Palazzo Margherita Bernalda

Palazzo Margherita, built in 1892 in Bernalda by the Margherita family, is a true 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 Italian boutique hotel, believing it was time to introduce visitors to this stunning and still undiscovered region.

The surrounding countryside, which was settled by the Greeks before the Roman era, is part of the Hellenic Magna Graecia—the coastal areas of Southern Italy—where the thriving local agriculture produces sumptuous fruits and vegetables, as well as the Aglianico grapes used to make wines of the same name.

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. Matera has been declared a European Capital of Culture for 2019.

The Palazzo boutique hotel in Italy has been completely restored by Francis Ford Coppola and acclaimed French designer Jacques Grange, creating a luxurious, authentically Italian experience that ushers guests into a private world of palatial comfort, surrounded by gardens, a courtyard, and a swimming pool, all just steps from a small, bustling town in which the visitor is a friend and neighbor rather than a tourist.

Francis wanted the Palazzo to become a place that his children would want to visit again and again, and therefore invited the whole family to contribute ideas to the design. It is this very sense of family that distinguishes Palazzo Margherita as one of the most charming small luxury hotels in Italy.

The interior décor of Palazzo Margherita is styled with tiled floors as well as hand-painted fresco ceilings. Grange designed some of the exotic tiles and furniture, including one of the most beautiful suites, which is in a North African style to honor Francis’s Tunisian-born grandmother. All of the floors in the Palazzo have been restored from the original marble.

Palazzo Margherita, our luxury hotel in Italy, is situated in Bernalda, a small hilltop town in the Basilicata region of Southern Italy. Located in the province of Matera, famous for its ancient cave dwellings, dramatic landscapes, and historic houses, Bernalda is relatively unknown outside of Italy.

It is just ten minutes from the coast, where miles of white sand beaches border the Mediterranean.

While the neighboring region of Puglia has become popular with tourists, Basilicata is largely undiscovered—one of a few remaining parts of Italy where the culture, food, and wine remain authentic and untouched by the world beyond.

The townspeople offer a genuine hospitality that makes every visitor feel more like a friend or neighbor than a tourist. It is said that anyone who visits Bernalda cannot resist returning.

GARDEN SUITE
This suite embodies the elegance of Italian country house style—an airy, traditional room that opens directly onto the courtyard garden and fountain. Situated on the ground floor, it also features a spacious, ensuite sitting room with a floor to ceiling window that heightens the effect of being secluded in one’s own private garden.

The large bathroom includes a clawfoot bathtub and separate glass shower among its many details. Queen-size bed. 550 square feet (51 square meters). Capacity 3.

SUITE NINE (FRANCIS)
Integrating subtle elements of North African design—a historical influence in Southern Italy—this picturesque suite has a fully-furnished shared terrace overlooking the garden and courtyard.

The style is intended to honor Francis’s Tunisian-born grandmother, Maria Zasa, distinguishing it from other luxury hotels in Italy. A striking tiled fireplace and an anteroom with a large writing desk add to the regal splendor of this suite.

A luxurious bathroom includes a clawfoot bathtub and separate shower. Walls and high ceilings feature beautifully restored paintings and frescos. 795 square feet (73 square meters). Capacity 2*.

SUITE SIX
This majestically proportioned suite pays tribute to Italian décor of the early 20th century, combining simple elegance with bold ornament. A Juliet balcony opens onto the main street and leafy town square.

The magnificent ceiling, with a restored, hand-painted fresco, and the spacious bathroom with clawfoot bathtub and separate shower add to the room’s comfortable formality. King-size bed. 590 square feet (55 square meters). Capacity 3.

SUITE FOUR (SOFIA)
Jacques Grange designed this suite of our luxury Italian hideaway in collaboration with Sofia Coppola; its mood is delicate and feminine, with hand-painted frescos evoking a misty summer garden at dawn. A Juliet balcony off the bedroom overlooks the courtyard and the palatial bathroom has a steam shower and a clawfoot bathtub.

French doors from the bathroom and bedroom lead to a fully-furnished private terrace that offers a magical view of the garden and fountain. King-size bed. 670 square feet (62 square meters). Capacity 2*.

EAT-IN KITCHEN
In the Palazzo’s large, welcoming kitchen, guests can experience firsthand the traditional cooking of Basilicata. For keen cooks, our local chefs give daily, hands-on classes demonstrating how to prepare typical regional dishes.

