), the Civita spur with its Romanesque cathedral, the rupestrian rock churches, the Gravina ravine and the belvedere view across it, and the Murgia national park on the far side — are all within a walk of every hotel here. Compare live Matera hotel prices or search UK flights to Bari (BRI) — about an hour from the caves.

At a glance — the cave-luxury tier compared, before the full reviews:

The Scout's Take: Sassi, or the Upper Town?

Matera is really two towns stacked on each other. The Sassi — the ancient cave districts of Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, tumbling down either side of the Civita spur — are the reason you come: a UNESCO labyrinth of dwellings carved into the rock, where people lived alongside their animals into the 1950s. Sleeping in a converted cave here is unlike any hotel night in Europe. The catch is practical: the lanes are steep, stepped and pedestrian-only, cars can't reach the door, and the atmosphere carries a price premium.

Above the caves sits the Piano — the modern upper town around Via Ridola, Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the cathedral end. This is where the cheaper rooms are, where cars can park, and where luggage is easy. You're never more than a five-to-ten-minute walk from the cave lanes, so a Piano base loses none of the sightseeing and keeps a lot of money.

For a first visit with the budget to spend, stay inside the Sassi — ideally a cave room. For value, a folding-suitcase-friendly trip, or travelling with kids, the Piano wins. Many travellers split the difference with a budget cave B&B on the Sassi edge: caves at the door, without the flagship rates. The budget tier below is where £53–100 in a cave city is still real.

The Cave-Luxury Flagships — Matera's Best-Rated Stays

Matera punches far above its size at the top end. These five are the flagship stays — the cave-luxury and grand-palazzo properties people travel to Basilicata specifically to sleep in. Each is a genuine five-star; rates swing with season and room, so tap through for live prices.

1. Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA — Matera · 5★ · 1,542 reviews · from ~£262/night. The definitive Matera cave stay — a warren of design-led cave rooms in Sasso Caveoso built around a spa carved deep into the tufa rock, all raw stone, soft light and water. This is the property most people picture when they imagine a luxury cave hotel, and its spa is the single reason many travellers come. Book a room with a ravine outlook.

2. BV Quarry Matera — Matera · 5★ · 704 reviews · from ~£156/night. A contemporary five-star that plays the cave-and-stone material palette in a cleaner, more architectural key — the design-lover's pick of the flagship tier, and often the best-priced true five-star in the city. Polished service, striking interiors, and an easy walk to the heart of the Sassi.

3. Sant'Angelo, Matera - Small Luxury Hotels — Matera · 5★ · 695 reviews · from ~£278/night. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member laid out as an albergo diffuso — individual cave suites scattered through Sasso Caveoso rather than a single building, each with its own character. The most romantic address in Matera: candle-lit stone, private terraces and the ravine below. For couples marking an occasion.

4. Palazzo Gattini - The Leading Hotels of the World — Matera · 5★ · 455 reviews · from ~£294/night. The city's grande dame — a restored noble palazzo on Piazza Duomo, on the Civita spur, and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Frescoed salons, a wellness centre in the rock beneath, and a terrace with one of the best cathedral-and-Sassi panoramas in town. The classic five-star, palace rather than cave.

5. Eurostars Matera La Suite — Matera · 5★ · 228 reviews · from ~£128/night. The value door into the five-star tier — a polished, modern Eurostars with suite-style rooms that frequently undercuts the cave flagships by a wide margin. Reliable four-square comfort and a central position, for travellers who want the five-star badge without the cave-suite premium.

Cave-luxury tier note: prices are from-rates and move sharply with season — spring and autumn weekends run well above these floors, midweek winter well below. Compare all Matera stays with live prices →

Mid-Range Matera Hotels — 10 From £89 to £360

The middle of the market is where most Matera trips land: proper 4-star hotels, several of them cave properties in their own right, at a fraction of the flagship rates. From-prices are live midweek rates pulled while writing — tap any hotel for your dates.

6. UNA HOTELS MH Matera — Matera · 4★ · 2,577 reviews · from ~£136/night. The most-reviewed hotel in the city — a big, dependable 4-star of the UNA group, more modern-comfortable than cave-atmospheric, with easy access and consistent service. The safe, no-surprises choice for travellers who want a full hotel rather than a B&B, and a short walk to the Sassi.

