Agriturismo Vultaggio

Burn off those pizzas with bracing hikes around the Monte Cofano Nature Reserve, 45 minutes’ drive away: there are clifftop ambles for easygoing adventurers, bike paths and climbing routes to the mountain summit for serious explorers, plus prehistoric caves and paintings. Trapani (20 minutes' drive) has a tiptop combo of nature and culture, where in the middle of the salt-pans the archaeological museum explains the city’s ancient roots, while the lagoon attracts flocks of flamingos. This is also the place to catch the cable car for a climb up to the village of Erice (40 minutes on very winding roads, otherwise) and ferries to the Aegadian Isles. The sea trip to the trio of Favignana, Levanza and Marettimo is a treat in itself, topped only by the super scenery of the islands: divers come for clear waters and a myriad of marine life, walkers for the beaches, mountain paths, caves and castles. Half an hour away, the gleaming marble streets and sweet wines of Marsala make a dizzying package; the beach is a hit with kitesurfers while the archaeological museum houses maritime treasures such as a Carthaginian warship. Temples? Monuments from the Greek and Roman eras are plentiful at sites like Segesta and Selinunte (half an hour and an hour and 10 minutes respectively). To see how all these influences combined into a lively, buzzing modern city, it’s worth the hour and a half trip to Palermo.