On approaching Villa Antika on the winding one-lane street from the port of Panarea, only a modest pedestrian gate signposts your arrival. Through the metal gate and down a set of stone steps, you can just about make the outlines of four unassuming stone buildings, camouflaged within the leafy, overflowing gardens. Shaded pathways cut off to various nooks and corners with seating under trees, and eventually to the low-lying, discreet structures – one housing the main living area and kitchen, and the rest made up of bedrooms.
Legend has it that Via Drautto, the main artery of the island, connecting Antika to the port, is named after the Arabic-Turkish pirate who invaded Panarea and moored his ships here in the raids of the 1500s. Such is the discretion of Antika, and of most houses on the island – nearly impossible to spot from the sea despite their enviable sea-facing views. So it is the priority of any visitor who makes the long journey to this volcanic dot – the smallest of the Aeolian Islands, on the north-eastern coast of Sicily – in search of a view of their own and far enough to be free of conventions back home.
On Panarea, there are no five-star hotels, no crowds, fussy dining or cars to rent. As for beaches, there are only two - one sandy, and both accessible only on foot. The catch of the day can be seen being reeled onto fishermen’s boats, to be sold after pulling in at the port. For everything else, a handful of family shops sell local produce and weekly arrivals from the mainland until supplies run out.
When the current owners of Antika found the house in 2017, they knew they had landed upon somewhere quietly magnificent, and spent nearly five years (including a pandemic and first-born) bringing it back to life. Green-painted shutters, smooth marmorino plastered walls, carved wooden doors bought from a dealer in Piedmont, lava stone sinks from Etna in Sicily, and locally crafted tiles make up the interiors with little else to distract – and that’s just the point. Fittingly with its setting, Antika is a breath of fresh air in current tendencies to over indulge and over complicate in the name of luxury.
Though the island’s history dates as far back as 1200BCE, once inhabited by Greeks and later Romans, the story of Panarea as it is known today goes back to the Sixties, when the Milanese architect Paolo Tilche arrived with his wife Myriam Beltrami. Together they set up Raya – a bar, restaurant, nightclub and no-fuss hotel – which drew in chic Italian bohemians and put Panarea firmly on the map. Tilche is also the architect behind Antika, and of several fine houses on Via Drautto, all in the vernacular stone and plaster style.
On a clear evening, sitting on the rooftop bar of Raya brings neighbouring Stromboli, Salina and Lipari islands into view across the still azure waters. It is the perfect moment of calm, before its seats fill with the chatter and delight of holidaymakers who know they have landed upon treasure.
Where to stay
Antika has five bedrooms sleeping up to 10, and costs from £10,179 through The Thinking Traveller. It's lovely chef Jehhny Juul is a highlight of any stay, and on call for all meals and with excellent local knowledge of the best walks, where to dine and find the freshest fish and produce as it arrives onto the island. Raya has bedrooms at its two locations, with one closer to the port, and the other a 10-minute walk up into the hills. Bedrooms cost from €150 in low season, B&B.
Where to eat and drink
Have an appretivo on the all-white rooftop bar of Raya, even if you don't stay for dinner or skip the nightclub. The maximalist, charming Ristorante Da Pina is the best spot on the island for pasta, decorated with lemons in all sizes and shapes. Cusiritati is a more classical option for fish with sea views. Head to L'elica Gelateria for the best gelato on the island. Da Paolino is a no-fuss restaurant with a great terrace higher up to the north of the port. Bridge Ammare is right on the only sandy beach on the island, Zimmari, so expect it to get busy in high summer.
Good to know
There are daily ferries operating from Milazzo and Palermo in Sicily to Panarea, taking just over two hours and about 5 hours respectively. If travelling from the UK, plan to spend a night or more in Sicily on either end of your trip to make the most of your journey, and also to align ferry times. Give yourself a week to get into the slow rhythm of the island and totally relax.
