Sicily is hot. Travel agents and tour operators report a growing number of travelers are choosing this Italian island, especially those who have visited mainland Italy a few times, as their next destination. For those doing business in Milan or Rome, or really, most big Italian cities, the air connections to Sicily can have you basking on the beach or running among ruins within hours. And it’s the perfect add-on for a romantic sojourn or a family vacation; Italians especially love little ones and school-age children can get an up-close history lesson by visiting Sicily.

An island the size of Vermont, Sicily is Italian of course, but that’s a relatively recent development. For thousands of years, Sicily was under the domination of outside forces including Greeks, Arabs, Romans and Normans. Their influences are layered throughout the Sicilian lifestyle — from the architecture to the cuisine — and combine to create a complex and fascinating place. Although it would take a lifetime to fully explore Sicily, a few days in Palermo and the surrounding area and/or a visit to the Sicilian resort of Taormina and its environs will give you a feel for the true diversity the island has to offer in both the manmade and natural environs.

Arriving in Palermo, you will join a long line of outsiders who for centuries have descended upon the city, except your visit is probably on more friendly terms. Thousands of years ago, there were the Sicels, Carthaginians and Arabs, followed by the Greeks and Romans. The Vandals, Goths and Byzantine Greeks had their turns before the Normans arrived by the first millennium, subsequently ruling the area for seven or eight generations. Then came the Spanish Bourbons and Austrians, and well, you get the idea. Spend some time walking around the city (do be careful about pickpockets, however) taking in the mix of historic architecture and modern life.

Like many Italian cities, Palermo has a number of churches, many worth visiting. Tops on your list should be a chapel — Capello Palantina (Palazzo dei Normanni, tel 39 091 7054879). About half the size of Rome’s Sistine Chapel, the chapel on the first floor of the city’s royal palace is filled with brilliant Byzantine mosaics from the 12th century. Experts say the only places in the world that have better examples of this art form are Istanbul and the Italian city of Ravenna. The city’s cathedral, Cattedrale di Palermo (Corso Vittorio Emmanuele, tel 39 091 33476, http://www.cattedrale.palermo.it), also should be on your list.

If you can only visit one museum, be sure to explore the Regional Archaeological Museum (Piazza Olivella, 24, tel 39 611805). The dusty rooms are stuffed with artifacts from the prehistoric to Roma eras.

Traveling with children? Take them to the International Puppet Museum (Piazzetta Niscemi, 1, tel 39 091 328060), which proudly displays the Sicilian folk art of pupi, or puppets.

Don’t come to Sicily without visiting Agrigento, once one of the most important cities in Magna Graecia and home to the Valley of the Temples. It is considered one of the best monuments of the ancient world. There are also a number of ancient temples here and you can see everything during a day trip from Palermo.

If you’re ready for a slower pace or eager for a romantic getaway, head to the east coast of Sicily and the resort town of Taormina. Set up on cliffs above the sea, Taormina is well equipped for the tourists’ passions of eating and shopping; the best options are along the main drag, Corso Umberto, I. Although Taormina is charming, it certainly isn’t undiscovered. In the summer months especially, when cruise ships stop at Taormina and tourists are here in force, the streets can seem a bit crowded.

A must-see is the city’s Greek Theater (tel 39 0942 232220), built in 3 B.C., where children will especially love climbing the well-preserved structures; kids and adults alike will want to sit and contemplate the truly spectacular views of the sea below.

If the water is calling you, head to the beach. Just a few miles south of Taormina, Giardini Naxos offers some of the most beautiful beaches in eastern Sicily, combining Mediterranean vegetation and sparkling blue water. History buffs will want to know this town was also the site of the first Greek colony in Sicily, founded in 735 B.C.

Staying in Taormina puts you in close proximity to the most active volcano in the world, Mount Etna. Although the crater is dangerously active, hiking is permitted along the solidified lava surrounding it. (tel 39 095 821111, http://www.parcoetna.ct.it) There are also private companies offering guided walks along the volcano, some led by volcanologists.

