Deep in the ancient Italian city of Matera, a new hotel-museum is offering guests a unique immersive experience, transporting them back to the days of Magna Graecia. The Moyseion, housed in a series of restored cave dwellings known as sassi, opened fully this summer after four years of meticulous planning by owner Antonio Panetta, an artist and lawyer turned hotelier.
The hotel features 16 stone dwellings, eight of which are inspired by ancient Greece, with high wooden beds, natural fabrics, and cabinets displaying items depicting daily life of the era. Every detail, from the mosaic floors to the handmade furniture replicating designs seen on ancient pottery, has been carefully crafted to create an authentic atmosphere. Guests are even encouraged to wear chitons, the traditional tunics of ancient Greece.
Adding to the immersive experience is a team of young in-house archaeologists, classicists, musicians, and performers who bring history to life. Staff have worked with international specialists in ancient music, choreography, and cuisine to ensure authenticity. The haunting sound of the aulos, a double-piped wind instrument, accompanies breakfast, while guests can participate in daily rituals and symposiums.
The hotel also features the Sanctuary of Waters, a multi-level spa dedicated to the goddess Demeter, with pools, statues, and stone basins based on Hellenistic thermal complexes. The floor mosaics are replicas of archaeological finds.
Matera itself is believed to be the third oldest city in the world, after Aleppo and Jericho, and its sassi were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. Once dubbed the 'shame of Italy' due to poverty and unsanitary conditions, the cave dwellings were abandoned in the 1950s but have been revitalised in recent decades as hotels and restaurants.
