Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita

Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita occupies a cluster of cave dwellings carved into the tufa rock of Matera's Sasso Caveoso, one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas on earth. The property sits along Via Civita, approximately 400 metres from Piazza Vittorio Veneto and within a ten-minute walk of the Museo della Scultura Contemporanea and the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario museum. Matera Centrale railway station is roughly 1.5 kilometres away; the concierge can arrange private transfers from the station or from Bari Centrale, around 65 kilometres north.

Opened in 2009 as a restoration project conceived by entrepreneur Daniele Kihlgren, the hotel spans approximately 18 cave rooms and suites within sassi (cave dwellings) whose origins trace back nine millennia. The design philosophy is deliberate anti-modernity: bare tufa walls, vaulted stone ceilings, terracotta floors, iron candelabras, and heavy wool textiles replace televisions, minibars, and standard hotel furnishings. Mobile signal is weak inside the deeper caves, which the property treats as an intentional feature. Fireplaces heat the spaces in cooler months; the naturally cool stone tempers summer heat without mechanical air conditioning in most units.

Room types range from cave doubles to panoramic cave suites positioned above the Gravina ravine, with views across to the rupestrian churches carved into the opposite cliff. The restaurant, lit entirely by candlelight, serves a Lucanian tasting menu drawing on ancient grain breads, wild herbs, aged caciocavallo, and slow-cooked meats sourced from small Basilicata producers. Breakfast is taken in the cave dining room and is included in the room rate.

There is no spa or pool on the property. The concierge team excels at arranging private guides to the Parco della Murgia Materana, visits to painted rupestrian churches, and Lucanian cooking classes. The service style is attentive but unobtrusive, calibrated to guests seeking deep cultural immersion rather than resort conveniences. Families with older children can be accommodated, though uneven cave floors and open candle flames warrant adult supervision of younger visitors.