Stop flying to Milan or Rome - underrated Italian destination has £50 return flights

A travel lover insists that this beautiful spot in Italy is a must for your next weekend away abroad.

It is that time of year when European hotspots start and filled with sunshine, which might be enticing you to get away from your daily commitments at home with a trip abroad. While holidays can be very expensive, you can get some pretty good deals at this time of year.

Avoiding the most popular spots can help cut costs - and you may find hidden gems that no one you know has discovered. Ellie, who shares travel tips and holiday inspiration online, insists she has found "the perfect weekend destination a three hour flight away".

It comes after she visited Taormina in Sicily last summer and could not get over how amazing it was. Not only was she wowed by the beauty of the location, where there is also plenty to do, the best part was how cheap it was.

Sharing her experience via her account , Ellie said: "This is your sign to spend the weekend in Taormina, Sicily and enjoy 27°C sunshine in September. The perfect 3-night escape." She spent £50 in total on flights for the journey there and the return.

Ellie shared beauty shots of stunning restaurants, a quaint town, and incredible beaches. Taormina is home to its famous ancient Greek theatre and beautiful streets. It is the perfect spot for tourists looking for 'la dolce vita' in Sicily.

Ellie said: "This place has everything you would want in a little Italian break with views of Mount Etna, plenty of bars and restaurants, incredible food, so much to see and do and views over the Mediterranean. What more do you want in a weekend away."

Ellie added: "It's one of those places where everywhere you look is so cute, with so many little side streets, and what's even better, you can get a cable car down to the beach, you can grab a sun lounger and visit Isola Bella beach."

Isola Bella - which means 'beautiful island' - is a picturesque beach near to Taormia. You can relax on the beach and swim in the turquoise waters. Beach beds are available to rent. Tourists often enjoy taking a guided boat tour around the area, and going snorkelling.

Ellie, who stayed at the NH Collection, warns that while flights are cheap, accommodation can be pricey. She recommends booking where you want to stay as far in advance as possible to avoid steep prices.

Commenting on her video, one individual said: "Was literally just looking at trying to find somewhere for our 25th wedding anniversary. This looks perfect."

"Spent a week in this beautiful place with the hubby to celebrate 10 years married," shared another. "We stayed there some years ago, beautiful place, " said another. Another tourist dubbed it as their "favourite place".

How to get to Taormina

The best way to get to Taormina is to fly to Catania Fontanarossa 'Vincenzo Bellini' International Airport. It is the nearest and most convenient airport, just 55km from Taormina.

You can fly to the airport from London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Bristol.

A taxi ride from the airport to Taormina will take around one hour. You can also catch a bus which takes one hour and 20 minutes, or a train ride which takes one hour and 35 minutes.

It beats going long haul in terms of convenience - and is a lot more affordable too. We're definitely tempted!