After a hectic few months balancing my new life as a working mother coming back from maternity leave, I was eagerly counting down the days for our Easter holiday in Oman. A week in the sunshine exploring the capital of Muscat and the mountains of Al Jabal Al Akhdar sounded like just the remedy for the overwhelm I was feeling. But with recent global events and Oman’s proximity to the conflict, we regretfully decided to cancel the trip and pivot. After a (rather stressful) period exploring multiple options to find a destination that fit our brief of a laidback family-friendly luxury holiday where we could enjoy sun, sea, culture, and good food, the answer became clear: Sicily.
Ina Yulo Stuve on Why Sicily Should Be Your Next Family Holiday Destination
An Italian island escape
My husband and I always refer to Italy as our spirit country—the rolling hills of Tuscany acted as a backdrop for the first road trip we did early in our relationship and the flavours, magnificent landscapes, and warm hospitality of the Italian people have delivered on multiple sojourns since. While we’ve traversed most of the country by now—from city breaks in Milan, to motorbike rides on the coast of Sardinia—the iridescent isle of Sicilia, with a history that blends Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, and Spanish influences, was one we had yet to tick off the bucket list.
In recent years, Sicily has seen a boom in tourism after it played backdrop to the second season of The White Lotus. This, and the fact that summer temperatures can reach 45 degrees (!!) make it an ideal shoulder season travel option. Flying into Catania, the island’s second-largest city, we took our rental car and headed for our first stop: Castiglione di Sicilia. Sitting at the foot of Mount Etna, this medieval town in the island’s wine belt benefits from the minerality created by Europe’s most active volcano. The area is rural and quiet, but with Etna Regional Park, the Alcantara Valley—where we spent a day hiking through the Alcantara gorge (highly recommend Najell‘s new easy vol.2 carrier)—and popular coastal towns all nearby, it made for the perfect base for our trip. For the wine connoisseurs, luxury wine resort Cavanera Etnea (where we spent a few nights in a gorgeous cave-like suite with excellent vineyard views) hosts wine masterclasses and food pairings, and our daughter Cecilia loved walking through the hotel’s vineyards and looking out at the view from the hillside breakfast area.
Renting a car proved to be an excellent decision, allowing us to take short day trips to see more of the island and offer some well-deserved car naps for Cecilia. Though its cliffside views make it a year-round tourist favourite, Taormina in April was a pleasant surprise with fewer crowds and short queues at restaurants. This was especially noticeable when pushing a pram (we took the Joolz Aer2, which just partnered with toddler carrier brand Wildride) through the cobblestone streets. Going in the shoulder season also meant we were able to walk into popular Trattoria Tiramisú without a reservation—a group of friendly Italians even took Cecilia to their table to keep her entertained so that we could enjoy our meal (don’t miss the signature pastas: Spaghetti alla Diavola with Mazara prawns and the Pennette di Mimmo with the house special sauce).
Another daytrip destination we loved was Ortigia, a charming seaside town in the Siracusa region. A small, compact island off of Sicily’s southeastern coast, Ortigia was easy to navigate and provided gorgeous harbour views and excellent seafood. Cecilia also had her first taste of Sicily’s famous frozen dessert, granita, in a little shop by the water. After leaving Ortigia, we were off to our final—and what ended up being our favourite stop of the trip: Noto.
The Hotel
Though it’s been gaining popularity in recent years, Noto benefits from an overall calmer, more relaxed vibe than other Sicilian towns. An earthquake in 1693 devastated most of the original city, but the Noto that rose from the ashes is a meticulously designed town where limestone façades glimmer in the sunlight and sculptures of mythical beasts peer overhead. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site and largely regarded as the capital of Sicilian Baroque architecture, Noto’s honey-toned buildings, towering cathedrals, and laidback locals make it an ideal destination for families.
Tucked away on a quiet residential street in Noto’s historic centre, you won’t find a more desirable address than Q92 Noto. The Quartucci family are renowned Sicilian hoteliers and the 18th century palazzo-turned-boutique hotel is the most recent addition to their portfolio. When undergoing the extensive restoration of the property, which is a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, they uncovered frescoes and fragments of the original building which are now proudly displayed throughout the hotel—the interplay of these centuries-old artefacts with contemporary design pieces are what gives the hotel a truly unique spirit. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a welcome drink and some snacks, which we gladly enjoyed in the gorgeous salon overlooking Noto’s famous cathedral. Stepping out onto the terrace, where breakfast is served every morning, it was a fitting welcome to our first day in the city as the sound of church bells surrounded us and swallows glided overhead.
