Come the warm weather, Italians are very partial to an island. They’re especially fond of small ones, and if they come with crystal sea, a friendly buzz and proper Italian food, all the better. They have plenty of them to choose from. 

Immensely less famous than Greece’s offshore gems, Italy’s dozens of isole minori cater to wild campers and mega-yacht owners, to sandcastle constructors and to night owls. You just have to choose the right one.

In the Aeolian chain off Sicily’s north shore, Salina has a particularly wide appeal. Granted, if your yacht is longer than 50m you might not find a berth in the harbour of Santa Marina, the island’s gorgeously nautical main town. But if you’re happy to settle for an unusually lush outcrop (Salina is one of those rare Mediterranean islands with underground springs which never dry up) offering a wide choice of accommodation, excellent food, very fine wines and arguably the world’s best capers then Salina may just your idea of perfection.