photos from sicily

Trapani and Sicily's Egadi Islands at sunset, as seen from Erice

Hera temple, Selinunte Snorkeling off Favignana

Castle of Venus, Erice

Erice, Sicily

Lighthouse on Favignana, Sicily

IN 2009 I spent two weeks vacationing in the north and west of Sicily, off the south coast of Italy, staying first in the capital Palermo and then traveling on to Favignana, Erice and Selinunte. It goes without saying that Sicily has both a long and fascinating history and a distinctive culture - including great food - but I was less prepared for the beauty of some of the towns and landscapes in the relatively lightly developed west of the island. I'd particularly recommend Favignana and the Egadi islands - which are first class destinations for snorkeling and swimming in some of the warmest water you'll find anywhere - and the remarkable medieval town of Erice overlooking Trapani. Selinunte - although still worth seeing for the archeological sites that made it famous in times past - has less to recommend it as a modern town.