Taormina, verdict by verdict

Taormina is Sicily's postcard: a hilltop resort of medieval lanes, a Greek theatre staged against Etna and the sea, and the tiny islet of Isola Bella in the bay below. It has been the island's grand-resort town since the 1800s and still looks it.

The real caveats: it is Sicily's most expensive and most visited spot, and in summer the Corso Umberto becomes a slow-moving crowd of day-trippers. The town sits two hundred metres above its beaches, linked by a cable car and a lot of stairs, there is no train up since the station is at the shore, and parking is tight; travelers after budget Sicily, step-free strolling or authenticity over polish should adjust expectations.

What it offers nowhere else on the island matches: a Greek theatre with a swimmable bay, an evening passeggiata and Etna views from the terrace, which makes it the Sicily splurge rather than the Sicily base. Two to three days covers the theatre, Corso Umberto and Isola Bella, then Etna or a boat trip, then Castelmola and the public gardens, and a week works for beach-plus-sightseeing. May, June and September hit the sweet spot, and Catania airport is about an hour away with direct coaches up the hill.