7. Hotel San Domenico Al Piano — Matera · 4★ · 2,268 reviews · from ~£149/night. A well-run 4-star in the Piano upper town with a wellness area and gardens — convenient for drivers, easy for luggage, and a level stroll to the belvedere and the top of the Sassi. Popular with couples who want comfort and calm over cave quirks.

8. Le Malve Cave Retreat — Matera · 4★ · 1,662 reviews · from ~£319/night. A boutique cave hotel that pairs raw rock with polished design — one of the most photographed cave stays in the Sassi, with intimate suites and a strong sense of place. Priced towards the top of the mid-tier for the setting; book directly onto a suite for the full effect.

9. Palazzo Degli Abati — Matera · 4★ · 1,421 reviews · from ~£357/night. A refined stone-and-cave boutique carved into the Sassi, with elegant rooms and a reputation for service that lifts it towards the flagships. The premium end of the mid-range, and a genuine special-occasion alternative to the five-stars for a little less.

10. Albergo Del Sedile — Matera · 4★ · 1,317 reviews · from ~£139/night. A characterful 4-star spread through a historic building near Piazza del Sedile, on the seam between the upper town and the Sassi — well placed, well priced for the tier, and an easy walk to everything. A solid all-rounder for first-timers.

11. Hotel Nazionale — Matera · 4★ · 1,033 reviews · from ~£115/night. A dependable 4-star in the modern town — one of the better-value entries in the mid-range, with straightforward comfortable rooms and parking within reach. For travellers prioritising ease and price over cave atmosphere while staying close to the action.

12. HOTEL MOSAICO — Matera · 4★ · 818 reviews · from ~£93/night. The lowest-priced 4-star in the guide and a strong value play — a comfortable, well-reviewed modern hotel that lets you spend on cave dinners rather than the cave bed. The pick for travellers who want a proper hotel at close to budget-tier money.

13. Hotel Cave Del Sole — Matera · 4★ · 807 reviews · from ~£123/night. A 4-star with cave-inspired rooms and a relaxed feel, popular for its value in the £120s and its parking-friendly position. A comfortable base that nods to the Sassi aesthetic without the flagship price.

14. Hotel Del Campo — Matera · 4★ · 721 reviews · from ~£89/night. The cheapest 4-star here — a modern hotel a short drive from the centre with free parking and a pool, aimed squarely at drivers and value-seekers. Not in the Sassi, but the strongest pound-for-pound comfort in the mid-range, and easy for a Basilicata road trip.

15. Cenobio Hotel & SPA Matera — Matera · 4★ · 699 reviews · from ~£210/night. A design-forward 4-star with a spa, blending stone textures with contemporary comfort — the wellness pick of the mid-tier for travellers who want a soak and a sauna without the flagship cave-spa rates. Central and stylish.

Mid-range tier note: several of these are true cave hotels (Le Malve, Palazzo Degli Abati) that rival the flagships on atmosphere; the value plays (Del Campo, Mosaico, Nazionale) trade cave setting for price. All prices are from-rates. See all Matera hotels →

Cheap Hotels in Matera — 34 Real, Bookable Options From £53

This is the tier we built this guide for. The cheapest real rooms in Matera start at ~£53 a night, and a genuine Sassi guesthouse can still be had for under £80 — remarkable for sleeping inside a UNESCO cave city. Be honest about the spread, though: this "budget" tier runs from that £53 floor all the way up to characterful cave B&Bs and boutique residences at £200–250 a night, because in Matera a room in a well-restored cave commands a premium at any star level. Every property below is a real, distinct, currently bookable stay with live rates on its JetMeAway page; from-prices were pulled on live midweek searches while writing, and weekends run higher.

the cheapest rooms in the city From £53

16. Home Sweet Home — Matera · guesthouse · 58 reviews · from ~£53/night. The lowest price in the guide — a simple, homely guesthouse that puts you within a short walk of the Sassi for the cost of a chain motel back home. No frills and few facilities, but an unbeatable base for a budget cave-city break. Book early; the cheapest room in a small city goes first.

17. Piazza Mulino 26 — Matera · guesthouse · 95 reviews · from ~£64/night. A tidy, well-located self-catering room near the eponymous square — one of the very cheapest options that still keeps you central. Simple, self-check-in style, and a strong value pick under £70.