The Suite
The hotel houses ten rooms and suites over several floors as well as a secret courtyard where guests can take a dip in the mini pool while a Sicilian lemon tree stretches overhead. We were lucky to spend a couple of luxurious nights in the best room in the house: the Baroque Master Suite. Original frescoes sweep across the lofty ceilings, objets d’art are tastefully strewn across the room, and a comfortable lounge area meant extra space for all our kit. Rays of sunlight stream in through the balcony windows, casting a glow on the suite’s immaculate artwork and making us feel like we’re living inside a museum. The spacious bathroom is fitted with his and hers sinks, a separate toilet, shower, and a standalone bathtub, an excellent setup for all members of the family (especially with The Botanist and The Chemist organic bath essentials for little ones and ETRO amenities for adults). Though all rooms have air conditioning, everything is centralised until the summer months. However, the team were more than happy to bring a fan in at our request to keep things comfortable. They were also incredibly welcoming—a special shoutout to Laura and Nicoletta—and playful with Cecilia, even giving her a balloon to play with at breakfast one morning when she was eyeing a nearby table where a guest was celebrating his birthday.
Things To Do In Noto
Being a small boutique hotel, Q92 doesn’t have an on-site restaurant, but that was no problem at all as Noto has a thriving food scene. Our best meals were at Cantina Modica—located right outside the hotel on Via Nicolaci, has amazing al fresco dining with unbeatable views of the Chiesa di Montevergine—and at Ape, a tiny food cart that serves amazing fried seafood. The Church of San Carlo is a Baroque-style church that was built over a span of 20 years in the 1700s. While not for the faint of heart, climbing up the narrow spiralling stone staircase (around 80 steps) to the top of the church tower gives unparalleled views across the city. How my husband did it while carrying a toddler, I’ll never know!
The verdict
Perhaps what we loved the most about Noto was that you didn’t need to do anything to have a fabulous visit—simply walking down its charming streets (which are paved with local volcanic stones) surrounded by the golden limestone buildings as live music floated through the air was enough to melt all our stresses away.
Sicily as a luxury family holiday delivers on all fronts—delicious food, sublime service, gorgeous sunshine, and residents who absolutely adore children. With a diverse collection of towns scattered around the island, the opportunities for beach time, history, culture, and city breaks are endless.
Baby’s packing list
Keeping a toddler entertained got a whole lot easier with Tonies (the Toniebox2 launched last year, which is perfect for ages 1 and up!)—Cecilia loves her Peppa Pig, Miss Rachel, and Winnie the Pooh characters the most. We also got her a “Create Your Own” Tonies character for my husband to save Norwegian nursery rhymes onto (we are raising her bilingual). Cecilia loves animals and SMARTMAX’s colourful set of magnetic toys comes with its own travel bag, making them a great plane companion. Sicily can get really warm during the day with breezier evenings, so breathable, quality fabrics were a must for Cecilia. PO.P is well-known for their outerwear, but they also make the softest organic cotton pyjamas and super cute dresses in a TENCEL Lyocell and organic cotton blend. One of our absolute favourite brands for quality and design, Smock London’s flutter-sleeved seersucker dress with hand-smocked cherries was the perfect holiday dress for little Cecilia. With the whole island of Sicily being a suntrap, sun-safe swimwear is a must! Enter Australian brand Olga Valentine, which do a gorgeous Liberty print for little ones. We like to stay active while on holiday just as much as we enjoy lounging about, and whether it was easy mealtimes with the BPA- and PVC-free feeding set by BabyBjörn, preventing car ride meltdowns thanks to the ultra-speedy bottle warmer from Baby Brezza), or Najell’s hike-tested Easy Vol. 2 carrier (aside from the game-changing magnetic fastening, this new model folds up really easily, making it perfect for packing into a suitcase or underneath a pram), getting your holiday kit right is so important for a stress-free trip.
Mum’s packing list
You don’t necessarily think cashmere when you think Sicily, but I am obsessed with elevated loungewear brand Emello. Their cotton-cashmere matching sets are insanely comfortable and make me look so put together on travel days (even if I may not feel it!). Another recent travel find, the Melinda utility jacket by Hush is very on-trend but also very functional—I wore it all throughout Spring and its deep pockets were perfect for stuffing my passport/phone/tissues/snacks while rushing around the airport. Speaking of pockets, who would think a dress this stunning would have something as practical as pockets too? Pink City Prints really do think of everything. While I’m not normally into “Mummy & Me” outfits that are identical, I adore how Smock London put as much care into their adult clothing as they do their children’s line. I don’t think I’ve received as many compliments or “Where is that top from?” questions than I have when I’m wearing their Shelley blouse. Speaking of compliments, that’s exactly what I received when wearing the sporty and sweet Lucia bikini top from Paper London. “Whether it was rushing through security queues or hiking in the Alcantara Gorge, my trusty Dasher NZ trainers from B-corp-certified Allbirds let me do it all in style. The mushroom colourway is ideal for masking stains and being a mum, the fact that I could slip them on/off with ease was priceless!” For balmy nights, Eberjey make the softest, breathable TENCEL Modal pyjamas, which I have in their best-selling Gisele style.
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