The idyllic Italian town that’s just like Amalfi but MUCH cheaper – and with no tourists

I’m lying on the beach with an Aperol Spritz in one hand and an espresso in the other.

The pleasant tones of Italian couples surround me; they chain smoke while their skin turns a deep brown; Mine is pale and pink, held tightly under the shade of my umbrella.

The weather is hot, hot enough, and the sun is beating down as the temperature rises above 30 degrees; I turn the pages of my novel and enjoy the view of both the ocean and the mountains.

You’d be forgiven for thinking I’d visited places like the Amalfi coast or Capri, with their Italian flavors, sandy beaches, rolling hills and scorching sun that many Brits seek out in the summer months.

But I’m actually in the small town of Lascari on the island of Sicily, an hour’s drive from Palermo, in what feels like the middle of nowhere.

Desperately looking for a holiday getaway without hordes of tourists and exorbitant prices, my family decided to try an almost unheard of town in an already quiet and overgrown part of the island.

We don’t speak a word of Italian and it seems no one here speaks much English.

Perfect.

You’d be forgiven for thinking I’d visited places like the Amalfi coast or Capri, with their Italian flavors, sandy beaches, rolling hills and scorching sun that many Brits seek out in the summer months.

At night, the beach is a great spot to watch the sunset or drink a sunset cocktail

Lascari, a small commune located about 50 km east of Palermo, has only around 3,600 residents.

I didn’t meet (or even overhear) a single English person in the eight days I spent here. It’s become clear that this untouched gem is a holiday destination for a select few – just the casual Sicilians and some Italians, it seems, who choose it as their annual destination.

Unlike tourist hotspots like Amalfi and Naples, it is not overrun by international hotels; most accommodation here consists of Bed and Breakfasts or Airbnbs.

Although it doesn’t have as many restaurants and bars as its famous counterparts, it has plenty of authentic, homemade Italian cuisine, cheap cocktails and deep orange sunsets.

On our first night, we go to La Voce Del Mare, recommended by our Airbnb host.

When we arrived, we were initially underwhelmed – it looks like any old restaurant.

But we eat a quick humble pie as our waiter leads us into the backyard to our table.

The garden is picture perfect, adorned with fairy lights, like something out of a Vogue wedding. And don’t even get me started on the spaghetti aglio olio.

Even coffee for a simple espresso is cheap here, starting from €1.50 (£1.30)

Only 3,600 people live in Lascari, a small commune located about 50 kilometers east of Palermo

The sunsets here are unique; making them perfect for a glass of wine on an evening

By our third dinner at the restaurant, we had mastered the art of ordering the food, given that all eight of us would eat it.

It has become even more enjoyable considering its prices; With pizzas starting at €6 (£5.25), it’s at least half the price of some of the places I’ve eaten at in busier cities.

We also enjoy Da Piero on pizza – naturally. With plates starting from €6 (£5.25), pizza from €7 (£6.10) and wine from €3 (£2.60), it certainly won’t break the bank.

Local cocktail bar Chiana is the best place to have a drink at sunset. More Aperol please, this is Sicily after all.

A cocktail bar with a backyard feel, and with €5 (£4.30) Aperols, €7 (£6.10) Margaritas and Pina Coladas and a range of small plates from €8 (£7) above, Amalfi is much cheaper than destinations such as Naples, Florence and Palermo.

Even coffee is reasonably priced here, starting at €1.50 (£1.30) for a simple espresso.

I must admit, it’s quiet in here. If you’re looking for the hustle and bustle, this might not be for you.

But if you want to do what the Italians, or more specifically the Sicilians, do, this is a great place.

La Voce Del Mare’s fairy-light garden is perfect, straight out of a Vogue Magazine wedding

The restaurant’s spaghetti aglio olio is by far our favorite dish – deceptively simple

If you’re looking for a cultural fix, there are plenty of options nearby; The town’s small train station will connect you to important cities and towns such as Palermo and Cefalu.

I recommend staying away from the island’s overcrowded tourist towns like Taormina, but Cefalu is wonderful. A word of caution: the sea is gorgeous, but the beach gives a new meaning to the word ‘crowded’.

If you want to soak up the sun’s rays in a calm atmosphere, choose the beaches in and around Lascari – Spaggia Salinelle and Spaggia Gorgo Lungo.

But Cefalu’s old town is truly beautiful; A quintessential European city full of great restaurants, shops and historical sites.

No trip to Sicily would be complete without granita, which the island likens to gelato.

Do as the Sicilians do and pair it with a brioche. Deliziosa.