18. Donna Gina — Matera · guesthouse · 417 reviews · from ~£77/night. One of the best-value Sassi guesthouses — hundreds of good reviews, real cave-district character, and a price under £80. This is the Scout's pick for travellers who want to wake up inside the caves without paying flagship money.

19. Residence Del Casalnuovo — Matera · residence · 377 reviews · from ~£79/night. Self-catering cave apartments in Sasso Caveoso, terraced down towards the ravine — roomier than a hotel room and ideal for families or longer stays. Kitchens, cave walls and a view for well under £100. A budget-family favourite.

20. Matera In Vacanza — Matera · residence · 737 reviews · from ~£79/night. A well-reviewed collection of self-catering apartments in the historic centre — flexible, central and cheap, with the space to spread out. Among the most-reviewed budget stays in the city, and a reliable pick for independent travellers.

£80–100 — Sassi B&Bs and self-catering caves

21. Le Due Nicchie — Matera · B&B · 358 reviews · from ~£82/night. A charming little Sassi B&B carved into the stone — intimate, atmospheric and warmly reviewed, the sort of place where the host points you to the right cave trattoria. Real cave character just over £80.

22. B&B La Castellana — Matera · B&B · 12 reviews · from ~£85/night. A small family-run B&B with a homely feel and a handy position for the Sassi. Fewer reviews than the big names but a friendly, low-key budget base.

23. Casa Nannina — Matera · guesthouse · 321 reviews · from ~£85/night. A well-rated guesthouse blending simple comfort with cave-city character — central, tidy and dependable under £90. A solid middle-of-the-budget choice.

24. Casale Delle Piane — Matera · guesthouse · 26 reviews · from ~£85/night. A quieter option on the edge of town with a relaxed, countryside feel — good for drivers who want calm and parking over cave lanes, at a fair budget price.

25. La Residenza del Monaco bianco — Matera · residence · 199 reviews · from ~£85/night. A central self-catering residence with characterful rooms and a good review record — flexible and well-placed for exploring both Sassi on foot. Comfortable value in the mid-£80s.

26. Best Western Plus Dimora del Monaco — Matera · hotel · 28 reviews · from ~£86/night. A branded Best Western Plus in a restored building — the reassurance of a known chain's standards with local character, and a central position. Good for travellers who want consistency at a budget price.

27. Stone Rooms — Matera · guesthouse · 1,231 reviews · from ~£86/night. The best-reviewed budget stay in the guide — over 1,200 reviews for a simple, stylish set of stone-walled rooms in the centre. Reliable, characterful and cheap; the safest sub-£90 bet in Matera.

28. Donna Eleonora Residence — Matera · residence · 598 reviews · from ~£91/night. A well-liked residence of self-catering rooms with a central position and hundreds of positive reviews — comfortable, flexible and just over £90. A strong pick for couples and small groups.

29. LITHOS ROOMs — Matera · guesthouse · 495 reviews · from ~£93/night. Stone-walled rooms with a clean, modern finish in a handy central spot — "lithos" means stone, and the design leans into it. Well-reviewed and good value in the low-£90s.

30. Bed&Book — Matera · guesthouse · 551 reviews · from ~£94/night. A characterful, well-reviewed guesthouse in the historic centre — a comfortable, literary-themed base within walking distance of the Sassi. Dependable budget comfort under £100.

31. La Sosta Motel — Matera · 3★ · 12 reviews · from ~£97/night. A simple 3-star roadside motel handy for drivers arriving by car — parking on the doorstep and an easy hop into the centre. Practical rather than atmospheric, for travellers on a Basilicata road trip.

32. Myricae — Matera · guesthouse · 707 reviews · from ~£97/night. A well-reviewed guesthouse with cave-city charm and a central location — hundreds of happy guests and a price just under £100. A reliable, characterful budget choice.

£100–130 — cave rooms and boutique residences at the budget top

33. Spazio Gagarin Residence — Matera · 3★ · 256 reviews · from ~£102/night. Bright, contemporary self-catering apartments a little apart from the tourist crush — space, kitchens and a modern finish for families and longer stays. Good value once you factor in the room to spread out.

