Matera, Italy

We stayed one night, and that’s all you really need, at Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita, the hotel that really put Matera on the tourist map. Hands-down THE place to stay. It’s like living in a luxurious cave. They chose every detail to make it feel like you are in the 1600s (ie powdered toothpaste!), but not forgetting we all still want our luxuries. It’s pretty magical.

There are a lot of tourists in Matera, but it’s such a unique experience, it’s worth fighting a few hordes, especially if you’re already in Puglia (make it a stop, not the ultimate destination). It’s fun to just walk around the weird, narrow sidewalks and explore and pretend you lived in the middle ages.

Packing should be fun! Definitely wear comfortable, non-slip shoes because the sidewalks are cobblestone and steep. It’s a walled city, so it can get really hot; stick to cotton and linens. I personally love to dress like a fem Indiana Jones when visiting places like this, so I stuck to muted beiges, linen on linen. A sundress would be perfect, with a light jacket or wrap for churches.