The surprise and wonder begins with the environmental context: the location, in fact, is within the biogenetic reserve of Stornara in which a lush Aleppo pine forest becomes the trait d’union with a pristine, five-kilometer-long beach. We are at the Ethra Reserve complex – formerly known as Nova Yardinia -, profoundly redesigned and renovated, with expanded facilities and upgraded greenery: everything is designed to offer guests an exclusive vacation in the heart of Apulian nature, less than an hour from Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and European Capital of Culture for 2019.

Metaponto, Policoro and Tricarico are villages that draw the history and art of this Lucanian cross-section, to be discovered after getting to know Apulian localities of rare beauty. Such as Grottaglie, in the province of Taranto and an icon of artistic ceramics, in which the medieval Episcopio castle is worth knowing. An ideal starting point for these directions of Italian uniqueness is the Kalidria Hotel & Thalasso Spa, designed by architect Emilio Ambasz, a forerunner of the green design philosophy: to preserve the primitive beauty of the site, he located the buildings and roads within landscaped quays, constructing a new harmonious landscape in which green structures follow one another like hills.

The hotel’s rooms have been restyled, a new area of wellness pools en plein air has been created, and the Thalasso Spa has been renovated, with two sea pools – one indoor and one outdoor – and the Aquatonic Marine path. Since 2018, Kalidria Hotel & Thalasso SPA has been affiliated with “Preferred Hotels & Resorts – Lifestyle collection,” a historic brand that collects the most luxurious hotels and resorts in the world. And Kalidria Hotel & Thalasso SPA, in fact, offers an exclusive hospitality and wellness experience, with 110 rooms in total including 9 Junior Suites and 1 Albachiara Suite, all with private furnished terraces and views of the nature reserve. Facilities include an exclusive-use beach, a nautical club, atmospheric and evocative environments, a varied dining offer, and wi-fi in all rooms and public areas.

The 3,500-square-meter Thalasso SPA, with bio-sauna and Turkish bath, is synonymous with a rejuvenating remise en forme tailored by Comfort Zone with a wide range of treatments. A well-equipped Technogym gym, on the other hand, is dedicated to guests’ sports activities.