Palazzo Margherita in Bernalda is an elegantly simple-yet-luxurious boutique hotel created in a genuine 19th century palazzo.

The chances are you haven’t heard of Bernalda, or even the province of Matera. But that only adds to its appeal because, as an experienced traveller, if you don’t know the region the chances are that most other visitors don’t either.

That’s one great reason to make the Palazzo Margherita, in Bernalda, one of the destinations on your luxury, tailor-made holiday to Italy. The other, of course, is the hotel itself. Purchased in 2004 by Francis Ford Coppola – his grandfather was born in Bernalda – it features simple stone walls and arched ceilings that date back to the 19th century. Plus a garden restaurant with its own water feature. A tradition of great regional food created from fresh, local ingredients. And that unmistakable, understated air of rural tranquillity.