Azul Beach Hotel

Sicily: readers' tips, recommendations and travel advice

For a real taste of Sicily try a Sunday morning in Castelbuono, south of Cefalù; think Sicilian Ludlow. The shops move outside and tastings are obligatory. An eclectic mix of sausages and salamis, preserves and chocolates, amazing biscuits and cakes, gelato in a multitude of flavours and panettone – so many types – and delectable spreads (try the smooth “cream of almond” on freshly baked panettone, so light it almost floats away).

Carole Stickney, Wiltshire

Starting from Catania, you could make Siracusa, with its beautiful medieval buildings and Greek amphitheatre, your first stop. Try the fish restaurants before heading for Agrigento, with its classical temples. Continue to unmissable Segesta and, perhaps, Selinunte; both wind-swept classical temple sites. Stay on the coast at Castellammare del Golfo, where pastel-painted houses tumble down to the harbour (fish baked in salt is memorable here); farther along there's pretty Cefalù.

Busy Palermo is worth a visit, then head up into the mountains to Castelbuono to see real, old atmospheric Sicily, before driving on to stay near Taormina. Here, visit the spectacular amphitheatre – but make sure you go early.

Gill Donoghue, Stratford-upon-Avon

Make your own way around

We stayed at the Costa Azul hotel ( www.hotelcostaazul.it) , a small modern hotel close to the beach on the Gulf of Castellammare, and an energetic walk from Balestrate (beware of stray dogs and broken glass and litter on the sand). We hired a taxi rather than going on trips organised by the hotel, which was cheaper and more convenient.

We recommend stopping at Antica Pasticceria del Convento (Via Vittorio Emanuele II 14), a pastry shop in the medieval fortress town of Erice; visiting Trapani, the old town, which is architecturally stunning with its quaint squares; taking a guided tour of a Marsala wine distillery; and not missing the windmills at Infersa salt pans.

Marion Burke, Cheshire

Fascinating as Siracusa's ancient ruins are, our lasting memory is of the Commonwealth World War Two cemetery, where young men who died in the 1943 landings lie under rows of white headstones in trimmed green grass. Sobering in the heat.

Cool Mom Picks - Azul Beach Hotel - Putting the word "vacation ...

Azul Beach Hotel - Putting the word "vacation" back into family vacation When my husband got his first vacation in about three years last month, we decided to leave the cold (yes, even Atlanta has been cold!) and head South. And then we remembered we had three kids under 4. Whoops.

We figured we'd be relegated to chasing them around all week long and turning in super early. But that was far from the case when we were invited to check out Azul Beach Hotel , an intimate inclusive gourmet resort located on the Riviera Maya in Cancun, Mexico.

At only about 20 minutes from the airport, it's a quick ride to what was truly heaven on earth. We were greeted with champagne for us and smoothies for the kids, then arrived to a room fully stocked with a crib, changing table and baby bath, and bottle warmer-- just to name a few amenities. In fact, my husband and I carried on all our luggage for the entire family; the only thing we had to purchase were some extra diaper wipes and a few diapers.

The three a la carte restaurants (Mexican, Asian, and International cuisine) catered to adult gourmet lovers and picky kiddos alike, and between meals, my kids chowed down on fresh fruit and smoothies at the Energy Bar. For an extra fee, we utilized the in-room babysitter for a couple of evenings and enjoyed dinner and more alone while the kids feasted on meals from the free 24-hour room service. Now that right there is genius.

During the day, our oldest spent most of her time at the kids' club with other kids 4 -12, and she couldn't have been happier. My toddler son enjoyed playing with the gaggles of other kids his age on the warm soft sandy beaches with beach toys and other equipment provided by the resort. And my husband and I took turns snoozing on the cozy beach beds with the baby after being fed tasty snacks and even tastier adult beverages (whoo!) by the beach butlers.

Make no mistake, the Azul Beach Hotel is not just family friendly, it's family focused. And any place that allows me to feel rested and refreshed after five days away with my kids is high on my list. In fact, we're already trying to plan our trip back. -Kristen

Get more info about the Azul Beach Hotel or book your trip through Karisma Hotels .