Sicily vacations

Outside the hottest summer months, Sicily and its dozen or so islands are a treat for walkers. Walking on Sicily ranges from easy ambles through flower filled meadows, to dramatic hikes along precipitous coastlines. The views of Etna are breathtaking, but if you want to get a close up of Western Europe’s largest active volcano, the only way is up. Sicily’s Aeolian Islands are also volcanic and best seen by pulling on a protective helmet and hiking the dusty lava trails. Peering into the crater of Stromboli as it spews lava against the darkening twilight sky (yes, it is safe!) is pretty much the definition of dramatic.

Even little ones can enjoy a walk here, hiking on Etna through woody trails, exploring a volcanic cave en route and eventually reaching the Sartorius Mounts, old craters created during a lava flow in 1865. On Stromboli, it’s an easy, hour long walk to the viewpoint over the Sciara del Fuoco, a black lava scar down the side of the volcano, to see the regular eruptions which, when violent enough, send red hot rocks tumbling down the slope into the sea.

You can’t really ignore Sicily’s long history; it’s dotted across the island, in the form of ancient architecture left by Greeks and Romans, Phoenicians and Carthaginians. The amphitheatre at Syracuse, the beautifully preserved Concordia temple in Agrigento and the monumental ruins of Selinunte are three of the island’s most celebrated ancient sites, and this classical heritage is complemented by architectural gems from more recent history. In Palermo alone you can see Norman palace walls, Arab arches and Byzantine mosaics. Down in the southeast of the island, Sicilian baroque architecture dominates the UNESCO World Heritage towns of the Val di Noto in gorgeous style – think grand palaces, lavish cathedrals and sculpted balconies. Inland, meanwhile, the island is peppered with the ruins of Arab and Norman castles.

Obligingly, most of Sicily’s best historic highlights are clustered around the coast and a week or so is enough to execute a circuit of the entire island to take them all in. Guided small group vacations that emphasise Sicily’s history will also dip into its cultural treats, with wonderful food, wine tasting, hikes through nature reserves and exploration on Mount Etna.