How to choose a base
Most visitors build a trip around Matera, and for good reason: the Sassi are on foot from the hotels inside them. The rest of the region is spread out. Maratea is on the Tyrrhenian coast, Metaponto is on the Ionian side, and the Pollino is in the southwest. Pick the place you will spend the most time, then plan day trips from there.
This is an independent guide. It lists no room rates, because they depend on the date. It names only two hotels, both in Matera, and it does not rate them. Check each property's own page for prices, availability and access.
Bases compared
A guide to the area, not a ranking.
| Base | Good for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Matera, Sasso Caveoso | The Sassi on foot. Example: Aquatio, 35 rooms and suites | Stairs and restricted traffic. No step-free route is published. |
| Matera, Sasso Barisano | The Sassi on foot. Example: Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita, Via Civita 28 | No direct access by car. A partner garage is offered. |
| Maratea | Beaches, the Christ statue, the Tyrrhenian coast | The historic center is inland, and the beach villages are on the coast. |
| Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa | The Volo dell'Angelo, the villages, the mountains | The flight starts in either village and runs only on published days. |
| Metaponto and Bernalda | The Greek temple site and the Ionian beaches | Temples, museum and beaches are separate destinations. |
| Pollino, Basilicata side | Hikes and the national park, with Rotonda as the park's seat | No single distance to the park, and winter access varies by village. |
| Potenza | Reaching the interior by FAL train from Bari | Rail from Foggia is interrupted until December 2027. |
Tours across Basilicata
Guided walks, day trips and food experiences in Matera and beyond, with live prices and availability.
Each base in detail
What to know before you book.
Matera
The two Sassi districts, Caveoso and Barisano, have cave hotels with modern fittings. Some rooms are built of masonry with a wooden roof, so the room category matters. The streets around D'Addozio and Buozzi are restricted from 10:00 to 24:00 from 1 July to 15 September and from 10:00 to 20:30 for the rest of the year. A booking is not a permit to drive in.
Matera cave hotels →Maratea
The historic center lies inland. Acquafredda, Cersuta, Fiumicello, Porto, Marina and Castrocucco are strung along the coast, and Cersuta is described as having pebble beaches. A hotel with "Maratea" in its address is not necessarily close to a beach, so check the location. A train timetable valid from 14 June to 12 December 2026 shows, for example, a regional train from Maratea at 07:24 reaching Napoli Centrale at 10:18, a ride of 2 hours 54 minutes. Check the day you travel. Coastal roads have had restrictions in 2026, so look at the current notice from the municipality before driving.
Maratea guide →Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa
The Volo dell'Angelo has separate start points in the two villages. You pick the start place and date when you reserve. The 2026 calendar runs from 1 May to 8 December on published days only. In 2026 the single flight costs €36 on weekdays in July and September, and €46 on weekends, holidays and in the other listed months. Hotels are not named here, so check each property's own page.
Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa →Metaponto and Bernalda
The Tavole Palatine temple remains and the beaches are separate stops. The main museum is closed for renovation, and a separate depot exhibition needs a reservation. Work out the drive between your bed, the temples and the sea.
Metaponto guide →The Pollino
The park's seat is Rotonda, and trails start near Viggianello, Terranova di Pollino and San Severino Lucano. Distances to the park are not one number, and snow can affect mountain roads above 1,000 m in winter. The Calabrian side has its own villages; see where to stay in Calabria.
Pollino guide →Potenza
FAL trains from Bari serve Potenza Inferiore Scalo. The national line between Rocchetta and Potenza Centrale is interrupted from 15 December 2024 to 12 December 2027 for electrification and tunnel works. Do not plan an uninterrupted train ride from Foggia.
Getting there →Tourist taxes in 2026
Charged per person and night, on top of the room rate.
| Place | Type of lodging | Tax | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maratea | 5-star hotel | €5 | 1 May to 31 October 2026, first five days of a stay |
| Maratea | 4-star hotel | €4 | Same period and limit |
| Maratea | 3-star hotel | €3 | Same period and limit |
| Maratea | 2-star hotel | €2 | Same period and limit |
| Maratea | B&B, holiday apartments, tourist rentals | €2.50 | Same period and limit |
| Maratea | Farm stays and campsites | €2 | Same period and limit |
| Matera | 1- to 3-star hotels and most other lodging | €2 | Up to three consecutive nights, per listings |
| Matera | 4- and 5-star hotels | €4 | Up to three consecutive nights, per listings |
The Maratea rates come from the municipality's new regulation of March 2026. For Matera, the amounts come from tax listings, so confirm them with your hotel. For Potenza, no tax rate is listed.
Keep planning
Pick the pages for your base.
Matera cave hotels
What the label means, two examples and the questions to ask.
Maratea
Center, beaches, the train and the tourist tax.
Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa
The Volo dell'Angelo, season and prices.
Metaponto
The temple, the museum situation and the beaches.
Pollino National Park
Trails, villages and winter conditions.
Getting there
Trains, buses and driving to the region.
Maratea sits just north of Calabria, and the neighboring region has its own guide: visit Calabria.
Where to stay in Basilicata: frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to stay in Basilicata?
It depends on your plan. Matera suits the Sassi on foot. Maratea suits the coast, Castelmezzano suits the Volo dell'Angelo, and the Pollino suits hiking. A trip that covers several areas needs two or more bases.
Should I stay in the Sassi or outside them?
Staying in the Sassi puts the sights on foot. Staying outside means you do not depend on arrival rules for the car. The streets around D'Addozio and Buozzi are restricted for vehicles, a booking is not a permit, and a cave hotel can involve stairs. Compare both with your luggage and mobility in mind.
Are all cave hotels real caves?
No. One Sasso Caveoso operator says some rooms are built of masonry with a wooden roof. Look at the room category, and read the cave hotel page.
Is Maratea walkable from the beach?
Not always. The historic center is inland, and the beach villages are along the coast. Check the location of the hotel before you book rather than relying on the town name.
Do I pay a tourist tax?
In Maratea, from 1 May to 31 October 2026, rates run from €2 to €5 per person and night for the first five days, depending on the lodging type. Listings for Matera show €2 or €4, for up to three consecutive nights. Confirm the amount with your hotel.
Does this site sell rooms?
No. This is an independent guide with no booking function and no connection to any hotel.