Jamie's Great Italian Escape

Marettimo (1x2)

: 26, 2005

Islands in the sun Golden sunshine, blue seas and fantastic views – no wonder Jamie couldn’t resist kicking off his shoes and relaxing on the beautiful island of Marettimo. As Jamie says: 'There’s something about island life which makes everything go slowly, softly – don’t rush, take your time and you get time to think.' This remote island, one of the Egadi isles off the coast of Sicily, had clearly worked its magic on the workaholic chef. Staking its claim in ancient history, Marettimo is believed to be the original Ithaca, location of Homer's Odysseus. Away from it all Today, lucky visitors can relax on the beaches and tiny coves or enjoy diving in the area, which is part of a marine reserve with a wide variety of sea life to discover. If you love walking, head inland to the mountains where you can climb up high for spectacular views over the Mediterranean. For culture fiends there are Roman ruins, a Spanish castle and a small temple which dates back to the 1st century AD. Many cruises stop off at Marettimo and visit Giovanni’s La Scaletti restaurant. But for independent travellers, it takes a little effort to arrive. The best way is on the hydrofoil from Trapani in Sicily, which stops at all the islands four times a day. There are direct flights to Palermo from Stansted. Or if that’s too much trouble, you can always charter your own helicopter to get there. But if you fancy an easier way to island life, there are plenty of other beautiful islands off the coast of Italy. Spoilt for choice Like Jamie, who started his tour there, you could visit Sicily – home of the Mafia, fantastic street markets and great beaches. For good old-fashioned glamour, why not go to Capri? Some of the scenes in The Talented Mr Ripley were filmed there. In the 1950s the island was one of the most exclusive in the world, a playground for the rich and famous. It still retains an air of glamour with many boutique hotels springing up along the rugged coast.