Staying at Alicudi Secret Retreat feels a little like slipping out of time. On this tiny Aeolian island – where donkeys replace cars and night descends without streetlights – life moves at a pace that feels elemental. And for French-Italian artist Elise Collet Soravito, who has made a home here with her young daughter, this cliffside hideaway is both muse and masterpiece.
Her guesthouse – perched above the port, shaped by sun-faded walls, patterned tiles and open-air living – distills the island’s raw beauty into something exquisite. At Alicudi Secret Retreat, the rhythms of the Tyrrhenian Sea set the tempo, the terrace becomes the living room, and conversations with Elise drift easily into the kind of intimacy that makes you feel less like a guest and more like a welcomed friend.
In RUSSH’s November issue, writer and founder of @nomsdujour, Madeleine Woon, sends us postcards from the retreat.
Place: Alicudi Secret Retreat
Address: Near the port, Alicudi, Italy
Contact: Soprano Villas
Designed and curated by …
French-Italian artist Elise Collet Soravito, who lives there year-round with her young daughter.
I stay here because …
I’m drawn to small, beautifully designed guesthouses that capture the spirit of a place, and my idea of luxury leans elemental. While the interiors are undeniably gorgeous, life in Alicudi is lived outdoors, and the airy guesthouse reflects that – most notably with its oversized stone terrace, complete with a hammock and outdoor mattress, made for lazing. Elise and her daughter are the heartbeat of the p roperty and I loved my daily chats with them.
My last visit was …
May 2024. Late spring here is magical and not yet stifling as it can be in summer. (Expect an older, hiking-enthusiast crowd. The cool kids arrive in August.)
What I love about the room …
It’s the epitome of good taste – soulful and reflective of a lifetime spent in pursuit of beauty. I particularly loved the canopy bed and Elise’s use of colour and texture, which makes the old-world simplicity of the space feel both chic and fun. I fantasised almost constantly about living there permanently.
Amenities worth a mention …
The bathroom is gloriously oversized (why don’t we all allocate more square metreage to them at home?). The shower might just be the most beautiful in the world with its sweeping views over the Tyrrhenian sea.
It’s the details that count …
Patterned cement tiles. Lisa Corti bedspreads. An antique wrought iron daybed curling at the foot of the bed. Lace curtains in the bathroom. Elise’s artworks on the walls. Every detail speaks to her ingenuity and eye.
Room service order …
This isn’t the place for room service. Head downstairs each morning for Elise’s homemade bread and yoghurt, granola, freshly baked cakes and fruit from the garden.
Places nearby worth frequenting …
The island is blissfully devoid of options. With no cars (or street lights), donkeys carry your luggage and everything else is left to your own two feet. Distance is measured in steps. With only one restaurant at the port, locals often open their homes to visitors for dinner. Work up an appetite on the hiking trails, one of which leads to the very top of the cone-shaped island, swim at the port or spiaggia bazzina, take a boat around the island and stop by the supermarket where the baritone owner will sell you everything you need for a simple seaside lunch (bread, tomato, mortadella, mozzarella). I’d suggest pairing the trip with the neighbouring island of Filicudi, where you must eat at La Sirena.
The one thing I always return home with …
Elise’s ceramic flying heart hangs on my front door. It’s inspired by the maiara of the island (witches, or “women who fly”).
Gallery …
Pop downstairs to visit Elise’s atelier for tantric-inspired posters, jewellery, ceramics and vintage clothes. A small piece of the island to take home.
Dinner…
Go to Rosina’s for the best goat of your life and her homemade wine. Lea’s offers the most sophisticated fare on the island, including a tuna pasta I periodically think about, served on her lovely terrace overlooking the sea. The hottest ticket in town is undoubtedly at Silvio’s, the white-haired fisherman and local legend whose balcony fills with visitors from around the world eager to watch him grill his own catch.
