Italy

Sicily

Sicily compresses three millennia of Mediterranean history — Greek temples, Norman mosaics, baroque hill towns — into an island crowned by Europe's most active volcano. Its palazzo hotels, wine estates on Etna's slopes and fiercely distinctive cuisine reward travellers who give the island the time it deserves.

Best areas to stay

Taormina & the east coast

The island's most glamorous perch, with its Greek theatre framing Etna and the sea, and grand hotels terraced into the cliffs.

Val di Noto

The southeastern baroque towns — Noto, Modica, Ragusa Ibla — rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, now Sicily's most refined countryside base.

Palermo & the northwest

The capital's Norman-Arab churches and street markets pair with the beach at Mondello and the temple at Segesta.

The Aeolian Islands

Seven volcanic islands off the north coast, from chic Panarea to smouldering Stromboli, best explored by boat.

Dining & nightlife

Sicilian food is a cuisine of its own — pasta alla Norma, raw red prawns, cannoli and granita — served everywhere from street markets to starred dining rooms in Ragusa and Taormina. Evenings revolve around the passeggiata and late dinners in baroque piazzas.

Travelling as a family

Beaches, boat days, puppet theatres and climbable ancient sites keep children engaged, and Sicilian hospitality is famously warm towards families. Distances deceive, so base in one or two areas rather than circling the island.

Travelling as a couple

Couples get Taormina terraces with Etna views, wine tastings on the volcano's slopes and nights in converted palazzi in Ortigia and Ragusa Ibla. An Aeolian boat day, ending off Stromboli after dark, is hard to better.

Cultural highlights

The Valley of the Temples at Agrigento
Taormina's ancient Greek theatre
Norman-Byzantine mosaics at Monreale and Palermo's Palatine Chapel
The late-baroque towns of the Val di Noto

When to visit

May, June, September and October are ideal, with warm seas and bearable heat for the archaeological sites; July and August are hot, busy and best spent by the water. Spring carpets the temple sites in wildflowers, and autumn brings the grape and olive harvests.

Classic Mediterranean climate with long, hot, dry summers; the scirocco can push temperatures sharply higher for days at a time.

Practical notes

Fly into Catania (CTA) for the east or Palermo (PMO) for the west
A car is essential outside the cities, though historic centres are best entered on foot
Book Aeolian hydrofoils and summer accommodation well ahead
Etna excursions depend on volcanic activity; use authorised guides above the cable-car station

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