Just as schools closed in Pennsylvania and Maryland, we packed our bags and headed for our European vacation — in Sicily. We were 13 in all, ranging in age from 10 to 75 as we boarded our plane, landing eight hours later in Catania.

None of us had ever been to Sicily, the land of Archimedes, ancient Greek and Roman ruins and cannoli. What we knew about the place we had learned from the second season of White Lotus, and, not surprising, from Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, Part I, II and III.

The recent eruption of Mt. Etna only made the region more alluring, implying danger. The ancient island floating in the Mediterranean between Europe and Africa had been occupied by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Moors, the Bourbons …. You get the idea.

Every one of these conquering groups had left their mark not only on the land itself but also on the language, the food and the look of the place. Ancient ruins preceding the birth of Christ remind travelers that Corinthian, ionic, and doric columns existed long before they held up the portico of the U.S. Capitol.

Sicily is basically carved from stone. My grandsons woke early to run through the elevations of Siracusa and Taormina, before plunging into the blue Mediterranean off a craggy beach. The island is where Odysseus and his crew sailed and encountered the cyclops, a story they had read in school.

The shops and boutiques lining the winding streets of those cities beckoned my granddaughters inside where they captured the latest fashions on their cellphones to inspire them when they’d later sit in front of their own sewing machines at home.

At an open-air market, fish mongers hawked their fresh catch, olives tempted tasters, and local wines sparked the initial interest that would later be indulged at two wineries close to Mt. Etna. In Sicily, eggplant reigns supreme and nuts flavor every recipe.

When we ordered homemade gnocchi for dinner one night, we were surprised to see each serving crowned with hazelnuts. Pistachio flavored every dessert, from pastries to granita, a cross between ice cream and ice.

After our shopping spree, off we went to a huge salon and kitchen where, after donning aprons imprinted with a map of Sicily, every one of us learned how to make arancini, a magical concoction of risotto, ground beef, veggies and cheese rolled into a ball and deep fried.

There are no words to describe a ballet performance at the Teatro Antico di Taormina, an outdoor amphitheater. The churches and cathedrals remain intact despite the fact that many of them were built upon Greek and Roman temples.

The Catholic Church remains a major force in Sicily. Santa Lucia is lauded as the patron saint of Siracusa and Ortygia and along with her cousin St. Agatha, both martyrs are revered.

As I helped my youngest grandson pack for our return trip back to the U.S., two black rocks fell out of one of his pockets. It took me a minute to realize that he was taking a piece of Mt. Etna back with him. I was just taking my memories.