Amalfi Coast & Sicily

Naples was once the world’s greatest port. A dozen empires decamped here, and each one left their mark. The respective legacies of Greeks, Romans, Aragonese and French sum up the city’s sensuous attractions: tumbling streets, ancient ruins, Spanish castles and fine wines. The Neapolitan touchstone rings true today: Vedi Napoli e poi Muori – ‘See Naples and die’.

An hour spent in the boutiques of via dei Mille will dispel Naples’ enduring myth; that its beauty lies in the past. Sure enough, some quarters are not for the faint-hearted. The fish market of Porta Nolana is a living aquarium of octopus, tuna and squid; the historic district of Spaccanapoli is a colourful cauldron of speeding scooters, splendid churches and street markets.

Capri epitomises island exclusivity. Its very name conjures up café-strewn piazzas and flower-filled lanes. But hotels and moorings are scarce, and by early evening only established guests remain. A sunset daiquiri at Da Paolino followed by a jive at Anima e Cuore are options only for a privileged few. Don sunglasses for a daybreak cappuccino in La Piazzetta and you’ll be welcomed like a local.

Towering cliffs crumble into a turquoise sea to form secluded bays, sandy-bottomed coves and a chain of unnamed, unpopulated, islets. The extraordinary Blue Grotto is one of several watery tunnels to explore, each lit by an eerie coral glow.

Piercing the nighttime sky with neon flames, Stromboli is home to Europe’s only continuously erupting volcano. Local restaurant terraces offer panoramic views of the near constant seismic eruptions. All specialise in traditional Sicilian cuisine from swordfish involtini to fresh pasta loaded with bottarga fish roe – the ‘caviar of the south’.

The adventurous can set out on the three-hour sunset hike to Stromboli’s summit. The climb is rewarded with fiery ringside seats, perfect for up-close views of lashings of lava. Easier on the toes are the island’s stunning black sand beaches, such as Ficogrande, considered by many to be the most enchanting in the Mediterranean.

What it lacks in landmass – it’s the second smallest of Sicily’s Aeolian Islands – Panarea makes up for in laidback style. The island is not only car-free, but streetlight-free too. Residents whizz among the island’s whitewashed homes, olive groves and vineyards on electric carts, like a Mediterranean version of Mustique. Come nightfall, the entire island shimmies barefoot in nightclub Raya.

An island simply made for exploring from the sea, Panarea is near impossible to reach without a private yacht. Beyond its sublime coastline, the miniscule islands of Basiluzzo, Spinazzola, Lisca Bianca, Bòttaro, Lisca Nera and Dattilo are dotted with transparent waters, sheer cliffs and hidden coves. A dip in the sea has never been so exclusive.

In the 1995 film 'Il Postino', Mario Ruoppolo, the gentle postman of the title, tells the poet Pablo Neruda that “poetry doesn’t belong to those who write it; it belongs to those who need it.” set and partly filmed on the island of Salina, 'Il Postino' proved to be an enormous international success.

Fame has barely changed the island. Apart from being arguably the most alluring of the Aeolians, it is largely unaffected by a wave of VIP tourism that has seen many a private yacht moor off nearby Lipari, Panarea and Stromboli.

It’s on Lipari’s picturesque quays that Giorgio Armani, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana berth their boats come summertime. The largest of Sicily’s Aeolian Islands, a resident community has been happily thriving here since 5000 BC. Two hundred millennia earlier, a series of ancient volcanic explosions blessed Lipari with its enchanting moonscape geology.

Hikers and joggers will enjoy the island’s 26km coastal trail. As the sun rises over its black and white sand beaches, steaming fumaroles lend an otherworldly feel. For visitors who would rather greet dawn in a more hedonist manner, summertime parties on Lipari’s Spiaggia Bianca beach kick off around midnight. Most carry on into the following day.

Stretching languorously over 9 square kilometres at the far end of the Aeolian archipelago, Filicudi is noticeably quiet. Think goats, a couple of houses and prickly pear trees. Two tiny ports are far beyond superyacht capabilities, but that’s where the charm lies. Volcanic centres include Fossa Felci at 774 m, Montagnola and Capo Graziano. Cruise around the reefs and grottos for great snorkelling, especially at the grotto of the sealion.

Noisy, bustling, and at times even chaotic; Palermo is alive with three millennia of rich history from stunning churches to spooky catacombs. Arabian settlers made Palermo the Mediterranean’s most prosperous capital. The island’s fiery flavours and delicious ice cream remain their strongest legacy. An Italian city since 1861 – and then only in name – Palermo is a living, breathing monument to a glorious past.

For visitors seeking to escape the cacophony of urban life, the isolated bays of the Aegadian Islands are a short sail west. Levanzo is an eco-paradise stocked with rare fauna, Marettimo lies lost in the Mediterranean, and Favignana is where Giorgio Armani moors up for a seafood supper.