Frangimare La Malandrina

Aeolian Views and Sicilian Styling

One of a pair of breezy, eclectic Sicilian villas, Frangimare La Malindrina is a classic jewel of Aeolian architecture, a sweet, low-slung, town center garden home where all bedrooms offer views of the sea and interiors present old-world refinement jazzed up by richly patterned wallpapers, antique chandeliers and an artsy, easygoing style.

This Mediterranean garden home flirts with quirky Sicilian styling. Ceramic floor tiles from Santo Stefano di Camastra merge with jewel-toned linens, exposed beam ceilings and ornate chandeliers. Bedrooms follow namesake themes. There’s the astrological geometry of Urania, the majestic golden backdrop of muse Clio, and the harmonious interplay of antique and modern in celebrated Calliope. An Aeolian-view terrace opens from each suite, overlooking a citrus-studded, flowering garden where custom smithed tables are topped by tiles uncovered in the home’s renovation.

To explore its sister property, click here.

AROUND

Located steps from the heart of Malfa on Salina, the home makes a great base for exploring the Aeolian island, which is known for its production of capers, its two extinct volcanic peaks, and its vineyards, where sweet Malvasia di Lipari is cultivated and bottled. The island’s vegetation is an astonishing array of green, accented by prickly cacti and succulents, color-drenched flowers, and Mediterranean shrubs. The town of Malfa is located on the isle’s wild northern coast, a small, sloping community of narrow lanes lined by hot pink and red bougainvillea, fig and citrus trees, and tendrilled vines. 

At the village’s center a pastel church dominates a small piazza, and the town ultimately spills down to the sea where a small coved beach meets cobalt blue water. Guided boat trips, visits to wineries and scooter rentals are top experiences in Malfa. Other villages worth exploring include the port of Santa Marina Salina, Lingua, the black sandy beach town of Rinella, and Pollara, where Il Postino was filmed and fishermen’s homes are carved into a rocky cove. A favorite destination of hikers and water lovers, Salina is perfect for creating “surf and turf” experiences, swimming off the coast of Pollara one day, and scaling Monte Fossa delle Felci another.

LOCATION

Malfa, Salina, Aeolian Islands, Italy. Nearest airports: Catania (car/private transfer/shared shuttle + hydrofoil/ferry); Palermo (hydrofoil/ferry); Reggio Calabria (hydrofoil); Naples (hydrofoil/ferry)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to October