Salina, Italy

Salina: The Aeolian Island That Actually Has Enough Shade

Salina is the greenest of the Aeolian Islands, which isn’t just a description of the colour but a statement about its character relative to its siblings. Lipari is the tourist hub. Stromboli has the active volcano. Vulcano has the sulphur smell. Salina has water — two volcanoes that trap moisture from passing clouds — and consequently forests, capers, Malvasia vines, and a reputation for being the island where people who already know the Aeolian archipelago tend to go.

The island is about 26 square kilometres, connected to Milazzo in Sicily by hydrofoil (1.5 hours) or car ferry (2.5 hours). There are also hydrofoil connections from Messina and from Naples (several hours, overnight option available).

The Three Main Villages

Santa Marina is the main port and the most active town — the harbour has restaurants, a market, and the predictable cluster of boat trips and tourist services. It’s pleasant without being especially atmospheric.

Malfa, on the north coast, sits on a cliff above a bay and has some of the island’s better views. The village itself is small, the pace is slower, and several agriturismos on the road between Malfa and the interior offer rooms with kitchen gardens that supply their restaurants.

Lingua, at the southern tip, is where most people go for granita — specifically a brioche with almond granita, which is a Sicilian breakfast standard but is considered particularly good at Bar Alfredo in Lingua. People make special trips across the island for it, which tells you something about the bar and something about the pace of life here.

Pollara

The bay at Pollara, on the northwest corner of the island, is the location used in the film Il Postino (1994). Access is down a steep path and the beach itself is pebble and volcanic rock, but the setting — a collapsed caldera with vertical cliffs, the sea visible through a natural arch — is genuinely dramatic. Swimming is good here when the sea is calm. Come in the morning before the boat trip day-trippers arrive.

Eating

Salina’s food is good and island-specific: capers that are dried rather than brined (the island produces some of the best in Italy, from the Monte Fossa area), fresh fish grilled simply, pesto di pistacchio, and the Malvasia dessert wine. The latter is worth seeking out at a local winery — both Capo Faro and Fenech have tasting facilities.

Caper salad with anchovies and good olive oil, followed by grilled red mullet with a glass of dry Malvasia: that’s the template. Most restaurants within 200 metres of the harbour are priced for tourists; walk a few streets further and prices drop.

Walking and the Volcanoes

Monte Fossa delle Felci (962 metres) and Monte dei Porri (860 metres) are the two volcanoes. Both are extinct. The Fossa delle Felci trail from Valdichiesa takes about 2.5 hours to the summit; the views on a clear day extend to Etna on Sicily and the other Aeolian islands. Start early in summer — midday heat on the exposed upper slopes is significant.

The walk between Santa Marina and Lingua along the coast road takes about 40 minutes and has good views of Lipari.

When to Go

May, June, and September. July and August are hot, fully booked, and much more expensive. The island almost empties after October and some restaurants close in November.