Sicily holidays
Arriving in charismatic Palermo, you'll find a chaotic, raucous, yet endlessly fascinating city. It's a place of palaces, castles and churches, many of which house a clutch of treasures in the shape of domes, frescoes and alike. There's also a distinctly chic side to the city. Its modern area, for example - all trendy shops, expensive apartments and leafy avenues - wouldn't look out of place in Paris.
Away from Palermo, the Sicilian landscape is one of lush coastlines, glorious beaches and an arid, sun-soaked interior, all topped off with Europe's largest active volcano, Mount Etna. It's the coasts, though, that get the most attention. Here, fashionable cities like Catania rub shoulders with low-key fishing villages, while the offshore Aeolian islands - including Filicudi, Lipari and Salina - are a real chance to hit the pause button.
And then there's the food. Sicily is a food-lover's heaven, particularly when it comes to pasta. So keep an eye out for pasta con le sarde - sardines, fennel, pine nuts and raisins - and pasta con la mollica - capers, anchovies, green olives, garlic and roasted breadcrumbs. As for wine, decent reds include Cerasuolo and Nero d'Avola, while whites like Inzolia and Grillo are good bets.