34. Dimora Mefite — Matera · guesthouse · 481 reviews · from ~£101/night. Private-bathroom rooms with self check-in in a central dimora — flexible, independent and well-reviewed, the easy option for travellers arriving at odd hours. Comfortable value just over £100.

35. L'Antica Conceria — Matera · B&B · 597 reviews · from ~£102/night. A characterful B&B in a restored former tannery, blending exposed stone with warm design — one of the better-reviewed atmospheric budget picks. Real cave-city texture in the low £100s.

36. Le Dimore dell'Acqua — Matera · guesthouse · 1,017 reviews · from ~£103/night. Over a thousand reviews for a set of comfortable rooms built around Matera's ancient water-cistern heritage — atmospheric, central and dependable. One of the most-reviewed stays in the whole guide.

37. Dimora Al Castello — Matera · guesthouse · 574 reviews · from ~£103/night. A well-liked dimora near the Tramontano Castle end of town — comfortable rooms, good reviews and a slightly quieter setting a short walk from the Sassi. Solid value at the £100 mark.

38. Palazzo Viceconte — Matera · 4★ · 459 reviews · from ~£116/night. A noble 17th-century palazzo turned 4-star, with a rooftop terrace that delivers one of the finest panoramas over the Sassi and cathedral — a genuine boutique hotel at a budget-topping price. Punches well above its rate for the setting.

39. Caveoso Hotel — Matera · 3★ · 138 reviews · from ~£125/night. A small hotel right in the heart of Sasso Caveoso — the wilder, more dramatic of the two Sassi — with rooms overlooking the rock churches and ravine. You pay for one of the best positions in the cave city.

£130–260 — characterful cave and heritage stays

40. Albergo Italia — Matera · 3★ · 171 reviews · from ~£148/night. A long-standing hotel in a historic building on the edge of the Sassi, with a terrace and warm, traditional rooms. A dependable central base with a personal, old-Matera feel.

41. Palazzo della Fontana — Matera · 4★ · 649 reviews · from ~£160/night. A boutique 4-star in a restored palazzo overlooking a Sassi square — elegant rooms, strong reviews and a central-yet-atmospheric position. A comfortable step up from the guesthouses without reaching flagship prices.

42. Basiliani Hotel — Matera · 3★ · 1,311 reviews · from ~£174/night. A well-reviewed hotel with cave-style rooms and a spa near the entrance to the Sassi — over 1,300 reviews and a reputation for comfort. A popular middle path between B&B simplicity and flagship cave luxury.

43. Hotel San Giorgio — Matera · 3★ · 1,037 reviews · from ~£176/night. A characterful hotel spread through historic cave and stone rooms, warmly and widely reviewed — atmospheric, central and reliably run. A dependable pick for travellers wanting a real Sassi hotel over a B&B.

44. Lo Stemma Luxury Boutique Hotel — Matera · 4★ · 271 reviews · from ~£202/night. A polished small boutique that leans into refined cave-and-stone design — intimate, stylish and highly rated, a special-occasion stay at the top of this tier. Cave-luxury feel for less than the flagships.

45. Locanda Di San Martino Hotel & Thermae Romanae — Matera · 3★ · 3,658 reviews · from ~£203/night. The most-reviewed cave hotel in the city — a sprawling locanda of cave rooms famous for its Thermae Romanae, a Roman-bath spa complex built into the rock beneath the hotel. Deep Sassi atmosphere and a genuinely unusual wellness experience.

46. Masseria Fontana di Vite — Matera · 4★ · 632 reviews · from ~£236/night. A restored country masseria (farmhouse estate) outside the city — pool, gardens and a peaceful Basilicata-countryside setting for travellers who want rural calm and a car over cave lanes. A different, quieter Matera experience.

47. Alvino Relais — Matera · 4★ · 64 reviews · from ~£254/night. An intimate, design-led relais at the top of this tier — a small number of elegant rooms and a boutique, personal feel. Newer and less reviewed than the big names, but pitched at the cave-luxury experience for those wanting somewhere under the radar.

Two more central budget picks

48. Il Piccolo Albergo Matera — Matera · 3★ · 370 reviews · from ~£77/night. A small, friendly hotel near the town centre — proper hotel service at a guesthouse price, and one of the cheapest 3-stars in the guide. A well-placed, well-run base for a first Matera trip under £80.

