Holidays in Sicily, Italy

Sun, sea, sand – and a hint of the exotic: Sicily teeters on the edge of Europe and its flavours are tinged with the culinary heritage of North Africa. Moorish invaders introduced spices such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and saffron along with citrus fruits to the island. The Byzantines, Romans, Greeks and Spanish also left their mark on the architecture and cuisine.

We base ourselves in Sicily’s south-east surrounded by the crumbling grandeur of historical sites such as Siracusa’s Greek Theatre and the Baroque towns of Noto and Ragusa – and within easy reach of some of the region’s best local produce. Nearby Avola produces almonds; Ragusa wine and Caciocavallo cheese and Pachino sweet ripe cherry tomatoes. Fresh fish is, of course, a highlight of this Mediterranean island: think grilled swordfish, tuna and anchovies along with regional specialities such as arancini and aubergine parmigiana. Then, there’s sheep’s milk ricotta – which is also used to make one of Sicily’s signature sweets – Cannoli. The island is famous for its sweets: cassata is a delicious ice cream dish, while granita, a semi-frozen dessert, was invented in Sicily.