Malfa

Malfa is a pleasant little town, perched above the sea on a shelf at the base of the main mountains on the island, with some spectacular cliffs down to my little harbour of Scalo Galera and to the stony beach at Punta di Scario. I chose to stay at Malfa because it's the biggest town on the island, and centrally located making it a good base for walks throughout the island. But even though it is the biggest town (it's a small village really, though it is a 'comune' in its own right) it is very quiet, especially early on in my stay. There are a few shops, including a good butcher and a fantastic baker, a small supermarket, a greengrocer and a couple of general stores, and a few restaurants and hotels. I suspect it will get a lot busier as the season progresses, and I bet it's very lively in high summer when all the hotels and holiday homes will be full. With hindsight, I think I would have preferred to have stayed in the port of Santa Marina, which seems a bit livelier, though still very peaceful. At least there it would be pleasant to wander down and watch the ferries and hydrofoils come and go.