CINECITTA’ BAR
At the front of the Palazzo, the Cinecittà Bar is a traditional café and pizzeria that spills out 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 our delicious Italian coffee, which is all supplied by Illy. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

FAMILY BAR
The Family Bar is an intimate private bar and dining room where guests can enjoy coffee or meals throughout the day, and pre-dinner cocktails and appetizers in the evening.

POOL BAR
The Pool Bar is located in the garden of our luxury hotel in Southern Italy, and offers a selection of wine, cocktails, and other beverages to enjoy while relaxing in the sun. Food from our main kitchen can also be ordered from here and delivered poolside.

GARDEN GLIGLIATA
In a cozy corner of our ancient Garden, we organize a typical Italian informal grigliata (barbecue): all guests share a “spaghettata” and a mix of grilled seasonal vegetables and meat.

THE SALON
Reminiscent of the films of the great Italian director Luchino Visconti, this opulent salon is a place for reading, playing cards, enjoying afternoon tea and drinks; upon request, it becomes a cinema, equipped with professional-quality sound and projection, and a vast database of movies, including Francis’s personally-curated collection of Italian classics.

The Salon of our boutique hotel in Italy also hosts occasional concerts and other live performances.

THE SWIMMING POOL
Hidden at the far end of the gardens, our swimming pool is a generously proportioned 10 metres by 5 metres and intended for family enjoyment, with bathrooms, showers, cabines for changing, and full bar and food service.

Here, guests can take pleasure in a quintessentially Roman experience: swimming in a private pool within a walled garden in the heart of an Italian town.

THE GARDEN
One of the Palazzo’s most magical features is its large private garden, fully enclosed and maintained with a focus on historic preservation.

Built around a baroque fountain, the garden extends through a web of secret pathways, natural arbors, allées of fruit trees, and fertile beds of herbs, citrus trees, and organic vegetables, all of which supply our kitchen.

For guests, the garden of our luxury hotel in Italy is a place to stroll and relax, and to enjoy meals throughout the day and evening.

THE BEACH 
Within 15 minutes of the Palazzo, many miles of sandy beaches extend along the cobalt-blue shores of the Ionian Sea, where we have a special private area of a beach club close to the old pine forest.

We can transport you to this secluded beach for the day (departure at 10:30 am in the morning and return at 4:00 pm to the Palazzo) where you can choose to book either an umbrella or a gazebo.

In addition, we suggest either a picnic lunch (prepared by our chefs) or a characteristic lunch with fresh fish of the day, caught by local fishermen. Upon your arrival, you will find a welcome drink and fresh fruit to begin a relaxing day at the beach.

OLIVE HARVEST
A full-day immersion to enjoy the process of achieving the highest quality of organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in beautiful Basilicata Land. Time: Full Day – Transfer: 1.5 hours each way

During the key olive harvest period of the first ten days of November, take the opportunity to live the truly authentic experience of producing your very own bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from start to finish!

Immersed in the countryside of Genzano di Lucania, not far from one of the Swabian castles most frequented by the Emperor Frederick II, visit a bio farm with 140 hectares of olive groves.

Start your day by picking the olives for which Basilicata is renowned the world over. By evening you will return to Palazzo Margherita with the precious product of your own work. Your program for the day will be as follows:

• After a leisurely breakfast at Palazzo Margherita, depart for Genzano di Lucania;
• Visit the organic mill of a local company producing all manner of traditional bio goods using the finest primary products, and take part in the olive harvest with the local farmers, who will show you the traditional tools and techniques to pick the olives directly from the tree.
• Enjoy a typical country-style lunch savoring carefully prepared local delicacies;
• After lunch, take part in the cold pressing of the olives on the farm. Discover the secrets of making the prized Italian liquid gold which is an essential staple of Mediterranean cuisine, and follow each step of its production under the expert guidance of the locals to make your own bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil;
• On the way back to Palazzo, possibility of stopping in nearby Acerenza, one of the prettiest medieval mountain villages in Italy, and special visit of its magnificent Cathedral.

TRUFFLE HUNTING 
Learn the jealously guarded secrets of the hunt for the white truffle in the beautiful setting of the Lucanian Apennines. Time: half to full day – Transfer: 1.5 hours each way

The white truffle is a rare delicacy, and like all things rare and precious, finding it is by no means straightforward. On this excursion, after a light breakfast at Palazzo Margherita, you will depart for a lovely bio farmstead immersed in the biggest national park in Italy, the Parco Nazionale del Pollino, in a gorgeous forest at the base of the Lucanian Apennines.

Step into a wooden chalet with windows overlooking the hills, and you will feel as if you had entered a simple and remote forest hunting lodge from which you will begin your own hunt. Enjoy a light country breakfast at the chalet, and join an expert hunter with his specially trained dog.

A walk through the forest on the property together with the truffle hunter will allow you to see his dog in action, as he helps you seek out this precious gem of the Lucanian soil.

The expert truffle hunter will share secrets learned from his ancestors and through years of experience, including seasons, times of the day, and markers to look out for. Along the way you will learn about local flora and fauna, and about local organic cultivation practices.

Returning to the chalet, you will have the opportunity to taste some of the local organic produce, prepared in situ to create simple traditional dishes. After lunch you will have the opportunity to buy the local truffles.

On the way back to Palazzo Margherita, there will be the possibility to stop and visit the 9th-century town of Chiaromonte, built by Normans and Lombards around a pre-existing settlement dating back to prehistoric times.

In the town you will notice ancient caves converted into cellars to host the region’s precious red wines, and you will be able visit some of them and taste wines and local delicatessen.

The white truffle is a seasonal delight, changeable like the moon. Also called ‘trifola’, the white truffle is best found between October and the end of December, whereas the black truffle is found more easily during the winter, from mid-December to mid-March. In the summer, you can hunt the ‘scorzone’, or summer black truffle.

COOKING CLASS
For lovers of Italian food, we offer the unique opportunity to participate in a hands-on, culinary experience with our 4-day cooking course in the tranquility of the historic Palazzo Margherita.

Our kitchen staff, together with local women, custodians of the ancient culinary tradition of our land, will share their techniques, special ingredients, and family recipes, giving you the opportunity to prepare a complete typical menu of the Basilicata region.

Every day, a different dish will be taught in each 4-hour class. In the morning we will venture to local markets to choose the best seasonal ingredients, followed by lessons in preparing the dish. At the end of each class you’ll dine in our Family Kitchen, enjoying what you’ve prepared in a family style setting.

At the completion of the course, you will be presented with a Palazzo Margherita Certificate of Cookery as well as a mini recipe book.

HONEYMOON
We have designed a romantic experience exclusively for all of our newlywed couples that choose to spend their honeymoon at Palazzo Margherita with a 3-night stay in Suite Eight (Gia Suite).

Upon arriving at our luxury hotel in Italy, you will be welcomed with a beautiful flower bouquet, traditional Italian confetti (a symbol of fertility and abundance), and glasses of sparkling wine (Prosecco or Franciacorta).

You will enjoy a beautiful candlelit dinner at our luxury hotel in Italy, complete with our chef’s surprise dessert and accompanied by background music of your choice. Dinner can be served either in a romantic area of our beautiful historic garden or in your in-room dining area. The following morning, wake up to an intimate breakfast served to you in your suite.

BIKE TOUR
Your bicycles will arrive at Palazzo Margherita on the morning of your tour. The day’s route crosses the Basento Valley to arrive at San Teodoro Nuovo. From there take a leisurely ride through orchards and along country roads and pine forests to reach our beach club.

Its large sandy beach extending along the cobalt-blue shores of the Ionian Sea is sure to make for a perfect day by the water. We provide bike rental, transfer back to Palazzo Margherita, maps, and a picnic lunch of traditional local food prepared by our chefs.

HIKING
Take a trip through the Matera plateau to discover the rock civilization secrets and wildlife heritage. Enjoy a pleasant walk in the Park of the Rupestrian Churches with a professional guide. The park features prehistoric caves, rupestrian monastic settlements, and prehistoric settlements.

The flora of the regional park of the Murgia Matera includes 1,200 botanical species, or about one sixth of the national flora of Italy and one third of that region, which is a remarkable number for an area of that size.

We provide a picnic lunch in the Park of the Rupestrian Churches with traditional local food prepared by our chefs.

TREKKING
Enjoy Nordic walking in Pollino National Park, the largest protected area among the most recent parks of Italy. The park acts like a rocky curtain separating the region from the rest of Italy and has the richest repository of flora and fauna in the south.

