When my clients say “oh, I’ve been to Italy”, I laugh saying I’ve been there too. Can’t really count how many times, but every time was (and is) a discovery of something I’ve never seen and experienced before. It can be little chapel few steps off the touristy zone in Florence or… it can be side trip to Basilicata out of Puglia.
Puglia is well established on luxury travel map these days (not that it was like that 10 years ago), while neighbouring Basilicata is still terra incognita, and only ancient town of Matera is getting kind of famous through the “not first time visitors” to Italy. Matera is amazingly breathtaking and totally worth a visit, but this article is about Maratea, another well kept secret and hidden gem of my beloved Italy yet to be discovered. Let me try to put it on your map.
Wikipedia will tell you that Basilicata is bordering on Campania to the west, Puglia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south. It has two coastlines: a 30-km stretch on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania and Calabria, and a longer coastline along the Gulf of Taranto between Calabria and Apulia. The region can be thought of as the “arch” of the “boot” of Italy, with Calabria functioning as the “toe” and Apulia the “heel”.
Maratea is located on this tiny 30 km long Basilicata’s break to Tyrrhenian Sea, about 200 km to the South from Napoli, and the beauty of landscape (or rather seascape) is tremendous. Mountings are coming close to the sea, but not as close as in Amalfi Coast, they are rather soft hills than cliffs here, yet high enough for the view which takes your breath away.
Maratea is truly terra incognita for luxury travellers yet, but if you bother to make your way there, I can assure you of luxury accommodation awaiting: Santavenere, part of the Leading Hotels of the World, is a charmer from the first glance and first step out of your transportation, truly. I would have hard time to formulate what exactly is so special about this place – the warm welcome, the views, the air filled with pine, citrus, and the sea, the roar of waives down the beach, but it has very special quality in it. Just exhale, breath in, and be taken with the tranquil beauty, generous smiles of the staff, and casual yet sophisticated ambience.
Maratea is just two hours drive down from jet-setters Mecca Amalfi Coast, and don’t take me wrong – I adore la costiera Amalfitana, pricey, busy, but so special. Maratea is special too, but very differently. It is as unknown as Positano is well-known, and if you are in search of something special out of beaten tracks, two hours drive would worth it through and through.
The view from my room was changing with light every time I was out on the terrace, but I had no idea of the views yet to come when we made our way up to the Monte San Biagio to the foot of 22 m high statue of the Christ dominating the landscape. The statue was built of pure Carrara marble by Bruno Innocenti, a sculptor from Florence. I don’t think the photos are any close to explain the feeling. You really need to be there for this flying over seascape sensation.
The hike from Monte San Biagio down to Maratea town is a treat for all senses, and then you are in Maratea itself which is another momento to savour. Imagine that people were living here from as far as 15th-14th century BC. At some point it was concurred by Romans, then it was part of Bysantine Empire. This land remembers Saracens, Normans, the war between the houses of Angevins and Aragon. When Napoleon Buonaparte proclaimed himself King of Naples, Maratea was one of the few cities in Southern Italy which didn’t accept French supremacy. Quite a bit of the history, isn’t it?
Todays’ Maratea is a sleeping beauty just two km away from your seaside home at Santavenere. Tourists are not many, and the streets are mostly pedestrian (often rather stairs than streets), with characteristic corners and details on every step. I’m often asked by my clients for seaside resort in Italy which would be walking distance from the town to have coffee, lunch in local trattoria, to mingle with locals… well, here you are! Santavenere and Maratea have it all.
As I said, Basilicata is rather undiscovered by international travellers, and if you are looking for authenticity without sacrificing luxury comfort, you may want to make your way to Santavenere in Maratea. It may look a bit remote, but can easily fit self-driving itinerary through Southern Italy, or reached by train.
Driving distances: 2h30m from Naples, 2h30m from Matera, 3h20m from Bari, 3h20m from Brindisi, 2h40m from Taranto.
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