Frangimare La Segreta carries a remarkable past. Once Guardia di Finanza barracks, its architecture still hints at former grandeur. It stands apart from the surrounding buildings at first glance, with its pyramid-shaped roof topped by rare orange tiles, an uncommon sight on an island where most homes stretch out flat. From the street, the villa keeps its secrets well hidden: a gate, a burst of bougainvillea, a white-and-red façade. Step inside, though, and its presence unfolds, grand yet understated, elegant and gently softened by greenery and by the tall maritime pine in the garden, offering cool shade on long summer afternoons.
The name Segreta speaks to this slow unveiling, as the flowered and oleander-lined path leads you to the pool. There, the view suddenly opens onto the sea and toward Stromboli, with its active volcano rising on the horizon.
What remains of its time as barracks lives on in local memory, in stories of romances between officers and women from the island. A quietly romantic aura that we cherish, blending seamlessly with the echo of the woman who lived here before us. She would step onto her small balcony and sing arias for the people of Malfa, her voice drifting through daily life, a gentle soundtrack remembered with affection by every islander.
And the story may not end there. A local historian once told us that, while researching Malfa’s houses, he came across an account suggesting that Frangimare La Segreta may also have served as a convent for nuns. True or not, we love the idea that these walls have witnessed so many lives. And now, we look forward to welcoming yours.
