The second-largest island in the Aeolian archipelago is also the greenest: two extinct volcanoes, terraced Malvasia vineyards, and capers harvested by hand since late May. Without the hustle and bustle of Panarea or the crowds of Lipari — just white villages, turquoise water, and tables where you eat very well.
Salina cannot be fully explored by car in one go: the villages are connected by a single road that winds up and down between the two volcanoes (Monte Fossa delle Felci and Monte dei Porri), so it's common to get around by scooter, local bus, or boat. This guide is organized by villages — Pollara, Lingua, Rinella, Malfa, and Santa Marina — with the addresses that locals actually use, not the standard tourist route.
How to get to Salina
There is no airport on the island: you always arrive by sea, from Sicily or from another Aeolian island.
From Milazzo (Sicily)
Liberty Lines operates hydrofoils (aliscafi) several times a day, with a journey of approximately 1h30–1h40 to Santa Marina Salina. Siremar covers the same route by ferry for those traveling with a car, with a longer journey of about 3 hours.
Boats stop in Lipari before reaching Salina, and some services stop in Rinella in addition to Santa Marina — it is advisable to check the destination port when booking.
Between Aeolian Islands
Salina is 15–20 minutes by hydrofoil from Lipari and just over half an hour from Panarea, making it easy to combine with those two islands on the same trip. Many visitors sleep in Salina and take a day trip to Panarea or Stromboli.
Pollara: the crater and the sunset
The most photographed village in Salina, built on half of a volcanic crater open to the sea.
The bay and the viewpoint
Pollara occupies the interior of an ancient crater whose wall collapsed into the sea, leaving a crescent of yellow tuff cliffs above a pebble beach. Access to the beach is steep and not always passable, but the viewpoint from the village — at ground level, no need to go down — offers one of the best sunsets in the Aeolian Islands.
You can walk from other villages if you're not in a hurry, or take a boat to swim directly in the bay, which is also recommended to visit from the water.
Where to eat: Locanda del Postino
The restaurant is named after the village made famous by "Il Postino" (the postman's house from the movie is still a landmark in Pollara). Product-focused Sicilian cuisine, relaxed atmosphere, and views of the crater — one of those dinners you should book in advance, especially if you want a table with sunset views.
Lingua: the promenade and Da Alfredo
A small village with a waterfront promenade, a brackish lagoon, and one of the island's most famous granitas.
Da Alfredo
The quintessential bar in Lingua, right in front of the beach. It's a must-stop for fruit granita — lemon, mulberry, strawberry depending on the season — and for pane cunzato, toasted bread seasoned with tomato, tuna, capers, olives, and almonds, which is the ultimate beach food in Salina.
The lungomare and the laghetto
Lingua preserves a small promenade with a lighthouse and a brackish lagoon separated from the sea by a strip of sand, now a nature reserve. It's a good place for a short walk at sunset, with less of a "postcard" atmosphere than Pollara but just as authentic.
Rinella: the only sandy beach
The rest of Salina consists of pebble or rock beaches. Rinella, with its dark volcanic sand, is the exception.
The beach
A quiet fishing village, with a small port and the only sandy beach (black, of volcanic origin) on the entire island — the rest are pebble coves. If you arrive on foot from another village, it's worth saving time for a long swim here before continuing your journey.
Where to stop: in front of Hotel Ariana
On the street directly in front of Hotel Ariana, there's a simple spot on the beach — locally known as Pa.Pe.Rò al Glicine — perfect for an aperitif with your feet almost in the sand or to order pane cunzato before swimming. Walking a bit further from here, you can also find ricotta granita with caramelized capers, a sweet-and-savory combination very typical of the island that isn't found just anywhere.
Malfa: aperitif with views of Panarea
The village with the best views of the rest of the archipelago — Panarea and Stromboli can be seen from here on clear days.
Santa Isabel Lounge
A couple of minutes' walk from Hotel Signum, this terrace is the classic spot for an aperitif in Malfa: cocktails, open sea views, and that time of day when the sun sets behind Panarea. It's the most sensible stop if you're staying on the island for 2 or 3 days and want to set aside an afternoon just to do nothing.
Santa Marina Salina: the port and the fine dining
The largest village on the island and the usual arrival port, with the best tables for a more formal dinner.
