Basilicata Is the Up-and-Coming Italian Region You Should Visit This Summer | Vogue

"Reaching this cave hotel in Matera’s Sassi takes a little forethought: I left the car on the outskirts and rode a shuttle in as the Sassi unfurled, then a porter whisked my bags while I was welcomed on the terrace with a glass of local wine and a platter of cold cuts. Each of the 18 rooms is set within its own Paleolithic cave; I collected my key by burrowing into a cave and wandered up through the hotel’s little town-within-a-town to a courtyard of honey-colored stone with vines over the doorway. Inside, the cave’s thick walls dropped the heat instantly—nature’s air conditioner—candles lit the pock-marked ceilings, and a bathroom tucked into an adjoining cave, yet it all felt palpably luxurious, with natural linens draped across the bed and a bowl of fresh fruit waiting. Stepping back out to birdsong and sweeping valley views, it somehow felt both in the beating heart of the ancient city and entirely peaceful—I happily spent an afternoon on the terrace watching clouds throw shadows across the surrounding buildings." - Liam Hess