Sicily, 8–9 days, self-drive
Sicily gets a fraction of mainland Italy’s tourist traffic despite holding ancient Greek temples better preserved than most of Greece’s own, a functioning volcano you can hike, and a food culture shaped by Arab, Norman, and Spanish influences layered over 2,500 years.
A week-plus covers Palermo (street food markets, Byzantine mosaics at the Cappella Palatina), the Greek temples at Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, baroque Noto and Ragusa in the southeast, and Mount Etna’s lower trails near Taormina — Europe’s most active volcano, with guided hikes available up to roughly 2,900 meters depending on current activity.
Rent a car for this trip — Sicily’s rail network is limited, and the interior hill towns and Etna’s slopes are only practically reachable by road.
Typical range: €90–€250 per night, noticeably less than mainland Italy’s tourist centers.
Sephari’s Outdoor & Adventure Gear collection has the sturdy footwear Etna’s volcanic terrain and ancient-site walking call for.