The island of Sicily, just off the toe of mainland Italy’s ‘boot’ (if mainland Italy kicked Sicily it would land in Africa), is a magnet for travellers looking for a heady dose of culture, amazing food and summertime vibes.

Go back in time

Clues to Sicily’s rich history are yours to discover in the Ruins of the Valley of the Temples, some of the best-preserved ancient Greek ruins in the world. Located outside Agrigento, on the southwestern coast of Sicily, this UNESCO World Heritage site has eight Greek temples and ruins to explore. Hire a car and drive yourself there or take a day-long guided tour. Not into history? The site is worth a visit for the stunning sea vistas alone. Hot tip: buy your tickets online to skip the queues on the day.

Climb Mount Etna

You can’t miss it. At 3,327 metres, Etna is the highest volcano in Europe and visible for miles around (Sicily is about a third the size of Tasmania, if you’re wondering). There are four active craters – don’t worry, they’re all closely monitored – and it’s worth making the effort to reach the top for views over lunar-like volcanic ash slopes, lava flows and steam vents. It’s all pretty extraordinary. The good news is, there’s a cable car and Jeep to take you most of the way up, and you can hike the remaining 500 metres or so on foot. Guided hikes are available.

Hit the beach

If you’ve seen Season 2 of The White Lotus (Binge), you’ll already have a sense of what Sicily is all about. Cobblestoned laneways, streetside cafes, flower boxes and craggy hillsides tumbling down to crowded strips of beach. It’s all part of the charm. The water is warm enough to swim in between May and October,  whether you’ve snagged a sunlounger in rocky and dramatic Trapani, joined sunseekers in the picturesque fishing village of Cefalù or settled in for the day at family-friendly Mondello. There are beaches to be found all around the island, but be prepared to have to pay to hire a sun lounger.

Eat and drink

If you’re thinking Sicily is all about pizza and pasta, it’s time to expand your horizons. Sicily has served as a melting pot of ethnicities for 10,000 years (yes, 10,000) so its cuisine has evolved into a class of its own. There are several must-try street foods and it’s your duty to try them all. Arancini, meaning ‘little oranges’ in Italian, are delectable fried balls of risotto stuffed with deliciousness; cannoli, sweet pastries made with sheep’s milk ricotta; panelle, chickpea fritters; pasta con le sarde (spaghetti with sardines – don’t knock it until you try it); and caponata, an eggplant, olive and tomato ratatouille-style casserole. Start there and keep going.

Stroll Palermo’s street markets

There are three markets worth visiting in the Sicilian capital, Palermo: Capo, Vucciria (meaning ‘chaos’ in Italian), and Ballarò, the largest and loudest of them all. Located in the city’s central Piazza Ballarò, this crowded market is an explosion of shouting vendors, sizzling street food, and colour-filled stalls of fresh produce, seafood, salami, olives and more. Mingling with the locals (on foot or weaving through the crowds on scooters or bikes) has never been so much fun, and it’s a chance to glimpse a slice of authentic Sicilian life.