Sicily has long captured the imagination of travellers, with Mt Etna the towering guardian of a land that while being very much Italian is deep-rooted in its own identity. The influence of the Greeks dating to 734BC and then the Moors is still very much in evidence. Baking summer sun, glorious beaches and divine food and wine are the draw for the hordes that pass through Catania airport in the high season, but those perhaps seeking calmer pursuits in slighter cooler climes head to Etna country.