Holiday apartment in Malfa: Discover the coast, culture and Pollara

Malfa on Salina combines impressive coastal landscapes with island history, religious festivals and special places in Pollara. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Malfa, you will find many different travel ideas here: historic churches and museums, viewpoints and beaches, boat trips, diving areas, as well as events centred around capers, wine and local traditions.

Culture and history in Malfa and Pollara

In the centre of Malfa stands the Chiesa dell’Immacolata, which offers views of the sea. The Chiesa di Sant’Anna dates from the 18th century. The Chiesa di S. Lorenzo was first built in 1733 on the site of an earlier 17th-century building and rebuilt after suffering severe damage in the 1926 earthquake. It can be reached from the square via a double staircase; the bus to Postino Beach also departs from this square.

The Museo Eoliano dell’Emigrazione is housed in the 19th-century Palazzo Marchetti and documents the history of thousands of Aeolians who left the islands over the centuries, mainly for Australia and the United States. In Pollara, the Chiesa di Sant’Onofrio dates from 1853. In the square in front of the church there is a mural depicting Massimo Troisi and Pablo Neruda sitting on a bench. Via Massimo Troisi leads to locations where film scenes were shot; along the way there is also a monument dedicated to Massimo Troisi.

Pollara, rocks and beaches by the sea

Spiaggia di Pollara lies below a semicircular white cliff. The inner side of the crater of a long-extinct volcano has been preserved there. A furnished viewpoint offers views over Pollara Bay. At its centre lies the Faraglione di Pollara, an uninhabited volcanic rock off the coast of Salina, about 300 metres from the shore. It is a nesting site for the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) and the Scopoli’s shearwater (Calonectris diomedea).

Spiaggia dello Scario in the municipality of Malfa consists mainly of stones and pebbles and can be reached via a long staircase carved into the rock. There are no visitor facilities there. Historically, Spiaggia di Jalera was Malfa’s most important harbour, where the most significant commercial activities took place. The old warehouses that remain served as shelter for boats and fishermen and for storing commercial goods. The Arco di Punta Perciato enhances the coastal landscape as a natural arch formed in the rock that extends into the sea.

Festivals, wine and local traditions

The Festa del Cappero takes place every year on the first Sunday in June in Piazza Sant’Onofrio in Pollara, a hamlet of the municipality of Malfa. At the festival of Saint Onuphrius, a mass and a procession through the streets of Pollara accompanied by music and popular devotion are the main features; the event takes place there every year and attracts worshippers and visitors. On 10 August, Malfa celebrates the feast of Saint Lawrence with religious ceremonies, processions and community gatherings.

The Festa della Vendemmia is spread across Santa Marina Salina, Malfa and Leni. Visitors can take part in guided wine tastings and tastings of typical products, visits to vineyards and wineries, as well as themed workshops.

Boat trips and orientation for your holiday apartment in Malfa

The Porto di Malfa is now a landing and launching harbour for fishermen and boats, as well as a departure point for organised boat trips to the other islands. Guided excursions off Malfa include trips to Punta del Perciato and the Faraglione di Pollara. On Salina, diving in various areas around the island is also among the possible experiences, including the shoals off Capo di Pollara, Cappero and Martino.

For getting around the island, CITIS buses connect Santa Marina, Malfa and Leni. The route runs from Rinella to Lingua via Malfa and has branches to Pollara and Malfa Scalo. When choosing your holiday apartment in Malfa, you can therefore consider whether cultural discoveries in the town, Pollara’s coastal landscape, maritime excursions from Malfa or events in several locations fit your travel plans.

Discover more destinations

If you would like to extend your travel planning beyond Malfa, you can find more destinations under Montalbano Di Elicona, Nizza Di Sicilia, Caronia, San Fratello, Lipari, Mitta, Mazzeo and Ficarra.

For the higher-level travel overview: Messina.