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Matera, Italy · Art Hotels
Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita
Cave dwellings in Matera kept rough, with candles instead of ceiling lights
WHAT IT IS
Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita is a hotel spread through cave dwellings in the Sassi district of Matera. Rooms sit in separate caves along the rock face, and arrival is handled in a small room rather than at a desk.
THE BUILDING
The caves were homes for centuries, then emptied and left. Work here removed later additions and kept the cut stone, the plaster and the marks of former use, so a room reads as a shelter that was adapted rather than one that was decorated.
WHERE IT STANDS
The Civita is the oldest part of Matera, and the hotel looks across the ravine to the caves on the far side. Streets around it are stairs and stone lanes rather than roads, and cars stop well above.
WHEN IT WORKS
Spring and autumn suit the walking the town demands. Summer days are hot and the stone holds the heat, while winter brings quiet streets and long evenings spent inside the caves.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Rooms are lit by candles and daylight, so light levels stay low. Floors and steps are uneven stone, and reaching the entrance means walking down and then up again with luggage.
Re-read: March 2026