Stay at the Forte family’s Palermo outpost, Villa Igiea, is the smartest address in town. With its Belle Epoque palazzo vibes, Olga Polizzi's interior touches, and magnificent pool overlooking a crumbling Greek ruin, it has the feeling of a bygone era.

A slow food retreat nestled in the hills of Palma di Montechiaro in Agrigento. Surrounded by palms and olive groves, an ancient farm has been sensitively converted by owners Silvia and Giuseppe into a charmingly rustic stay, which includes a standalone villa (Robazza) set in the old winery. Staying here is a decidedly family affair: their son, a trained chef, prepares traditional dishes using produce from the farm, with cooking classes and olive oil tastings also part of daily rituals.

Noto is easy to conquer in the morning (fuelled by treats at the historic Caffe Sicilia), so we use it as a launchpad to explore the surrounding area — Ragusa and Modica are within easy reach.

An exquisitely restored 19th-century estate that offers a truly immersive, design-led stay in the Sicilian countryside, often featured in design and authentic travel publications. It’s less about hotel amenities and more about the curated experience and atmosphere.

After dinner at traditional trattoria Il Cantuccio, bed down at Seven Rooms Villadorata, which feels like staying with your wonderfully flamboyant, Sicilian aristocrat friends in their 17th-century palazzo. What’s more, they’ve opened a summer residence. Country House Villadorata, just out of town for you to decamp to after.

In the heart of the historic center of Noto, Seven Rooms Villadorata is an exclusive Sicilian guesthouse, occupying part of a 17th-century palazzo built in the famous flamboyant Sicilian Baroque style. Formerly the residence of the Prince of Villadorata and representative of the Sicilian Baroque in the city, now hosts the Villadorata. The villa has been brought back to life as a guest house.

Inhabited for more than 3000 years with Greek heritage, tiny Ortigia (a UNESCO site) packs a punch with pretty alleyways and Baroque architecture, all lapped by the gin-clear waters of the Ionian Sea. Make Hotel Gutkowski your base: it occupies two old palazzos in the old town and has a rooftop and traditional restaurant that locals and travelers love alike.

Taormina’s first hotel, this iconic property sits just steps from the Greek Theatre, offering unparalleled views of Etna and the Bay of Naxos from its celebrated terraces. It’s a place steeped in history and old-world charm.

One such old dammuso has been transformed by the charming Margot and Massimiliano into the island’s most coveted place to stay, Parco dei Sesi. Part guesthouse, part artist’s residence, and part organic farm, it’s peppered with ceramics, marbles, and antiques from the couple’s travels.