Whether you are more at home on dusty, volcanic hiking trails or inside, surrounded by ancient artifacts, Sicily has something for everyone, all presented in a uniquely Italian, or rather, Sicilian way. As J.W. Goethe wrote in Journey to Italy, “To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is to have not seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything.”

LODGING

HOTEL PRINCIPE DI VILLAFRANCA

Visitors laud this small boutique hotel for its excellent and attentive staff. The hotel offers a great location in Palermo’s shopping district, filled with restaurants and stores. The city’s main sights are a little farther away, but within walking distance. $$$
HOTEL PRINCIPE DI VILLAFRANCA
Via G. Turrisi Colonna, 4, Palermo
tel 39 091 6118523, fax 39 091 588705
http://www.principedivillafranca.it

PALAZZO SAN DOMENICO

What could be more romantic than retreating to a luxuriously transformed 15th century monastery offering sweeping ocean views? That’s what the San Domenico offers as well as so much more. Considered one of Italy’s best hotels, the San Domenico has hosted everyone from Churchill to Mitterrand and is well worth the splurge. $$$$
PALAZZO SAN DOMENICO
Piazza Toselli, 8, Taormina
tel 39 0942 613111, fax 39 0942 625506
http://www.sandomenico.thi.it

VILLA FABBIANO/HOTEL VILLA CARLOTTA

Before you get confused,Taormina’s Villa Fabbiano recently reverted to the historic name of the hotel, Hotel Villa Carlotta. Under either name, the stone-clad villa hotel offers charming accommodations and excellent service. Recently refurbished, the hotel’s 27 guestrooms are surrounded by lush gardens and boast ocean views. Villa Carlotta also has an excellent restaurant. $$$$
VILLA FABBIANO/HOTEL VILLA CARLOTTA
Via Pirandello, 81
Taormina
tel 39 0942 626058, fax 39 0942 23732
http://www.villafabbiano.com

DINING

ANTICA FOCACCERIA SAN FRANCESCO

This inexpensive, historic cafe (1834) is family friendly and a local favorite. Their specialty is focaccia farcita (flat bread stuffed with fillings), but you can also get panini, rice balls and other Sicilian specialties. $-$$
ANTICA FOCACCERIA SAN FRANCESCO
Via A. Paternostro, 58
tel 39 091 320264

IL MULINAZZO

This elegant restaurant 45 minutes from Palermo has become a destination unto itself. It is frequently called the best restaurant in Sicily. Chef Nino Graziano and wife Sabine Bour serve up delicious, fresh food complemented by an international wine list. $$$
IL MULINAZZO
S.S. 121, Localita Bolognetta Nord
Villafrati
tel 39 091 8724870

LA GIARA

La Giara has been serving visitors to Taormina since 1953. The simple, yet incredibly elegant dining room, evoking the feel of old-time movies, boasts large windows and even grander views. Come here for a special meal. $$$
LA GIARA
Vico La Foresta, 1
Taormina
tel 39 0942 23360, fax 39 0942 23233
http://www.lagiara-taormina.com

INFO TO GO

Palermo’s Aeroporto Falcone e Borsellino lies 19 miles east of the city. Catania’s Aeroporto Fontanarossa, four miles from town, is the most convenient to Taormina. Overnight ferries connect Sicily to Naples, Genoa and Livorno. The ferry from Villa San Giovanni, just outside the city of Reggio di Calabria on the tip of Sicily’s boot, takes less than an hour to arrive in Sicily. You can take your car onboard. Some of the ferry companies include Tirrenia (tel 39 199 123199, http://www.tirrenia.it) and Traghetti (tel 39 010 52080, http://www.traghettionline.net).

You also can take the train from the mainland to Sicily. The journey from Rome to Palermo is about 12 hours. Trains (Trenitalia, tel 39 090 661674, http://www.trenitalia.it) stop at Villa San Giovanni where they are rolled onto large barges for the one-hour trip to Messina, where they resume riding the rails. If you take an overnight train, chances are you will be asleep when the transfer takes place.