To a Canadian in February, Sicily is a wonderland of sun and warmth. Syracusa is special, and this place is on the doorstep of the most special part of all, the magical island of Ortigia. By all means drive onto the island, but stay at Giorgio's and walk from there.

In some ways it isn't perfect. We weren't told where to take the garbage out to, so after a week there was a lot accumulated in the front hall. There were no instructions how to use a local pay phone, so we couldn't call the owners to ask. The kitchen could have used a good knife for cutting veggies. But all that pales compared to the luxury of a deep bath.

We arrived on a Friday and the next morning we plunged into the fresh food street market only two short blocks away, where the fish being sold was caught that morning. This is a place with a lot of charm, and very worth the experience.