49. Hotel Sassi — Matera · 3★ · 79 reviews · from ~£90/night. One of the original cave hotels of Matera, right inside Sasso Barisano with terraces and rooms carved into the rock — a long-established, characterful and reasonably priced way to sleep in the heart of the Sassi. The historic budget-cave pick.

Budget tier summary: cheapest room — Home Sweet Home £53; best-reviewed budget stay — Stone Rooms, 1,200+ reviews, £86; best sub-£80 Sassi guesthouse — Donna Gina £77; best budget cave hotel — Hotel Sassi £90; best view for the money — Palazzo Viceconte £116. Remember the honest spread: the cheapest cave rooms start at £53, but the well-restored cave B&Bs at the top of this tier reach £200–250. Compare all Matera hotels with live prices →

Best Matera Hotels for Specific Trips

Matera is small, but the choice between a cave suite, a Sassi B&B and an upper-town hotel changes the trip completely. Here's how the 49 hotels above sort by traveller type.

Best Matera Hotels for Value

The budget tier exists for this question. Home Sweet Home (£53) is the cheapest room in the city; Donna Gina (£77) is the best sub-£80 Sassi guesthouse; Stone Rooms (£86, 1,200+ reviews) is the best-reviewed cheap stay; and HOTEL MOSAICO (£93) is the value pick if you want a full 4-star. Matera's cheap food does the rest.

Best Matera Hotels for a Cave Stay

For the flagship cave experience, Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA and Sant'Angelo are the ones people travel for. On a mid budget, Le Malve Cave Retreat and Locanda di San Martino (with its Roman cave thermae) deliver deep atmosphere; and on a budget, Hotel Sassi (~£90) is a genuine cave hotel in the heart of Sasso Barisano.

Best Matera Hotels for Couples and Honeymoons

Sant'Angelo — scattered cave suites in Sasso Caveoso — is the most romantic address in the city. Aquatio pairs candle-lit stone with a cave spa, and Lo Stemma (~£202) is the boutique bargain of the romantic set. For a view to propose to, Palazzo Viceconte's rooftop terrace.

Best Matera Hotels for Families

Self-catering caves win for families: Residence Del Casalnuovo (£79), Matera In Vacanza (£79) and Spazio Gagarin Residence (~£102) give you kitchens and multiple rooms for less than two hotel rooms. Kids love the cave novelty — just pack proper shoes for the steps and skip the buggy where you can.

Best Matera Hotels for a Spa

Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA is the destination cave spa. Cenobio Hotel & SPA and Basiliani Hotel offer spa facilities in the mid and budget tiers, and Locanda di San Martino's Thermae Romanae is a Roman-bath complex carved into the rock beneath the hotel — a genuinely unusual soak.

Best Matera Hotels for Drivers

If you're arriving by car from Bari, the upper-town and out-of-centre hotels are far easier: Hotel Del Campo (~£89, free parking and a pool), Hotel San Domenico Al Piano and Masseria Fontana di Vite for countryside calm. Cars can't enter the Sassi, so cave hotels mean paid parking above and a bag-carry down.

Best Five-Star Matera Hotels

The benchmark addresses are Palazzo Gattini (Leading Hotels of the World, on the cathedral square), Aquatio and Sant'Angelo (the flagship cave properties), BV Quarry (the design-led five-star) and Eurostars Matera La Suite (the value door into the tier).

Beyond the Hotel — Matera's Essentials

A few experiences worth planning around your stay:

• The belvedere at golden hour — cross the Gravina ravine to the Murgia side for the classic full-city view as the tufa turns gold. The single best photograph in Matera, and it's free.
• A Casa Grotta museum — step inside a preserved cave dwelling to see how families lived alongside their animals into the 1950s, before the Sassi were evacuated. Sobering and essential context.
• The rupestrian rock churches — dozens of churches carved into the rock, some with faded Byzantine frescoes, scattered through the Sassi and the Murgia park across the gorge.
• The Romanesque cathedral on the Civita — the 13th-century Duomo crowns the spur between the two Sassi, with sweeping views from its terrace.
• A film-location walk — trace the No Time to Die (2021) chase, and the biblical Jerusalem sets of The Passion of the Christ (2004) and Pasolini's Gospel (1964), through the same lanes on foot.
• Basilicata on a plate — book a cave trattoria for orecchiette, peperoni cruschi and Pane di Matera; dinner here costs a fraction of Rome or Florence.
• A hike into the Murgia Materana park — the wild plateau across the ravine, dotted with caves and churches, with the whole Sassi laid out opposite you.

