Basilicata sits between Puglia and Calabria in Italy's deep south, and it still surprises people who've never heard of it. This is where you'll find Matera's Sassi district, a city carved straight into limestone cliffs and inhabited for thousands of years, plus the wild peaks of the Pollino mountains and a coastline split between two different seas. Locals dry sweet red peppers in the sun and drive an hour to reach the next town over. It's Italy without the crowds.

Pick a base to match your trip. Sleep in a cave hotel carved from the same rock as the Sassi, book a seaside room on the Tyrrhenian coast at Maratea, or stay in the regional capital Potenza for easy day trips into the mountains.

Where to stay in Basilicata

• Matera (Sassi district): the region's most famous stop. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, a maze of ancient cave dwellings and stone stairways cut into the cliffs above the Gravina gorge. Many of the old caves are now boutique cave hotels and restaurants, so you can sleep inside the same rock the city is built from.
• Maratea: Basilicata's slice of Tyrrhenian coast. Cliffs drop straight into clear turquoise water, and the town centre is small enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes.
• Metaponto: flat, sandy beaches on the Ionian side, plus the ruins of an ancient Greek settlement a short walk from the shore. A good pick if you want beach time without the cliffs.
• Potenza: the regional capital, up in the hills. Fewer tourist crowds, solid transport links, and the best base if you're planning day trips across the whole region rather than settling into one spot.
• Pollino foothills, around Viggianello and Rotonda: the gateway towns to Pollino National Park, Italy's largest. Come here for hiking trails and mountain air rather than a beach or a city.

How much is Basilicata accommodation?

You'll usually pay around AU$110 a night for a comfortable double room in Basilicata, though a cave room in Matera's Sassi district tends to cost more than an equivalent hotel room on the coast or in Potenza.

• Backpackers/Hostels: from AU$30 per night. Dorm beds and simple guesthouse rooms, mostly in Matera and Potenza.
• Budget hotels/Guesthouses: from AU$65 per night. Small family-run hotels and B&Bs, often just outside the old town where parking is easier.
• Mid-range/Apartments: from AU$100 per night. Self-contained apartments in Matera's newer districts or seafront rooms in Maratea with a private balcony.
• Boutique: from AU$180 per night. Small cave hotels in the Sassi with just a handful of rooms, usually booked out weeks ahead in summer.
• Luxury/Resorts: from AU$350 per night. Five-star cave suites and coastal resorts with spas, pools and full sea or gorge views.

Top-rated hotels in Basilicata

• Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita: rooms built into the oldest caves in the Sassi, lit by candlelight at night with no in-room TV or minibar by design.
• Palazzo Gattini: a restored 15th-century palace right next to Matera's cathedral, with stone bathrooms and rooftop views over the whole Sassi skyline.
• Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa: a spa and swimming pool built inside a cave, with rooms noticeably brighter and larger than most Matera properties.
• Santavenere Hotel: a Maratea institution since the 1950s, with its own private beach, gardens, and a restaurant looking straight out over the Gulf of Maratea.
• Grand Hotel Pianeta Maratea Resort: terraces and pools stacked above the coast, a solid pick if you want resort-style comfort on the Tyrrhenian side.

Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Basilicata

• Book Matera's cave hotels months ahead for summer. There are only a handful of rooms in each property and they sell out fast between June and September.
• Check the stairs before you book in the Sassi. Most cave properties are built into a hillside with steps instead of lifts, worth knowing if you're travelling with heavy luggage or limited mobility.
• Split your stay if you want both the caves and the coast. Two or three nights in Matera plus two or three in Maratea covers the region's two very different sides without a long drive each day.
• Stay in Potenza or Bernalda if you're on a tighter budget and don't mind a short drive. Both sit close to the main sights but charge noticeably less than Matera's old town.
• Ask about parking before you book in Matera's historic centre. Many Sassi hotels have no on-site parking because the lanes are too narrow for cars, so you'll often need a paid lot nearby.

Basilicata pairs naturally with a trip into neighbouring Puglia if you've got more time up your sleeve. For getting here and getting around, Traveloka also covers flights and things to do across the region.