Nestled amid the Tasca d’Almerita wine estate on Salina, the greenest of the Aeolian Islands near Sicily, sits Capofaro Locanda & Malvasia, a place that speaks to the idea that studied restraint can be employed to beautiful success. “Simplicity and a subdued elegance, genuine hospitality, and respect for the natural landscape of which we are all guests is what distinguishes Capofaro,” explain eighth-generation winemakers Alberto Tasca d’Almerita and Francesca Borghese. “We worked by subtraction while respecting the place and its character.”

Indeed, every inch of Capofaro feels in harmony with its setting above the indigo blue Tyrrhenian Sea at the foot of an extinct volcano. Nothing is overwrought or out of character; rather, the single-story, flat-roofed, whitewashed Aeolian-style guest cottages match those in the neighboring villages that dot the landscape. The 27 rooms and suites—six of them in a converted lighthouse—are sparsely furnished but by no means austere, with wood-beamed ceilings and spa-like bathrooms.

Capofaro offers a variety of ways to soak in the sunny Sicilian atmosphere: The ambitious can indulge in archaeological boating excursions or climb an active volcano on nearby Stromboli Island, while guests in search of a quieter stay can enjoy wine tastings or simply while away the hours by the saltwater pool. All types, however, will find themselves entranced by the restaurant, where chef Gabriele Camiolo serves uncomplicated local cuisine. Seventy percent of the produce comes from the estate’s own organic gardens, including the several types of tomatoes used in the simple (but sublime) spaghetti al pomodoro.

While getting to Salina requires some legwork—it can be reached in an hour and a half by hydrofoil from the closest major port, Milazzo in Sicily, or faster by helicopter—once there, the outside world seems to melt away. For those wanting a retreat that proves the merit of “less is more,” Capofaro may be the answer; those seeking extravagance need not apply.

THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN VOLUME 11 OF FREDERIC MAGAZINE. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE!