Book the Palazzo Margherita Bernalda with VIP Benefits

Palazzo Margherita Bernalda was built-in 1892 by the Margherita family and is an authentic 19th-century palazzo.

The town was the birthplace and home to Agostino Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola's grandfather, who always referred to it affectionately as "Bernalda Bella." Francis purchased the Palazzo in 2004 with the desire to transform it into a small, luxurious hotel, believing it was time to introduce visitors to this stunning and still undiscovered region.

Nestled between the ancient cities of Metapontum and Matera, the area is rich with history, including haunting primordial cave dwellings called Sassi di Matera (meaning "stones of Matera"), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Palazzo Margherita Bernalda is located in Matera province, famous for its ancient cave dwellings, historic houses, and unspoiled villages. Bernalda is relatively unknown to tourists. It is just twenty minutes from numerous pristine, white-sand beaches. While the nearby Puglia region has become famous for sightseeing, Bernalda is a few beautiful towns where the food and wine have remained authentic and untouched by mass tourism.

During the day, an opulent salon is a place for reading, playing cards, and enjoying afternoon tea and drinks at night. It becomes a cinema equipped with professional-quality sound, projection, and a vast database of movies, including Francis's personally-curated Italian classics collection. Hidden at the gardens' far end, the swimming pool is generously proportioned and intended for family enjoyment, with bathrooms, showers, cabins for changing, and a full bar and food service. One of the Palazzo's most magical features is its large private garden, fully enclosed and maintained, focusing on historic preservation. Built around a baroque fountain, the garden extends through a web of secret pathways, natural arbors, allées of fruit trees, fertile beds of herbs, citrus trees, and organic vegetables that supply the kitchen.

Eat-in Kitchen

In the Palazzo's large, welcoming kitchen, only guests can first experience Basilicata's traditional cooking (also known as Lucania). Then, for keen cooks, their local chef provides hands-on classes demonstrating how to prepare typical regional dishes. Cinecitta Bar - At the Palazzo's front, the Cinecittà Bar is a traditional café and pizzeria that spills onto Bernalda's main street and looks onto the town square. It is a perfect spot for people-watching, mingling with the local life, and sipping delicious Italian coffee.

Family Bar

The Family Bar is an intimate private bar and dining room where only the hotel guests can enjoy coffee or meals throughout the day and pre-dinner cocktails and appetizers in the evenings. Pool Bar - The Pool Bar is located in the garden and offers a selection of wine, cocktails, and other beverages to enjoy while relaxing in the sun. Food from the central kitchen of Palazzo Margherita Bernalda can also be ordered.