The lure of Sicily has inspired a number of tales: scenes from Francis Ford Coppola’s Oscar-award winning movie, The Godfather; the untamed coastline that informed Homer’s Odyssey; and, most recently, the alluring vacation scandals that ensued on HBO’s The White Lotus. But beyond the evocative stories that have brought this southern Mediterranean island to life, Sicily’s diverse offerings for travelers are even more thrilling than its fictional portrayals. 

A crossroads for ancient civilizations, archeological ruins cling to Sicily’s mountainsides and valleys, including some of the most well-preserved temples in the world. The region has been making wine for over 1,000 years, with several standout grapes grown in the volcanic soil of Europe’s highest active volcano, Mount Etna. Sicily’s famous beaches, called spiagge, sit between 3 seas: the Ionian, Tyrrhenian, and Mediterranean.