The mountains are covered by forests of oak, alder, maple, beech, pine, and fir. The park is most famous for its ancient Pino Loricato trees, which can only be found here and in the Balkans, with the oldest specimens reaching a height of up to 40 meters.

The park is also extremely rich in monuments, archaeological remains, ruins of ancient buildings, castles, fortresses, convents, monasteries, sanctuaries, churches, and chapels.

The day’s experience can be completed with an exciting rafting excursion into the gorge of the Lao River that flows within the park. We provide a picnic lunch with traditional local food prepared by our chefs.

MATERA & THE CRIPTA
Matera is renowned for its Sassi districts, which are outstanding examples of a rupestrian (rock-cut) settlement, adapted perfectly to the geomorphologic setting and ecosystem, exhibiting continuity over more than two millennia.

Matera is the most marvelous, intact example of a Paleolithic settlement in the Mediterranean region. The Sassi district is divided into two parts, the Sasso Caveoso and the Sasso Barisano. It contains countless rupestrian churches and is considered the gem of Basilicata.

The town also boasts other charming and beautiful buildings such as the Dome, built in the 13th century in Romanesque style, but with a visible baroque touch inside the nave, making it an impressive sight on the Civita hill.

The Civita became the center of the town during Roman times and today it stands in the middle of the ancient Sassi. Close by you will find the beautiful Romanesque and Baroque churches of San Francesco d’Assisi, Purgatorio, and Santa Chiara.

Discover things to do in Matera, and explore its history and traditions by visiting Palazzo Lanfranchi (the best example of the Baroque style in Matera), the Museum of Modern Art of Basilicata, and the MUSMA (one of the most interesting European contemporary museums located in a hundred-room palazzo) and Casa Cava.

The Crypt of the Original Sin is also known as the Sistine Chapel of the rupestrian art. With three shallow arched chapels carved from soft rock, the Crypt served as a church for a monastic community where the masterly hand of the “Painter of the Flowers of Matera” narrates scenes from the Old and New Testament in a cycle of frescoes dating back to the 9th century.

In May 1963, a group of young enthusiasts rediscovered the Crypt. Private visits have now become one of the most captivating tours while visiting the City of the Sassi.

CRACO
Craco is located on a hill 390 meters above sea level. It sits on top of a cliff and gullies that characterize the hilly area of the Lucanian Apennines, and is surrounded by the Calanchi Lucani.

The town is characterized by spontaneous architecture with cut-out craft in stone and brick. The stone houses are intertwined around the castle which overlooks the entire village from the top of the cliff.

In the surrounding area, tombs of the 8th century B.C. have been found, though the first historical evidence of the medieval village dates back to the 11th century A.D. In the Middle Ages, under the Norman rule, the ancient town grew in importance and became a cultural and military center under the reign of Frederick II.

Craco was permanently evacuated in 1963 when a landslide affected the safety of the entire medieval village. The abandonment of the old houses transformed the area into a ghost town now often used as a film set for historical films.

THE MASSERIA
Situated on the Agri River Valley, this organic farm is reminiscent of ancient times when everything was homemade. The Masseria is fortified with four towers located at the four corners in order to defend it from attacks of the Brigands.

You can see Podolic (cows), as they live outside of stables, eating wild food without any extra chemical feeding. Farm hands invite guests to prepare their own focaccia in an old wooden oven used by the people of the Masseria.

It is a unique opportunity to share a typical day on a traditional farm and conclude with an informal dinner where both owners and guests participate in setting the table.

WINE TASTING
Le Cantine del Notaio is located in Rionero in Vulture. You will enjoy a fantastic journey through the ancient tradition of winemaking. Here you can taste and enjoy the great wine produced, coming from the excellent grapes that are cultivated in fields rich in mineral water.

The team of Le Cantine will guide you through the production, preservation, and final result of their treasured wine. After a tour of the historic cellars, you can enjoy the wine with a light lunch made from products that come from local farms.

POLLINO NATIONAL PARK
Established in 1990, Pollino National Park has a great number of churches, monasteries, ruins, and castles. All of the towns in the Pollino area are still linked to tradition, and for this reason they celebrate special events with costumes typical of the area and cuisine made only in their villages.

