Southern belle
The otherworldly island of Vulcano is home to the crater that gave all other volcanoes their name. Mud baths, black-sand beaches and Aeolian archipelago views are all on the cards here.
Flight time from the UK to Sicily is around 3 hours.
Sicily’s climate is classically Mediterranean, but since the island is surprisingly close to Africa, things really heat up here in summer. The hot, dry weather begins in earnest around June, peaking in the high 20s around July and August. It barely gets cold in Sicily; winters are warm and rainy, while spring’s pleasant mid-teen average is good for walking and cycling, but not quite beach weather.
British citizens do not currently require a visa to visit Italy.
When you dine out in Italy, you will generally be charged a coperto (cover charge), which is for the bread, tablecloth, cutlery, etc. Tipping in Italy is not customary, but is always appreciated.
The official language of Italy is Italian. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.