Sicily Bicycle Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Sicily
Your guides will pick you up in bustling Catania and shuttle you deep into the countryside to our first hotel. This converted monastery and farmhouse will be your home for the next two nights. Just down the street are the still-unexcavated remains of Noto Antica, a bustling medieval city destroyed by the mighty earthquake that rocked this corner of Sicily in 1693. Our first ride will take us out along this mountain plateau before following the scenic ridgeline down to the coastal plain below. The road offers stunning views out over the sea and provides for an evocative approach to Noto, our destination. The “modern” city of Noto was built after the 1693 earthquake when the survivors decided to rebuild their ruined town on a site closer to the coast. The rebuilding was done in the Baroque style of the time the main square in Noto is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful in the world. You can judge for yourself as we stop here for the best local granita before taking some time to explore the town. Hopping back on our bikes we will ride back up to the hotel past the ruins of Noto Antica. In the evening, the hotel’s highly-regarded chef will provide us with our first Sicilian dinner.

Meals: Light Lunch, Dinner
Destinations visited: Catania, Noto, Noto Antica
Accomplished: 35 km/ 21 miles

Day 2: Ride to the Sea
Wake up amidst the peace of the local countryside and enjoy the hotel’s thoughtfully-prepared breakfast buffet, featuring an array of local products. On the bikes we will ride back through the stone walls and carob trees of the Iblean plateau before beginning a winding descent to the coastal plateau. Here the landscape gives way to rolling hills, groves of lemon and orange trees, and one of Italy’s hottest new wine regions. The area here around Pachino is literally one of the hottest winegrowing regions in Italy and the native Nero d’Avolas produced here have seen great international popularity in the past years. We will stop to taste some of these “hot wines” at a cutting-edge local winery before continuing our ride to the sea. Our destination is Marzamemi, a gorgeous fishing village where we will stop for lunch. Enjoy fresh seafood pasta at a local trattoria where the old stones and bright blue sea glitter in the Sicilian sun. After lunch we will transfer you back to the hotel, or you can opt to ride back through Noto for an extra challenge.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Destinations visited: Noto
Accomplished: Standard option: 47 km/ 29 miles; Longer option: 83km/ 52 miles

Day 3: Baroque Ragusa
Say goodbye to Noto and set out through ever-greener pastures towards the Baroque treasure of Ragusa. This is a magical ride through the verdant Val di Noto. We’ll enjoy a stunning downhill past the prehistoric ruins of Castelluccio before climbing through the terraced olive groves and orchards of this peaceful landscape. We’ll stop along the way for lunch before making a final thrilling descent into the Irminio Valley where the new city of Ragusa spills over the edge of the cliff like an urban waterfall onto the old city of Ragusa Ibla below. After being almost completely destroyed by the 1693 earthquake, only the stubborn nobles opted to rebuild the city on the old site in the valley, while the more sensible business classes built on the safer, more accessible plateau above. The result is one of the more astounding cityscapes in the world. We will spend the night here in luxury at the heart of the new town in a converted palace. This is a great place to wander the streets, admire the imposing Baroque cathedral and chat with the locals. Tonight dinner is on your own. Our guides are happy to provide recommendations as Ragusa is home to some of Sicily’s most well-renowned restaurants.

Meals: Breakfast
Destinations visited: Val di Noto, Ragusa Ibla
Accomplished: 46 km/ 28 miles

Day 4: Journey Into the Iblei
Say goodbye to Ragusa as we cycle up the Irminio Valley into Sicily’s wild interior. Along the way we will pass the manmade lake of Santa Rosalia. Arriving in the sleepy town of Giarratana we will be deep in the heart of the Iblei Mountains. As the road leaves the valley we will climb up onto the high plateau to the precariously perched town of Monterosso Almo. We’ll stop here to sample some cannoli and catch up with the locals in the main square before continuing on our journey. The descent from Monterosso hugs the side of a winding valley that opens up below Vizzini, one of the Sicily’s best-kept secrets. Inhabited since prehistoric times, the town of Vizzini clings proudly to its narrow ridgeline. As we approach from the switchbacks below we will have plenty of time to admire the Baroque skyline of the town that produced one of Italy’s most beloved realist writers, Giovanni Verga. We’ll stop for lunch here at one of our favorite local restaurants. After lunch it is a short ride to our final hotel, a magnificently-restored castle deep in the heart of the Sicilian countryside.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Destinations visited: Giarratana, Monterosso Almo, Vizzini
Accomplished: 50 km/ 30 miles

Day 5: Gulfi Winery Visit
After a refreshing breakfast, save some room as our first stop along the ride is with a ricottaro, local ricotta producer, where we will see how the “roba genuina” (the real stuff) is made. Continuing on we will enjoy a long descent from the sleepy village of Licodia Eubea to Lake Dirillo in the valley below. Here the pastures and forests give way to the fertile land that once drew Greek colonists to this area thousands of years ago. Olives, fruit trees and vineyards still flourish in the soil here and we will sample the best of these products at the brand-new Gulfi winery (one of the island’s best) during a cutting-edge winetasting and lunch in which each course is paired with a different wine. The panoramic view from the tasting room is fantastic as you are surrounded by vineyards with mountains towering to the east and the fertiles plains of Comiso to the west. From here you can opt to continue riding the loop back to the hotel or call it a day and hop in the van. The ride home will take you through greenhouses and vineyards before the countryside gives way to the bare fields of wheat that made Sicily the breadbasket of the Mediterranean for centuries. Whether you stop for a coffee with the locals or opt for a pausa (afternoon nap), there are no bad choices.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Destinations visited: Licodia Eubea, Gulfi Winery
Accomplished: 63 km/ 38 miles

Day 6: Catania
If anyone is up for a final challenge, wake up early for a loop ride through the windmill-covered ridgelines around Vizzini. Of course, sleeping in is another great option. We will regroup in the late morning for your transfer to Catania airport.

Meals: Breakfast
Trip Total: 241 km/ 144 miles averaging 40-50 km/ 25-30 miles per day

Optional longer rides available each day. Hilly, villages on top of hills, vineyards