Capofaro Locanda & Malvasia

​​Capofaro Locanda & Malvasia part of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux group, opens its doors today for the 2019 spring summer season. Located in the magic Salina, the greenest and most authentic of the UNESCO-protected Sicilian Aeolian islands, this exclusive boutique hotel was originally a quaint lighthouse, set upon the Capofaro hill, overlooking the islands of Panarea and Stromboli. Since it is the northernmost lighthouse in Sicily, Capofaro was the first sign for those arriving by night from the Tyrrhenian Sea. ​In 2017, the Tasca d'Almerita family acquired this piece of Aeolian history with the desire to preserve and improve this structure.

27 rooms in total, 6 of them in the lighthouse, designed and adorned in the local Aeolian style, created for friends and travellers of taste providing the best in Mediterranean hospitality. Capofaro is nature, volcano, land and sea; a place that can stimulate all senses. Here every movement leads you to reconnect with yourself. Capofaro is total immersion in winemaking and a place to discover the world of wine. Capofaro is a dream-worthy place to recharge both body and mind, thanks to yoga and pilates classes, wellness treatments, or simply by watching the changing colours and listening to the sounds of the sea. The lighthouse overlooks the Capofaro cliff and the splendour of the Aeolian sea with the

twin mountains of Salina, “Didyme”, standing imperiously behind it. Each of the 6 rooms has a private garden and entrance, and the minimalist design style is inspired by the atmosphere of the Aeolian islands; think natural colours and organic materials. Here discreet luxury reigns, particularly so in the suite ‘Il Faro’ found in the centre of the structure. It measures 56sqm with both a garden and a sea view. The position of the lighthouse, adjacent to the rest of the property yet secluded, allows guests to submerse themselves in an atmosphere of refined tranquillity and absolute relaxation.

​The kitchen, the domain of chef Ludovico De Vivo – originally from the South of Italy – weaves a story spun with typical Aeolian ingredients in harmony with the philosophy and rich gastronomic history of the Tasca d’Almerita family. At the centre of the menu are the sun, sea and volcanic land of Salina, and all ingredients are transformed with respect for their true essence. A journey through local knowledge, where the Capofaro vegetable gardens provide 70% of the produce used in the kitchen, waste is reduced to a minimum, and bread and pasta is made using ancient grains grown at Tenuta Regaleali, the storied Tasca d’Almerita family estate in the centre of Sicily. Cookery lessons taught by Ludovico De Vivo are the perfect place to learn gastronomic secrets, longed for throughout the world. For guests who want to fully experience the sea surrounding Salina and the Aeolian islands, nautical excursions can be organized: from a relaxing tour enjoying a cold bottle of wine and a gourmet picnic prepared by our chefs, to scuba diving and evening trips to the volcanic island of Stromboli.

​As with every Tasca d’Almerita project the starting point in Salina was vineyards. When the property was purchased there was a six hectare Malvasia vineyard that had been in production for about thirty years; the best part was combined with the opportunity to grow additional Malvasia plants on the island; creating a vineyard that produces wines with enhanced aromatic qualities.
​Malvasia delle Lipari is the noble fruit of the Aeolian islands, the grape belongs to the category of aromatic wines, and is one of the many Malvasia varieties cultivated in Italy. For our Didyme bottle, the grapes are harvested early, resulting in a dry wine with good acidity, hints of aromatic herbs and floral notes. Whereas if the fruit is harvested fully ripened and dried for a short time, the result is a truly excellent sweet wine. The Capofaro Malvasia grapes for our sweet wine are dehydrated in the shade, to maintain the fruit’s fragrance and elegance. Our winemakers undergo a gentle pressing of the grapes and the use of low fermentation temperatures, to extract and maintain the typical aromaticity of the grapes.

​Capofaro Locanda & Malvasia

Via Faro, 3 – 98050 – Salina Isole Eolie, Sicily, Italy

Tel. +39 090 98 44 330

info@capofaro.it