In this holiday we (a family of four) wanted to stay away from the crowds. Therefore we felt lucky we could secure to ourselves one of the most isolated houses in the most secluded spot of Salina, the hamlet of Pollara. The house has no adjacent houses in the radius of 300 meters, with the exception of one where nobody was staying when we were there. You can get to the house through a paved road. Only the last 50 meters will be of dirt road. Therefore you can conveniently park the car right by the entrance.
The house is in the typical eolian style, with the "pulera " columns in the front porch. The house itself is covered by red "cocciopesto", which is covered by gorgeous Ivy. The house is very large and comfortable: there are two bedrooms for two people each, and one couch in the common area that can accommodate two people more, for a total of six. There are three bathrooms, and one has a huge shower. There is a mixture of elegant Italian and southeast Asia furniture, and I could count at least 13 abat-jour , that contribute to making the atmosphere even warmer. The good-tase of Jacqueline is apparent in every detail.
The real gem of the property is the terrace, with the pool and a glorious view of the islands of Filicudi and Alicudi in the long-distance, while in the short distance you are struck by the view of one of the most sought-after places in the island, the rocks of Balate , where most people staying in Pollara go swimming.
When you are on the terrace, if you turn around 360° you are reminded that you are sitting on the bottom of a former crater. Half of it collapsed thousands of years ago into the sea, while the remaining half is still standing behind you, with hundred-meters high cliffs. It is reminiscent of Santorini, but without all the crowds encountered there. What a dramatic sight! While resting on the terrace you will hear no cars, no voices, just silence interspersed with the sound of the waves (the sea is 100 meters below). And then, in the late afternoon, you have the sunset right in front of you, all for you.
The vegetation around the house and in the terrace is lush and you can tell that Jacqueline has worked hard to select only local species. I could recognize a few: figs, olives, carobs, bougainvillea, prickly pear cactus, dwarf palms, grapevine, rosemary, ivy, wisteria, lemon tree, all reminding you that you are in the center of the Mediterranean.
There is just one serious problem with La Vigna: once you are in the terrace you will never want to leave it, not even wanting to go to explore Salina, that has much to offer to hikers and tourists in general.