The highest volcano in Europe, still alive. Trekking on the summit craters, hikes in the woods of the Valle del Bove, winter skiing. A view that changes with the light.

A basalt canyon carved by water over 6,000 years. You wade through the river in high summer — cool, dizzying, unreal.

The growers of the north-eastern slope: Nerello Mascalese, Carricante, late harvests. Historic wineries and new artisan labels, always with a view of the volcano.

The Greco-Roman theatre suspended above the sea, the flower-lined stairways, the marble squares. Picture-postcard Sicily that remains, in spite of everything, unforgettable.

Lava-stone Baroque, fish markets, the gruff charm of Vincenzo Bellini's city. A single day is barely enough.

The Greek island within the city. Temple of Athena, Arethusa spring, alleys that smell of the sea. Worth the trip for a single dinner.

The villages of the slope: Milo with its wines, Acireale with its Baroque and its carnivals, Giarre with its local markets. Real Sicily, not the cover-shot kind.