Antika Villa, Panarea

Antika Villa, Panarea, Aeolian Islands, Sicily

I was contacted to photograph this stunning villa called Antika on the island of Panarea, where I regularly go, as we have a family house there. I have photographed man, many houses on this beautiful island over the years, but few are so visually breathtaking as this.

It was recently completely refurbished by an Australian couple, who undertook the task with taste and sensitivity. Local materials were used as much as possible, and they followed closely traditional methods of building and detailing. This house was originally designed and built by Paolo Tilche – who later built the iconic Raya Hotel – in the early 1970s, and his design and genius shine through today as it did back then.