JetMeAway's Scout feature surfaces this kind of neighbourhood intelligence automatically once you book.

UK Practicalities

• Getting there: No Matera airport. Fly to Bari (BRI) — direct from London, Manchester, Edinburgh and more on Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and BA — then about an hour by train (Ferrovie Appulo Lucane), bus, or a 65-km drive. Brindisi (BDS) is a ~1h30 alternative.
• Getting around: The Sassi are pedestrian-only and steep — pack proper shoes and travel light. You don't need a car inside Matera; a hire car is useful only for exploring Basilicata and Puglia beyond it.
• Currency: Euro (€). Matera is good value — cheap, hearty food and modest budget rooms — with the cave-luxury top end the only truly pricey part.
• Best months: March–early April, late September and October for the best balance of price, light and weather. July–August is hot but cheaper than the coast; winter is cheapest but caves can feel cold.
• Budget: Cave-luxury trip — £150–360/night. Mid-range — £90–210/night. Budget-tier trip — £53–100/night, with dinner in a cave trattoria for £15–25 a head. A two-night Matera break on the budget tier can land comfortably under £250 per person before flights.

Booking Matera Hotels in 2026: When to Go and What to Pay

Matera is small and its best cave rooms are finite, so dates matter more than in a big city. The cheapest stretch is winter outside the holidays and midweek year-round; spring and autumn weekends — Matera's peak — push cave-hotel rates well above the floors quoted here. The 2019 Capital of Culture spotlight and the No Time to Die release both lifted demand, and it hasn't fully receded, so book early for April, May, September and October.

The honest headline for budgeters: you can sleep inside a UNESCO cave city from £53 a night, and a real Sassi guesthouse for under £80 — but a well-restored cave suite is a genuine luxury item here and priced like one. Decide which Matera you're booking. Compare live 2026 Matera prices to see the all-in number before you commit.

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Planning a wider Italian trip? These JetMeAway guides cover the rest of the country, each built on the same every-budget format:

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Matera Hotels FAQs

How much does a hotel in Matera cost per night in 2026? Real bookable rooms start around £53 a night for a simple Sassi guesthouse and climb from there. Mid-range 4-star hotels sit roughly £90–210, and the famous cave-luxury properties (Aquatio, Palazzo Gattini, Sant'Angelo) run £260–360 a night. Matera is small and popular, so a good budget cave room books out fast in spring and autumn — reserve early.

What is the cheapest area to stay in Matera on a budget? The Piano — Matera's modern upper town around Via Ridola and Piazza Vittorio Veneto — has the cheapest rooms, with simple guesthouses and B&Bs from £53–90 a night, and it's a five-minute walk down into the Sassi. Sleeping literally inside the cave district (Sasso Caveoso or Sasso Barisano) costs more for the atmosphere, but a handful of family-run cave B&Bs still start under £90.

How much is a cave hotel in Matera? A room in a converted cave dwelling starts around £77–95 a night at a simple family-run B&B and rises to £260–360 at the flagship cave-luxury hotels like Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA and Sant'Angelo. The mid-market cave stays — Le Malve Cave Retreat, Locanda di San Martino with its Roman-style cave thermae — sit in the £150–320 band. You are paying for a genuine 9,000-year-old dwelling carved into tufa rock, not a themed room.

Is Matera expensive compared to the rest of Italy? The budget and mid tiers are good value by Italian city-break standards — £53 for a room and cheap, hearty Basilicata food (orecchiette, cavatelli, peperoni cruschi). What's pricey is the cave-luxury top end: a suite at Aquatio or Palazzo Gattini costs the same as a five-star in Rome, because there are only so many caves and demand is high. You can visit Matera cheaply or splurge on a cave suite — both are honest options here.

