The Mediterranean’s biggest island is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina. A mountainous spot, Sicily’s coast and its small islands sit at the foot of volcanoes, including Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano. The Greeks, Romans, Normans and Catalans all left their mark on the island in the form of Byzantine palaces, Gothic castles and Baroque flourishes in the capital Palermo.

The Donna Carmela hotel has 9 lodges surrounded by Mediterranean gardens with a summer outdoor pool. The boutique resort is just 4 miles from the town of Riposto and Taormina is 12 miles away.

The on-site restaurant specialises in gourmet Sicilian dishes accompanied by a good selection of local wines.

Guests can use Donna Carmela boutique hotel’s free bicycles to explore the surrounding area.

Tenuta Di Fessina Winery

Etna is a special place and the Mount Etna volcano helps you understand how small us humans are. A mountain that changes every day, like us. Every day a little ash emerges, a little dust, a few puffs of smoke. And the landscape changes visibly. This smoke brings a new quality of land to the mountain, which aids growth and regenerates the soil. The ash settles and spreads, hidden in greenery and cultivates for hundreds of years, until, patiently, nature begins its work of conquering the rock and creates irregular cones, small earth pots which give wonderful fruits.

The vineyards of Fessina are one of these particular earth pots, Between Linguaglossa and Randazzo you will encounter many of these pots that pamper the vineyards and give very different wines, generated by soils and microenvironments that are exceptionally unique.