Rapa Nui
Domenico Giuffrè's restaurant, well-known among repeat visitors to Salina — often simply referred to as "da Giuffrè." Unpretentious atmosphere and solid seafood cuisine, a safe bet for any evening.
Portobello
The benchmark restaurant for a higher-end dinner in Santa Marina: expensive by island standards, but with quality that justifies it. Reservations recommended, especially in high season.
Malvasia and capers
The two products that define Salina's table, present in almost all the restaurants in this guide.
Malvasia delle Lipari DOC
- Sweet passito wine, made from grapes dried in the sun before fermentation. Its origin in the area dates back to the Greeks, who introduced the variety around the 6th century BC.
- The terraced vineyards of Malfa and Leni are the most visible from the road — many family wineries offer tastings by prior arrangement.
- Pairs particularly well with almond-based desserts and aged cheeses.
Salina Capers
- Recognized by Slow Food, they are harvested by hand between late May and August, when the flower bud is still closed.
- They are cured in sea salt (not vinegar), which concentrates their flavor — this is the traditional method that distinguishes those from Salina from other varieties.
- They appear in pane cunzato, in the ricotta granita from Rinella, and in almost any fish dish on the island.
Suggested 3-day itinerary
Designed for those arriving by hydrofoil in Santa Marina and staying in the Malfa or Lingua area.
Arrival in Santa Marina, check into accommodation. Afternoon of acclimatization in Lingua: stroll along the lungomare, granita and pane cunzato at Da Alfredo. Casual dinner at Rapa Nui.
Morning at Rinella beach — the only sandy one — with a stop at Pa.Pe.Rò al Glicine for pane cunzato or ricotta granita with capers. Afternoon in Malfa: aperitif at Santa Isabel Lounge watching the sun set over Panarea.
Excursion to Pollara in the morning (on foot, by scooter or by boat to swim in the bay). Farewell dinner at Locanda del Postino or, if you prefer to stay in Santa Marina, at Portobello.
If you stay more than 3 days
- Excursion to Panarea by hydrofoil, half an hour's journey — ideal for a single day between nights in Salina.
- Malvasia tasting at a winery in Malfa or Leni by prior reservation.
- Return to Pollara at sunset — many visitors repeat this stop because the light changes greatly depending on the time of day.
Frequently asked questions about Salina
How many days do you need to visit Salina?
With 2 days you can see the main spots — Pollara, a beach, and a village with a good place to eat — but 3 or 4 days allow you to move at a slower pace, include a trip to Panarea, and avoid having to choose between sunset in Pollara and dinner in Santa Marina on the same day.
How do you get to Salina from Sicily?
By Liberty Lines hydrofoil (aliscafo) from Milazzo, with a journey of approximately 1h30–1h40 to Santa Marina Salina, or by Siremar ferry if traveling with a car, with a journey of about 3 hours. Both stop in Lipari.
What is Salina's only sandy beach?
Rinella. The rest of the island's coves are pebble or volcanic rock, so if the plan includes lounging on sand instead of stones, Rinella is the place to go.
What is pane cunzato?
Toasted bread seasoned with olive oil, tomato, tuna, olives, capers, and sometimes almonds or primosale cheese — the typical beach food of the Aeolian Islands. It can be ordered at almost any beach bar in Salina, and is especially famous at Da Alfredo (Lingua) and Pa.Pe.Rò al Glicine (Rinella).
When is the best time to visit Salina?
From May to September, with July and August as high season (hotter, more people, requires advance booking). June and September offer good weather with fewer crowds. The caper harvest, if you're interested in coinciding with it, runs from late May to August.
What is Malvasia delle Lipari?
A sweet passito wine, made from sun-dried grapes, with a Designation of Origin and roots dating back to the Greek colonization of the archipelago. The terraced vineyards of Malfa and Leni are among Salina's most characteristic features.
Can Salina be visited on a day trip from Lipari or Panarea?
Yes — it's 15–20 minutes from Lipari and just over half an hour from Panarea by hydrofoil, so it's common to combine it on a single day. However, to calmly explore Pollara, Rinella, and Malfa, it's ideal to stay at least one night on the island.
