Taste of Sicily Bike Tour

DURATION

9 Day(s)

DAILY BIKING

22 to 47 miles

TRIP DIFFICULTY

3-Intermediate

STARTING FROM

$4295

SINGLES ADD FROM

$1,100

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Trip Overview

Sicily is known for spectacular biking, breathtaking scenery and delicious food and wine. Enjoy an added bonus of a special trip up Mt. Etna … plus see the seaside fishing villages, inviting beaches, historical buildings and Baroque architecture that make this region so famous. Included are opportunities to sample the wines, olive oils and unique chocolate — made just in this region of Italy from an ancient recipe. Your cycling will help you work up an appetite for the famous cuisine … as you tackle climbs and spin down unforgettable valleys. Or take a break and get a lift in the support van — it’s your choice.

Italy loves cyclists! Join us for this magnificent bike tour in the warm Sicilian sunshine with bilingual guides and fabulous meals. Bike in Sicily with us!

Itinerary

From start to finish, check out the route.

DAY 1 - Arrival Day

Catania | Hotel Palace Catania
Meet your leaders in the lobby of Hotel Palace Catania in the town of Catania at 3 p.m. Gather for a 3:30 p.m. walking tour followed by a celebratory welcome dinner together at 7:30 p.m.

DAY 2 - Mount Etna

Mount Etna | Domus Hyblaea in Palazzolo Acreide
After breakfast, you depart at 8:30 a.m. for Mt. Etna, the famous and beautiful volcano. You are guided on a special tour of the mountain by a local volcanologist. Take a scenic gondola ride for extraordinary views – and a jeep tour up to the crater of Etna, weather permitting. After your volcano adventure, we transfer you to Palazzolo Acreide where you enjoy dinner together with the group.

DAY 3 - Noto Antica & Ragusa

Distance: 37 miles | Terrain: Intermediate | Itria Palace in Ragusa
This morning, you are fitted your bike, then take a short test ride in Palazzolo Acreide and visit the beautiful Greek Theatre and San Sebastiano Basilica World Heritage site. Today’s ride takes you first to Noto Antica, where you can enjoy a stroll through the ruins and travel back to ancient times. The old city of Noto Antica was destroyed in the earthquake of 1693. Then continue on to see the Baroque buildings in the town of Ragusa. Take a walk to explore the oldest part of town, Ragusa Ibla. Be sure to see the St. John the Baptist Cathedral and marvel at its elaborate Baroque architecture and decoration.

DAY 4 - Castle & fishing village

Distance: 37 miles | Terrain: Intermediate | Borgo Hedone in Scicli
Your bike ride today takes you from Ragusa to Donnafugata where there’s a beautiful and stately castle — whose origins date from the 14th century. Then continue to the coast through the fishing village of Donnalucata. There’s an option for you to swim at an inviting beach. Then head to your hotel in Scicli to stay for two nights. Dinner is together tonight.

DAY 5 - Chocolate tasting

Distance: 32 miles | Terrain: Intermediate | Borgo Hedone in Scicli
You ride a lovely loop in the Valle di Noto, with its late-Baroque towns that are listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Visit the town of Modica, famous for its small artisanal chocolate shops, which create their wares with an ancient chocolate recipe using manual grinding — which gives the chocolate a unique grainy texture and aromatic flavor. The specialty, inspired by the original Aztec recipe for Xocolatl, was introduced in the County of Modica by the Spaniards, during the 1500s when they were in southern Italy. Enjoy a chocolate tasting together!

DAY 6 - Farmhouse & Wine Tasting

Distance: 27 miles |Terrain: Intermediate | La Corte del Sol in Noto
Your ride continues, introducing you to the many flavors of Sicily as you spin through the countryside and villages to the charming Baroque town of Noto, one of the many towns in this region rebuilt (in a new location) after the earthquake of 1693. You are welcomed with warm hospitality to stay for two nights in a refurbished 19th-century farmhouse. Tonight, have a wine tasting before dinner.

DAY 7 - Marzamemi Loop & Swimming

Distance: 47 miles |Terrain: Intermediate | La Corte del Sol in Noto
Today you bike through the fishing village of Marzamemi, known for its red tuna. You continue along the coastal road all the way to Capo Passero, the furthest southeastern point in Sicily. There are lots of swimming opportunities today. Bring your bathing suit along on the ride!