Numerous religious processions take place and some villages like San Costantino and San Paolo Albanese still celebrate their own religion, using ancient costumes and speaking Arbereshe, the old Albanian language.

MONTICCHIO LAKES
Appearing in the midst of the green vegetation of Mount Vulture, Monticchio Lakes is one of the oldest volcanoes of Southern Italy. As you approach the water, you will realize that you are next to one of the most precious gems of Basilicata.

It is surrounded by rich flora and fauna, and if you drive up to the hill to the Abbey of San Michel, you can see a stunning panorama of this sacred place below.

PARK OF THE RUPESTRIAN CHURCHES
This park is characterized by a soft rock with deep furrows that form cliffs, gorges, caves, and ravines. The park features prehistoric caves, rupestrian monastic settlements, and prehistoric settlements.

The flora of the Murgia National Park includes 1,200 botanical species, or about one sixth of the entire flora of Italy and one third of that region, which is a remarkable number for an area of that size.

LUCANIAN DOLOMITES
The beautiful Dolomiti Lucane is characterized by high peaks that date back 15 million years. The highest mountains are those of the Costa di San Martino, called Piccole Dolomiti. At the back of the Dolomiti Lucane are the villages of Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa.

CASTELMEZZANO
Castelmezzano is a village where you can walk between houses heading up the hills to view the wonderful landscape. It features beautiful buildings and churches that have been well preserved, including the main Church of Santa Maria dell’Olmo.

PIETRAPERTOSA
Pietrapertosa is a village that is built within rocks, as its people adapted to the surrounding nature. This is the highest village of Basilicata in which you can experience Il Volo dell’Angelo (The Angel’s Flight), where you are attached to a steel rope and fly above the amazing landscape.

TUFA ARTISAN
There are small studios near our Italian family hideaway in which a series of objects are made from the tufa stone. Not only are pieces restored here, but lighting objects, decorative pieces, and furniture can also be made.

The material used is the same found throughout the historic city of Matera, which has recently become part of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) world patrimony for the fascinating constructions carved out of tufa stone.

WOOD ARTISAN
Wood has historically been used to make every kind of object including domestic utensils, tools, means of transport, votive statues, jewels, toys, and furnishings. This material, thanks to its natural origins, is still able to fascinate and evoke feelings of softness and glow through the creativity, ability, and experience of the craftsmen.

TERRACOTTA
There are craftsmen studios in Matera where artisans make the distinctive local souvenir known as cucù, a whistle made out of terracotta, generally in the form of a colorful rooster. It is used to wish good luck and keep omens away.

ART RESTORATION
The artistic restoration workshop specializes in the restoration and conservation of paintings, woodworking, and papier-mâché. The workshop collaborates with the Cultural Heritage Department where it is accredited as a society.

Today, using expertise and ancient techniques, artisans create small works in papier-mâché based on models of the ancient Southern Italian artistic tradition.

JEWELRY
Handcrafted jewels are made from recycled electrical wires, textiles, copper pipes, and other materials such as natural stones and glass. They are eco-friendly creations.

CERAMICS
Also known as the city of ceramics, Grottaglie is located in an area rich in clay. Since the 18th century it has been very active in the production of ceramics.

There are two major outlets, one being Arte Ruagnara, which is used to manufacture common house crockery for the less fortunate, and Arte Faenzara, which features incredibly decorated and luxurious ornamental pieces of art for a more elite market.

The Museum of Ceramics is a must-see when you visit Grottaglie. It is located inside a 14th century castle, allowing you to experience both the history and art of ceramics.

FOLKLORISTIC MUSIC
There is a small studio where it is possible to assist performances of local music played with ancient popular instruments.

Among the instruments used is the cupa cupa, one of the original instruments created by the folkloristic inventiveness of poor people. It is a tambour that produces a characteristic sound through the friction of a long reed on a membrane, positioned on top of a terracotta or tin pot.

TREKKING & BIKING
Surroundings offer spectacular mountain trails and wildlife, allowing us to organize experiences for guests interested in nature.

MASSAGE, YOGA & PILATES
We offer different massages (ayurvedic, yogic, tantsu, and shiatsu) as well as yoga and Pilates classes.

GOLF & TENNIS
Two 18-hole golf courses and tennis courts are nearby for your enjoyment.

Rooms: 9

Price: from 650 EUR per night

Source: www.thefamilycoppolahideaways.com