SICILY- The golden columns of the majestic Doric Temple, built more than 2,400 years ago to honour the goddess Concordia, stand basking in the sun on this perfect June day. A few hundred metres away stands another equally impressive structure that dates back to Greek times.

In fact, in the Valley of the Temples, you’re surrounded by Greek artefacts. It’s as if we’ve been parachuted into the heart of ancient Greece.

Discovering the temples just outside the city of Agrigento was just one of the many splendid surprises on our tour of Sicily, the romantic island that sits at the toe of boot-shaped Italy and whose own history dates back to the 11th century BC.

Wanting to explore Sicily on our own terms, my husband and I rented a car at the Palermo airport and began our drive around the perimeter of this enchanting island, the largest in the Mediterranean.

Above: The idyllic countryside of Sicily is truly special.

Before hitting the coast, though, we had to first navigate our way through the wild streets of Palermo — with a sticky stick shift. Nothing prepares you for the traffic chaos in Sicilian cities like Palermo or Catania, whose kamikaze-like drivers think nothing of overtaking you on blind corners, blasting their horns for no apparent reason, or zooming into intersections with barely inches to spare before coming to a screeching halt.

So, we were happy to see the island’s open roads, which take us past lush vineyards, fields teeming with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and grain, colourful towns where quaint inns and restaurants encourage us to pull over and sample some of the local cuisine.

Remembering that Sicily is known as the “bread basket of Italy,” we expect some memorable dining experiences and are never disappointed.

Owing to its strategic location between Europe and Africa, Sicily was tramped across by half the ancient civilized world and its cuisine retains hints of its invaders: Greeks, Romans, Spanish, French and Arabs.

The Greeks brought wine, the Romans pasta, the Spanish chocolate and the French arrived with their sophisticated chefs. But the Arabs had the greatest impact on Sicilian cuisine; they introduced spices and showed the locals how to enhance their dishes, a tradition that continues today.

Above: Narrow city streets, old men and historic churches highlight Sicily.

Sicily is blessed with some of the most fertile soil in Italy, thanks to the eruptions and lava flows of Mount Etna. Add the subtropical climate and surrounding seas and it’s no wonder that the island has an abundance of exceptional fruits, vegetables and seafood.

With food comes wine and according to legend, Bacchus was the god who brought wine to Sicily, but until the 1960s, the only Sicilian wine worth a second sip was the sweet Marsala. Now, however, innovative winemakers are turning out world-class offerings. The elegant, refreshing, white Grillo, and the hearty red Nero d’Avola are our favourites.

On the fourth day of our drive, we round a corner and there, dominating the horizon, stands majestic Mount Etna. Rising 3,300 metres above sea level, the mountain covers a staggering 1,200 square kilometres.

Etna is in an almost permanent state of eruption and smoke billows constantly from its main crater — the plume serving as a weather vane for residents of the nearby city of Catania, who sometimes must resort to umbrellas to keep ash off their Ferragamo loafers.

But Etna is quiet this day, and the drive to Rifugio Sapienza, 1,400 metres below the summit, takes half an hour.

The twisting road is bordered by immense lava fields that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Above: A visit to Sicily would not be complete without a market stop.

Unexpected clumps of bright wildflowers dot the landscape and the drive is quite breathtaking.

When we reach Rifugio Sapienza, we leave our car and take a cable car and a 4-wheel-drive minibus that deliver us as close to the crater as any person is allowed.

The sheer power of the mountain is overwhelming, as are the spectacular views of Catania and the azure Mediterranean below. Amazingly, in spite of the obvious dangers, people still live and work on this volatile mountain, which last erupted in 2001.

We spend our last day on Sicily at Taormina, the romantic seaside resort that was made famous as a vacation spot for Hollywood stars in the 1940s and ’50s. (Many still come to the annual summer film festival). Taormina can get very hot (and very crowded) in the high summer, but in June the weather is very pleasant.

In the early evening, we meander up Corso Umberto, the picturesque main street lined with designer shops, in search of a good restaurant. We come upon Ristorante Cinque Archi and a waiter escorts us to a balcony table overlooking the street.

Below, a three-piece band and a visiting opera singer from Istanbul serenade passersby with Italian love songs. We can’t resist and dance as the sun dips below the mountains.

Ah, Sicily. That’s amore.