Sicily rewards a few days without too much planned. Spend a morning wandering a Baroque town, stop for a granita in the shade, then let lunch run well into the afternoon. Make time for the coast, but head inland too, where olive groves and wheat fields reveal another side of the island.

Our collection brings together restored farmhouses, townhouses and coastal stays overlooking the Mediterranean. Choose somewhere rural for garden breakfasts and afternoons by the pool, or a seaside address for swims before dinner. There is plenty to explore, but leave a little time for another coffee in the piazza or an evening on the terrace.