Inside Europe's answer to Rio de Janeiro with stunning beach - just three hours from UK

A small town in one of the hottest regions of Italy is considered by travel experts Europe's answer to Brazil's Rio de Janeiro.

Overlooking the calm waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, San Vito Lo Capo is in northwest Sicily, where temperatures are regularly in the late 30sC during the summer. 

Home to a few thousand people, San Vito Lo Capo offers a different landscape than many other seaside towns in southern Italy.

The long sandy coastline features clear water and beautiful bays. But what leads people to draw a comparison between this town and Rio is the stunning and imposing mountains behind it.

Just as Mount Monaco towers over the town, the famous Sugarloaf Mountain rises above the harbour of Rio, on a peninsula at the mouth of Guanabara Bay.

And while Rio is several hours away from the UK, San Vito can be reached with a three-hour flight from London.

The airport closest to this town is the Trapani-Birgi civil air hub, around a one-hour drive from the stunning beaches.

But holidaymakers can also reach San Vito from the airport in Palermo, Sicily's capital, which distances around one hour and 20 minutes from the town.

The 1.8-mile stretch of golden sand, often named one of Italy's best beaches, is the town's main attraction, but San Vito has more to offer.

Rock climbing is a particularly popular activity among people visiting the area, thanks to its long coastal cliff and several bolted climbing routes.

There are also many cultural sights in San Vito, including the Mangiapane Cave - an ancient settlement turned museum showing how people used to live inside this cave.