Sicily

Laid-back Sicily has beautiful sandy beaches that are ideal for families and stretch for miles. There are some wonderful stretches of sand outside charming Cefalu in the north; quiet coves for families around Syracuse, all the way down to the stunning white sands petering into azure shallows of the south-east tip; and long, buzzy beaches around Catania under the smoking peak of Etna. Empty nature (and naturist) reserves surround Menfi and Selinunte, an ancient Greek city dotted with Doric temples, in the south-west. Walk down to the Foce del Belice nature reserve from Marinella Beach for a view of the last undeveloped stretch of Sicilian coastline, where the sunset turns the sand red.