Did you know you can travel to Sicily by train direct from Rome or Naples? Naples to Palermo is 9 hours and Rome to Palermo is 11.5 hours. Lulu Townsend shares her hotel choices.

Sicily is one of my favourite places in Italy and I have visited 3 or 4 times now as well as nipping over to the stunning Aeoli Islands off the north coast.⁠⁠

To experience a first trip to Sicily I recommend 6 days (5 nights) and hiring a car - you won't be able to explore the whole island but it will give you a taster and before you've come home you'll already be wanting to book your next trip. ⁠⁠Start or end your trip with a couple of nights in Taormina 45 minutes north of Catania. Taormina sits near Mount Etna, an active volcano with hiking trails leading to the top.

Hotel Villa Carlotta above

Hotel Villa Carlotta is an independent luxury boutique hotel in Taormina in a stunning hillside setting overlooking the Ionian Sea. Recently renovated Hotel Villa Carlotta has set the standards for luxury hotels in Taormina and has recently added stunning apartments and self-catering villas to its collection, giving you the choice of being independent whilst still enjoying all of the facilities of the hotel. Rates from£129 per night including breakfast fit for a King.

Hotel Villa Ducale above

Hotel Villa Ducale is sister boutique hotel to Hotel Villa Carlotta and is one of the most romantic boutique hotels in Taormina. Full of character and charm with breathtaking sea views it has its own pretty garden with small pool. The 19 rooms and suites are decorated with exquisite Italian style under the guidance of owner Rosaria Quartucci and some feature their own private terrace. The ideal choice for a luxury honeymoon in Taormina. Rates from £155 per night.

Relais San Giuliano above

Giulianowhose service, food and style are all exceptional. Relais San Giuliano is small but perfectly formed with just 12 rooms, a spa, infinity pool and restaurant 'I Palici' which serves mouth-watering traditional Sicilian dishes which have been handed down from generation to generation. Great for a family holiday. Rates from £117 per night.

Whilst there, nip over to Syracuse notable for its rich Greek and Roman history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes.

Next head to the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage site of Noto where boutique hotel Q92 Noto Hotel, a Baroque palazzo is soon to open with just 9 stunning rooms & suites, courtyard garden with mini pool and views across the 18th- After a couple of nights head 45 minutes south to the gorgeous Relais San century Noto cathedral. You’ll find this little hidden gem in Corso Vittorio Emanuele the perfect position for Noto’s festival of Spring the Infiorata di Noto, one of the most colourful festivals in the world which takes place every year over the third weekend of May. Rates to start from around £217 per night including breakfast.

Noto is known for its Baroque architecture, including the reconstructed 18th-century Noto Cathedral. Across the street is the Palazzo Ducezio, now the town hall, with the Hall of Mirrors embellished by gilding and stuccos. While you’re here pop in to Caffé Sicilia(just a hop and a skip from Q92 Noto Hotel) for a cappuccino or gelato, it’s the best café in town and has some of the best pastries in Sicily. It's just an hour back to Catania from Noto so you'll have plenty of time to explore the area and visit the surroundings: the roman mosaics of the Tellaro villa, the nature reserve of Vendicari and the archaeological sites of Noto antica.