What is the cheapest hotel in Matera? On the live midweek searches we ran while writing, Home Sweet Home was the lowest at around £53 a night, with Piazza Mulino 26 near £64 and several Sassi guesthouses (Donna Gina, Residence Del Casalnuovo, Matera In Vacanza) in the £77–82 band. These are simple, self-catering-style rooms, not cave suites, but they put you inside a UNESCO World Heritage city for the price of a chain motel back home.

Where should I stay in Matera for the first time? For a first visit, stay inside the Sassi — Sasso Barisano is the more restored, hotel-dense half; Sasso Caveoso is the wilder, more photogenic side facing the ravine. Waking up in a cave with the honey-stone city outside your door is the whole point of coming. If the cave-hotel prices are too high, base in the Piano upper town and walk down; you are never more than ten minutes from the caves.

Are the Sassi di Matera safe to stay in? Yes. The Sassi are a busy, well-visited UNESCO site with hotels, restaurants and residents throughout — Matera is one of the safest small cities in southern Italy. The real caution is practical, not criminal: the lanes are steep, uneven, stepped and poorly lit at night, so pack proper shoes, travel light, and expect to carry bags over cobbles. Cave rooms can also be cool and a little humid — a plus in the summer heat.

How do I get to Matera from the UK? There is no airport in Matera. Fly to Bari (BRI) — direct from several UK airports with Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and BA — then it's about an hour to Matera by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane train or bus, or a 65-km drive. Brindisi (BDS) is a second option at around 1h30. A hire car is useful for exploring Basilicata and Puglia, but you don't need one inside Matera itself — the Sassi are pedestrian-only.

Was James Bond filmed in Matera? Yes — the opening chase of No Time to Die (2021) was shot in and above the Sassi, with the Aston Martin DB5 skidding through the ravine roads and Bond leaping the rooftops. Matera has doubled as ancient Jerusalem for decades: Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964), Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ (2004), and the 2016 Ben-Hur all used the caves as a biblical set. Wonder Woman also filmed here.

Which Matera hotels have a cave spa? Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA is the headline — a spa carved deep into the rock in Sasso Caveoso. Cenobio Hotel & SPA and Basiliani Hotel also offer spa facilities, and Locanda di San Martino has a striking Thermae Romanae, a Roman-bath complex built into the caves beneath the hotel. For pure wellness in stone, Aquatio is the one people travel for.

Is Matera worth visiting? Very much so. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on Earth, a full UNESCO World Heritage city of cave dwellings, rock churches and a dramatic ravine (the Gravina). Once branded "the shame of Italy" for its poverty, it was European Capital of Culture in 2019 and is now one of the country's most atmospheric short breaks — small enough to see in two days, unlike anywhere else.

How many days do you need in Matera? Two nights is the sweet spot: one full day to walk both Sassi, the rock churches and the belvedere across the ravine, an evening for the golden-hour light and dinner in a cave restaurant, and a morning for the cathedral and the Casa Grotta museum. Add a third night if you want a day trip to Alberobello's trulli, the Puglia coast, or the Murgia national park hikes across the gorge.

What is the best budget cave B&B in Matera? For atmosphere-per-pound, Donna Gina, Le Due Nicchie and Residence Del Casalnuovo are strong picks — real Sassi rooms from £77–82 a night with hundreds of good reviews between them. Stone Rooms (over 1,200 reviews) and Myricae are the best-reviewed of the sub-£100 cluster. All put you inside the caves for a fraction of the flagship cave-hotel rates.

Do Matera hotels have parking? Cars can't enter the Sassi — the lanes are stepped and pedestrian-only — so cave hotels use nearby paid car parks in the upper town (around €10–20 a day) and porters or golf-buggies to shuttle your bags down. If parking matters, the Piano upper-town hotels are easier for drivers. Always confirm the parking arrangement with your hotel before arrival, especially if you're hiring a car at Bari.

When is the cheapest time to visit Matera? Winter (November to February, excluding Christmas and New Year) has the lowest rates and the emptiest lanes, though cave rooms can feel cold and some restaurants close. July and August are hot and can be busy but still cheaper than the Amalfi Coast. The best value-to-weather balance is the shoulder months — March, early April, late September and October — when prices are moderate and the light is perfect.

