Caol Ishka

Activities

• Siracusa, historic Greek metropolis and birthplace of Archimedes, is now a bustling Unesco-listed city with a charming Baroque centre on a sea-washed headland (actually an island) called Ortigia. Make a quick visit to the archaeological park with its ancient latomia (quarry), ear-shaped cave, Roman amphitheatre and still-used Greek theatre; stop at the San Giovanni catacombs and the archaeological museum; then spend the rest of your time browsing Ortigia's narrow lanes and its charming lungomare (sea walls), which come to a head at the 13th-century castle of Maniace
  
  
• Beaches line the coast southwards to Capo Passero, and continue west from there. Our favourites are Calamosche and Balsamo in the Vendicari Nature Reserve; you'll need to park at the medieval tower or at the little-known site of Eloro and walk for 15-30 minutes (signed paths guide the way and you might spot great wildlife, including orchids, turtles, flamingos and other waders, as you walk). Come midweek in April-May and you can have a beach to yourselves
  
  
• Hikes abound in the hills behind Siracusa. We were spellbound by the beauty of the Cava Grande gorge, whose river squeezes between striated rocks and pink oleanders into turquoise pools big enough for an Olympic swimmer, and it's only an hour from the road. Another fascinating canyon is at Pantalica, whose sheer faces are pocked with 8,000 ancient tombs and whose deep valley hides rabbits, porcupines, falcons and trout. Local company Sud Estremo organises mountain-biking, climbing, canyoning and birdwatching trips in the region
  
  
• The Baroque towns of Noto, Ragusa, Modica and Scicli - all Unesco World Heritage sites - are the crown jewels in the treasure trove of south-eastern Sicily. Their cobbled streets, lined with ornate churches, grand (though crumbling) palaces and close-packed townhouses with carved façades, are a delight to wander through. And there are fantastic restaurants, delicatessens and ice cream parlours to break up your sightseeing