BlueBay

Mazzarò is Taormina’s beach — a bay of clear water with Isola Bella, a tiny islet joined to the shore by a strip of pebbles, at its southern end. A cable car runs from here up to the town in a few minutes, which means you can swim in the morning and still be in the Teatro Antico by evening without driving. This is a one-bedroom for two with a terrace, air conditioning, a washer and a workspace. At $120 a night it is one of the better-priced stays in our Sicilian list for a location this good, and it is sized honestly for a couple.