Italy
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.
The island's most glamorous perch, with its Greek theatre framing Etna and the sea, and grand hotels terraced into the cliffs.
The southeastern baroque towns — Noto, Modica, Ragusa Ibla — rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, now Sicily's most refined countryside base.
The capital's Norman-Arab churches and street markets pair with the beach at Mondello and the temple at Segesta.
Seven volcanic islands off the north coast, from chic Panarea to smouldering Stromboli, best explored by boat.
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.
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.
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.
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Suite Reviews
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Inspiration
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