‘Each evening, I stood on our tiny balcony with its jaw-dropping view of Mount Etna’

Last week’s cover story about Sicily inspired vivid memories of holidays to this and other favourite Italian islands

ROUGH AND SMOOTH

Driving up a narrow road on the slopes of Mount Etna, in Sicily, I struck a boulder, causing a puncture and wheel-rim damage. The owner of Le Cisterne Turismo Rurale (an agriturismo) jumped in our car and took us to a small workshop in nearby Adrano. All was put right in minutes, for just €5; I gave the repairman €10.

We spent our final days on the coast, at an agriturismo in Avola called La Masseria sul Mare. The warm sea (even in autumn) and long walks were the ideal preparation for our evening meals. I am not sure if I tasted it then, but Nero d’Avola is now one of my preferred red wines. My hire car was left safe and sound at Catania airport.

Dr Damian Guckian, West Yorkshire

OH, I DO LIKE TO BE…

We spent a week in Sicily, based in Giardini Naxos, a pleasant beach resort near Taormina. Our hotel was privately owned, with a lovely garden leading down to the sea – where I snorkelled and saw a moray eel. We also took a boat trip to the volcanic island of Stromboli, briefly the home of the film star Ingrid Bergman when she was there on location – and the backdrop to a famous Hollywood affair.

Taormina offered views of its Greco-Roman theatre, with Mount Etna behind. We visited the town’s original railway station, where a local admired my Welsh Railways T-shirt. There was so much to do, experience and see. We must revisit Sicily soon. David Sinden, East Sussex

LOST PROPERTY

In 2019, after reading an article about the sale of houses in Sicily for just €1 (less than 90p), we decided to see for ourselves whether the offer was too good to be true. So we booked a viewing and flew out the next weekend.

We spent our first day on the island wandering around the capital, Palermo, sampling delicious food and sipping cloudy limoncello, then we drove to the ancient hill town of Mussomeli to be shown around several crumbling properties.

Although we didn’t end up buying one, we hope to return to this beautiful, sun-drenched island – if only to reacquaint ourselves with its delicious, citrusy-sweet cannoli pastries. Penelope Hopkinson, Essex

THE LAGOON SHOW

Under a cool grey sky with a chilly February wind biting, we left Venice for the short ride to San Lazzaro degli Armeni. The grey turned into an explosion of intense blue and stunning gold stars as we entered the island’s church and fell silent, awed by its beauty.

Often overlooked in favour of Burano and Murano, San Lazzaro merits a visit. Originally a leper colony gifted to Mekhitarist monks fleeing the Ottomans, this Armenian sanctuary has medieval texts, frescoes and an eclectic collection of items, including Lord Byron’s writing desk. The restored ancient Egyptian sarcophagus and mummy of Nemenket Amen transfixed us. Above all, however, it is the blue of that church ceiling that I remember more than 20 years later.

Stephanie Comis, London

PERFECT PONZA

Clutching our tickets (a challenging purchase), we joined the dockside queue in Anzio, on the Italian mainland south of Rome. We knew it would be a free-for-all when boarding began.

We were heading to Ponza, one of the Pontine Islands, on the slow ferry. Ponza is said to be one of the prettiest islands in Italy and it did not disappoint.

We arrived at Porto di Ponza, its attractive harbour fringed by multicoloured houses. The clear sea was backed by dramatic cliffs, but there was much more to the island than its natural beauty. Some of Ponza’s many archaeological sites were within walking distance: a Roman villa, a cistern and a necropolis, near Bagno Vecchio. Sadly, the beach was off limits following rockfalls. Enjoy all this, plus the bonus of a relaxing voyage on the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Celia Harris, Hampshire

AN ISLE FOR ALL AGES

While on holiday in Italy recently, I wanted to see something of the country’s many small islands. Filicudi – being one of the smallest in the Aeolian archipelago, and much less crowded than most – seemed the perfect place to take my elderly parents, who hate tourist hordes but love a peaceful landscape, or, in this case, seascape.

We walked along Capo Graziano beach, from where we could admire the old volcano, Fossa Felci, and ended up having a meal at the Ristorante il Boschetto. None of us could speak a word of Italian, but we sat outside in the sunshine and managed to order delicious grilled chicken livers followed by some freshly caught fish. I have no idea what the fish was, but we all nodded in appreciation to the hovering waiter and returned to the mainland after a peaceful outing enjoyed by all. Mark Milbank, Dorset