The Italian island of Sicily is an extraordinary fusion of cultures and customs. Interest in Sicily as a travel destination, and specifically the charming hilltop town of Taormina, has spiked dramatically since HBO’s The White Lotus selected this long sought-after vacation destination known as the “Pearl of the Mediterranean” as the backdrop for Season 2 of its hugely popular satirical series.

Sicily, one of the 20 regions of Italy, is the largest and most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is situated just off the “toe” of Italy’s “boot.” Throughout history, Sicily has been at the crossroad of cultures, landscapes, cuisines and international powers, having been occupied by Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Goths, Byzantines, Arabs, French, Phoenicians, and Spanish, among others. On Sicily’s eastern edge is Mount Etna, one of Europe’s highest active volcanoes.

Perched on a rocky headland high above the sea, lies Taormina, Sicily’s legendary resort town that seems to have it all: incredible views over the coast, an occasionally very active volcano, perhaps the most romantic Greek-Roman theatre in the world, medieval buildings some meticulously restored and others handsomely decayed, hotel bars that seem to float above the trees, dozens of boutiques, gift and pastry shops, Michelin-starred restaurants and numerous outstanding traditional trattorias lined along the mostly pedestrian main thoroughfare, Corso Umberto. At its southerly end, the narrow road opens up into a beautiful checkerboard square called Piazza IX Apria (a.k.a. Taormina’s “living room”), which is surrounded by antique buildings, lovely churches and a fountain. Once there, you’ll more than likely rush over to the square’s perimeter to take in the spectacular view of the Bay of Naxos down below and the brooding Mount Etna looming on the horizon to the right.

In this month’s Travel Video share, entitled Sicily — Catania and Beyond, we invite you to enjoy a fabulous montage of aerial views of Sicily. While much of this film features the ancient port city of Catania, the real star of Sicily’s show is the is not-to-be-missed town of Taormina. And the hotel where Season 2 of The White Lotus took place is the famed San Domenico Palace in Taormina, now a Four Seasons Hotel. The drone footage for our featured video was captured by TimeLab pro and the film was edited and created by TravAlma, a Dutch video and audio production company. Music by Romi Kopelman and Angel Salazar.

Please enjoy!

The Avant Team