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Story and Photography by Manos Angelakis
Capofaro Malvasia and Resort
3 Via Faro
Salina , Aeolian Islands
Italy 98050
Tel: 39 090 984 4330
info@capofaro.it
Located in the middle of a Malvasia vineyard on the Aeolian island of Salina,  Capofaro is an exclusive retreat, a small, stylish, boutique resort hotel on the island’s north coast between the villages of Malfa and Santa Marina. On a clear evening, the hotel’s restaurant has a magnificent view of Stromboli, the active volcano that can be seen in the distance belching fire and lava in the nighttime sky.
Salina’s central position in the archipelago makes it the perfect base for easy day trips to the six other Aeolian Islands (see Aeolian Island story in Destinations). They are easily accessible using hydrofoil ferries. The same hydrofoil service will also take you to and from the international airport in Palermo, or the port of Milazzo in Sicily, or Naples or Reggio on the mainland.
Since all the Aeolian Islands are a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, the hotel cannot enlarge or expand. Therefore, the 20 luxurious whitewashed rooms  and suites plus the reception and office, restaurant, freshwater pool, and tennis courts, in a 6-hectare estate, as well as the lighthouse (faro, in Italian) that gives the resort its name, are and will be immutable through the years.
The rooms and suites all look out towards the sea from their low, white stucco buildings and airy, columned patios. They are built in a typical Aeolian style, with flat roofs and shaded terraces, and to the casual observer might look like island farmhouses. Inside, the design is pared down, with the rooms furnished in simple, luxurious elegance, and decorated in soft white and soothing earth tones. Fresh flowers and plant arrangements adorn the rooms. Black-slate floors and walls line the bathrooms and the modern shiny fixtures accentuate the contrast of silver over very dark gray. The bed is a king-sized mattress placed on a concrete plinth, and is actually very comfortable. Fine linen, thick oversized towels and comfortable bathrobes and  slippers complement the sparse furnishings of the rooms.
Most of the dining area is al fresco, with tables under market umbrellas set on different levels, overlooking the sea, on the north side of the property by the pool deck. A covered patio, by the bar and kitchen, is reserved for rainy evenings, though from what I saw there are probably not many of them during the season. For the most demanding palates, the restaurant offers Aeolian dishes from local recipes as well as international fare, prepared with produce from the island and the sea around it. The menu, though rather limited, is innovative maintaining a respect for culinary tradition and remembering that great cooking is about fresh ingredients prepared with passion. Head Chef Nunzio Spagnuolo, worked in the past under both Gualtiero Marchesi and Heinz Beck – two Italian chef-icons; he takes simple, very fresh ingredients and makes culinary magic. The simple dish descriptions on the Italian/English menu belie exceptional eye appeal and the wonderful, clean taste of those dishes. Even the fruit plate that was the welcome to our room was artistically designed with an eye for color and composition.
This is a corner of paradise full of comfort. It is truly the place to go if you want to get away from everything and unwind. The location speaks for itself, but I must credit the staff with amazing attention to detail and an obvious and distinct interest in the guest’s enjoyment.
© July 2009 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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