Are there luxury hotels in Matera? Yes — Matera punches well above its size at the top end. Palazzo Gattini (The Leading Hotels of the World) sits on the cathedral square, Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA and Sant'Angelo (Small Luxury Hotels) are the flagship cave properties, and BV Quarry and Eurostars Matera La Suite round out a genuine five-star tier. Rates run £128–360 a night depending on season and room.

What's the difference between Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso? The two Sassi are the halves of the old cave city. Sasso Barisano, on the north side, is the more restored and hotel-dense — smoother lanes, more restaurants, easier walking. Sasso Caveoso, facing the ravine, is wilder and more dramatic, with rock churches and the classic postcard view. Between them sits the Civita, the rocky spur crowned by the cathedral. For nightlife and ease, pick Barisano; for raw atmosphere, Caveoso.

Can you stay in Matera on a budget with a family? Yes. Self-catering residences like Residence Del Casalnuovo, Matera In Vacanza and Spazio Gagarin give families multi-room cave apartments from around £79–102 a night, cheaper and roomier than two hotel rooms. Kids tend to love the cave-dwelling novelty. Just factor in the steps — a folding buggy and a baby carrier both help, as the Sassi are not stroller-friendly terrain.

Is Matera good for couples? It's one of Italy's most romantic short breaks — candle-lit cave suites, honey-stone views and near-silent lanes at night. The cave-luxury pair Aquatio and Sant'Angelo are built for it, and on a smaller budget the intimate boutique cave B&Bs (Le Due Nicchie, L'Antica Conceria, Locanda di San Martino) deliver the same atmosphere for far less. Book a room with a view over the Sassi for the golden-hour glow.

What food is Matera known for? Basilicata cooking is rustic and cheap: Pane di Matera (the giant IGP-protected sourdough loaf), orecchiette and cavatelli pasta, peperoni cruschi (crispy dried sweet peppers), lamb, and cheeses like caciocavallo. A hearty dinner in a cave trattoria costs far less than the equivalent in Rome or Florence — one of the reasons a Matera trip stays affordable even when the hotel doesn't.

How do I book these exact Matera hotels at the prices shown? Every hotel name in this guide links to that property's live page on JetMeAway — real-time wholesale rates, all taxes shown, and a date picker to match your trip. The from-prices quoted here were pulled on live midweek searches while writing; your dates will differ, so tap through for today's number. No booking fees either way.

Are there direct flights from the UK to near Matera? Yes — the nearest airport, Bari (BRI), has direct flights from London (Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow), Manchester, Edinburgh and other UK airports on Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and British Airways, mostly seasonal-to-year-round. From Bari it's about an hour to Matera. Brindisi (BDS) is a further option. There are no direct UK flights into Matera itself because it has no airport.

Is it better to stay inside the Sassi or in the modern town? Stay in the Sassi if the cave experience is your reason for coming and your budget allows — it's magical but involves steps and higher prices. Stay in the Piano upper town (around Via Ridola, Piazza Vittorio Veneto) if you want cheaper rooms, easier luggage and car access; you're still a five-to-ten-minute walk from the cave lanes. Many travellers split the difference with a budget cave B&B on the Sassi edge.

Do budget hotels in Matera include breakfast? Many of the small Sassi B&Bs and guesthouses include a simple continental breakfast — often local bread, jam and coffee — but the cheapest self-catering rooms may not, so check each hotel's page. A Matera breakfast is also easy and cheap to buy yourself: a slice of Pane di Matera and a cornetto from a bakery costs a couple of euros, and eating in the lanes is part of the fun.

What is there to do in Matera besides the caves? Walk the belvedere on the far side of the Gravina ravine for the classic full-city view; visit the rupestrian rock churches with their faded frescoes; tour a Casa Grotta to see how families and animals lived in the caves into the 1950s; see the Romanesque cathedral on the Civita; and hike into the Murgia Materana park across the gorge. Film buffs can trace the No Time to Die and Passion of the Christ locations on foot.

Can you visit Matera as a day trip from Bari or Puglia? You can — it's about an hour each way from Bari by train, bus or car — but a day trip misses the best of Matera: the empty lanes at dawn and the golden-hour light after the tour coaches leave. If your schedule only allows a day, go; but staying at least one night, ideally in a cave room, is what turns Matera from a sight into an experience.

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