Like the rest of Italy, Sicily is beautiful. But it has a personality all it's own -- one that I enjoyed a lot. Great beaches, colorful people, adorable towns. The interiors of the island are filled with farms, vineyards and mountains while much of the coastline bears clear blue water at the bottom of sharp cliffs. And the vibe of each beach really does vary depending on the region of the island. My favorite town was Noto and my favorite beach was Scala dei Turchi. Definitely explore both if you can!

Towns to check out:

• Palermo

• Taormina

• Cefalu

• Catania

• Noto

• Syracuse

• Modica

• Menfi

• Sciacca (go to Bar Pierrot bakery!)

Beaches:

• Scala dei Turchi (stair of the turks)

• Torre Salsa

• San Vito lo Capo

• Dello Zingaro

• Mondello

• Isola Bella (near Taormina)

Noto notes:

• Sabbinirica for cheap house wine (Nero d’Avola is the wine of Sicily) and good sandwiches, cheese plates, etc

• Manna for a FANTASTIC dinner

• Caffe Sicilia is a must for granita + brioche, cannolo and gelato. The cassatina pastry was also insanely good and super pretty. This place is the reason I came to Sicily. Make sure to try the mandarola (almond) granita and the ricotta gelato.