· I am a single female and I too wanted to go to see Sicily. I went with the ramblers and had the time of my life travelling round the isle. It was good to have the company of other people for sightseeing and walking in the more remote parts, and much safer as Sicilian thieves are cunning. Italian language would be useful - that is if you do not want to stay all the time in tourist places such as Taormina. Agrigento is a must!

Anna Piet

· I have travelled extensively in Sicilly and the southern Mediteranean/North Africa, both on my own and with female companions. As a woman in my mid 20's I've not found Sicily to be any more of a problem than other countries in the area.

Obviously some basic common sense is required such as being aware of your surroundings and being careful where you walk at night. Most decent hotels are quite willing to provide advice on places to avoid.

One thing I've found that does attract unwanted attention is exposed legs when wearing shorts in the hotter times of the year. Instead, I always wear longish cotton skirts. Not only does this mostly resolve the problem but they are very comfortable to travel in and if purchased locally can make great souveniers too. Shorts are also frowned upon in some churches and religious sites.
Samantha Walker

· Learn a smattering of the lanaguage, meet and talk freely with people you are never alone when you travel on your own.

Depends what you are going for, but two safety tips for travelling as a solo woman in southern europe: try to get in a train carriage with a nun. They are usually good company, and you won't get any unwanted male attention. Take a shapeless as you can bear black dress and headscarf, and you can blend in wherever you go (a highlight for me when wearing this get up and hiking across the peloponnese alone was hitching a lift on sister LBW (little black widow)'s donkey.
Julia Collins

· Three years ago I went to Sicily on my own and stayed with Andrew Brownfoot and his wife Margaret who run painting courses.

I was collected at the airport and taken straight to a restaurant to meet Sicilian friends of theirs. They looked after me really well, took me to see many of the historical sites, and kept me entertained with good food, wine and conversation, I felt completely at ease.

You do not have to do any painting as Andrew is happy to take non-painters on tours of churches and museums while the others paint. He is a brilliant artist himself and used to be a theatre costume painter and designer and has many wonderful stories he can tell of when he and Margaret lived and worked in England.

They can be contacted at Contrada Fontanclic, Castelvetrano. Sicily, TP 91022. Tel/Fax 0039 0924 44583 or Mobile. 0039 033986995026
Denise Barnes