The Pollara anchorage: nature’s spectacle and striking sunsets.

Below Punta Perciato, at the N endord Ovest of the island of Salina is a spectacular inlet with high cliffs and a black beach called Cala di Pollara.
The anchorage is located in the most picturesque part of the island, far from urban areas, west of downtown Malfa. From here, you can witness what is considered one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.

The little beach, which used to be wider, has now shrunk to just a narrow strip of pebbles, though this in no way detracts from the charm of this enchanting cove. Along the coast grow evergreen shrubs typical of the Mediterranean scrub, a hallmark of which is the caper bush, which grows wild almost everywhere on the island.

The bay of Pollara is located within a prehistoric crater, which was split in two by a collapse in ancient times. The part that remained intact is where the village of Pollara stands today, while the other half has sunk into the sea.
It is advisable to anchor in the center of the small inlet, almost in front of the village and give bottom between the Point and the Faraglione, on rocky bottom in 7 metri of water. The anchorage offers shelter from easterly winds, although it is not ideal when there are waves. As with all anchorages in the Aeolian Islands, the wind can be very changeable, so you should closely monitor the weather forecast and be prepared to move to a different shelter if the wind changes direction. When the weather is favorable, the Pollara anchorage remains the ideal spot for summer anchorages, nestled in the picturesque setting of the Aeolian Islands.

Pollara Bay offers a truly spectacular panoramic view of the western side of the archipelago. From the anchorage, in fact, you can see the islands of Filicudi and Alicudi in the distance, with the Faraglione rock—which marks the boundary of the bay—in the foreground. Along the coast, heading north, you immediately come across the striking rock formation of Punta Perciato, with its distinctive arched shape reminiscent of an elephant’s trunk. South of Pollara Anchorage, following the wild coastline that drops sheer into the sea, you reach the village of Rinella.

Finally, right in the middle of the bay lie the picturesque fishermen’s huts of the village of Pollara, accessible from land via a walking path dedicated to the unforgettable Massimo Troisi. The Pollara anchorage was, in fact, the setting for some of the most moving scenes in Troisi’s film *Il Postino*, including the conversations between the postman and the poet Pablo Neruda and the unforgettable recording of the sounds of the sea.