DAY 8 - Noto to Siracusa (Syracuse)

Distance: 22 miles | Terrain: Easy | Palazzo Salomone in Siracusa
You head to the famous town of Siracusa (Syracuse) today. Enjoy lunch together and take a boat ride over to Siracusa. This town has a wealth of ancient Greek ruins and the largest Greek theater from the 5th Century B.C. Your guided visit to the archeological park is included. Be sure to stroll around Ortigia, a small island connected to Siracusa with a bridge, as it is an iconic section of Siracusa.

DAY 9 - Departure Day

Your cycling, historical, and culinary adventure ends today! After breakfast, we depart around 9 a.m. to transport you back to Catania Airport. Grazie from Sicily!

Map

Dates & Pricing

Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). Single supplement for private room is listed at the top of this page. A deposit of $500 holds your reservation for most tours. For weekend tours, the deposit is $300.

Start	End	Cost	Availability
Oct 14, 2024	Oct 22, 2024	$4295.00	Available!	Reserve Reserve

What’s Included

8 nights’ lodging, 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 8 dinners with wine and water, all gratuities for accommodations and included meals. Guided visit to the archeological park in Siracusa (Syracuse), chocolate tasting, wine tasting, olive oil tasting, Mt Etna tour. We also include detailed maps and itineraries, experienced Italian guides, full van support, bicycle and helmet, transfer from Catania to Palazzolo Acreide at start and to Catania Airport at end. Airfare is not included.

Dates & Pricing

Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). Single supplement for private room is listed at the top of this page. A deposit of $500 holds your reservation for most tours. For weekend tours, the deposit is $300.

Start:	Oct 14, 2024
End:	Oct 22, 2024
Cost:	$4295.00
Availability:	Available!
	Reserve

What’s Included

Inns

Where you stay along the way.

Hotel Palace Catania

Located in the heart of the city, with a breathtaking view of Mount Etna from its large rooftop garden, this property represents an all-Sicilian idyll. It's a historic luxury hotel, faithfully restored to offer modern comfort and at the same time preserve its identity, UNA Esperienze Palace Catania is a tribute to Italian style.

Domus Hyblaea Resort

Domus Hyblaea Resort lies at the foot of the ancient Akrai (Palazzolo Acreide) in the heart of Val di Noto. You’ll be in a wonderful olive grove within a beautiful orchard where you can enjoy an authentic Sicilian experience. You can relax by tasting local specialties on natural terraces. Domus Hyblaea Resort is also an excellent starting point to visit the Baroque lands, from Siracusa to Noto, from Ragusa to Modica.

Borgo Hedone

This hotel is like an eighteenth-century village with 20 different and unique accommodations. Each showcases history ... but at the same time is modern and comfortable. It's a village where you can enjoy a garden and panoramic terraces with a hydromassage pool, a relaxation area in a cave, and a gym. But it also includes the ancient central building with its splendid halls, the library, indoor swimming pool, sauna and a cinema in a cave.

Itria Palace

Itria Palace is a hotel in Ragusa Ibla which, like a period painting, bears witness to a time that was ... preserving the atmosphere of an intact Sicilian noble palace. It's a perfect location in an evocative setting: on one side it overlooks the Hyblean Baroque and on the other the Mediterranean nature of the Santa Domenica Valley. This enchanting hotel is an ideal spot to experience the charm of the historic center of Ragusa Ibla.

Corte del Sole

This ancient nineteenth century farmhouse is constantly kissed by the sun and lies on the last hills of the Hyblean Plateau, overlooking the Vendicari Oasis with its golden beaches and crystal clear sea. It maintains true to its roots and cultural identity to guarantee hospitality and a family welcome during your trip to Sicily ... along with professionalism and experience to make your stay wonderful. The rooms, breakfasts, swimming pool, restaurant all speak of the Mediterranean. Welcome to Corte del Sole, a 4-star hotel in the heart of Val di Noto.

Palazzo Salomone

Nestled on a quiet street near the southern tip of Ortygia, the picturesque old quarter of Syracuse, stands the exclusive Luxury Suites Palazzo Salomone, fashioned from a 17th-century historic building with its typical white limestone façade.