Avola Holidays

Fixed to the south-east coast of Sicily, Avola’s like the HQ for chilled Italian holidays. It stacks up city landmarks at its core that’ll score high points with culture vultures, like thousand-year-old churches and Medieval ruins. Plus, it goes the whole nine yards – or should we say the full 10 kilometres – when it comes to kitten-soft, sandy beaches.

If Avola deserves a prize for one thing, it’s the munch. Local food and drink producers go the whole hog here, with tuna, red wine and almonds taking gold, silver and bronze. X used to mark the spot here for tuna fisherman, so don’t jet off home without getting your chops around some fresh-from-the-net dishes, like tuna belly and salted fish roe.

Hoover up the local culture by whizzing into some of Avola’s choice landmarks. Like the Teatro Comunale – a theatre that serves a double-whammy of classical interiors and a smashing music programme. There are guided tours here, too. Another ace in the hole is the San Giovanni Battista – a church that rocks the Baroque style of the 11th century.