As travelers look to journey past Italy’s more saturated summer destinations, attention is turning further south toward the quieter Tyrrhenian coastline. In the coastal town of Maratea, a slower rhythm of Italian seaside life still endures at Santavenere, which has stood at the center of the destination’s social landscape since the 1950s. Marking its 70th anniversary this summer, the hotel reflects a style of coastal hospitality that has become increasingly rare along the Mediterranean.
Reopening for the season this month as Maratea’s only five-star hotel, the story of Santavenere is closely tied to the transformation of the town itself. In the early 1950s, Count Stefano Rivettii, a member of one of Piedmont’s leading textile families, arrived on the still largely untouched stretch of the Lucanian coast and recognised its potential. Drawn by the unspoilt beauty of the Tyrrhenian shoreline, Rivetti began investing in the region in 1953, laying the foundations for what would gradually become one of southern Italy’s most refined yet understated coastal destinations.
When Santavenere opened its doors in 1956, Italy itself was entering a defining cultural era. Over the decades, the hotel became known among artists, writers and Italian families drawn to a more discreet style of seaside hospitality, while remaining largely outside the international spotlight dominated by the country’s more established coastal destinations.
Today, many of those defining characteristics remain unchanged. Set within ten hectares of Mediterranean parkland filled with pine, juniper, oak and citrus trees, the 34-room hotel unfolds gradually through gardens and shaded pathways leading down to a private stretch of coastline. Positioned between Campania and Calabria, the region remains one of the few stretches of southern Italy where the atmosphere is shaped less by programmed itineraries and more by the enduring rhythms of an Italian summer spent outdoors: al fresco lunches by the water, afternoons between sea and shade, aperitivi overlooking the Gulf of Maratea, and evenings that stretch late into the night.
Dining remains closely connected to the surrounding landscape and Lucanian culinary traditions. At Le Lanterne, regional cuisine sourced between land and sea is shaped by the rhythm of the seasons. Meanwhile, Gli Ulivi moves from relaxed daytime dining beneath lemon trees to an open-air pizzeria as evening falls. At Il Carrubo, set directly beside the water, seafood-led menus reflect the simplicity of southern coastal cooking, accompanied by long, unhurried afternoons overlooking the shoreline. Further culinary experiences include wine tastings, cooking classes, and cocktail workshops that deepen the connection to heritage, alongside more intimate moments such as private garden dinners or sunset picnics by the sea.
Beyond the hotel, Maratea continues to offer a different perspective on the Italian coast. Travelers can immerse themselves in a life shaped by the sea, spending their days sailing along dramatic cliffs, paddleboarding and kayaking through hidden coves, or heading out on boat excursions to explore the coastline. Inland, the landscape opens out into pine-clad hills and elevated ridgelines with sweeping views, best explored on hiking trails or by cycling quiet coastal and rural roads. Along the way, cultural landmarks emerge naturally from the scenery, from the church of San Biagio to Maratea’s remarkable collection of historic churches and hilltop sanctuaries, each reflecting a spiritual and cultural heritage shaped over centuries between mountains and sea.
To mark its 70th anniversary, Santavenere will host a special celebration on 14 August 2026, paying tribute to the generations of summers that have defined the hotel’s place on the Tyrrhenian coast.
HOW: Rates at Santavenere start from $445 (€380 EUR) per night. Santavenere is approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes from Salerno Airport, 2 hours and 30 minutes from Naples, and just over 3 hours from Bari and Brindisi. Maratea station connects directly to Roma Termini in 3 hours and 40 minutes and to Naples in just over 2 hours. For more information please visit https://santavenere.it/
