Eastern Sicily: Cycling Baroque Cities and Magna Grecia

Highlights: Welcome to Sicily!

Individual arrival in Siracusa, followed by welcome meeting, bike fitting and the roadbook and maps handover.

Accommodation: Hotel Gargallo, Hotel Gutkowski, Ortigia Boutique Hotel, or similar.

Highlights: Syracuse, Palazzo Acreide

Leaving the bustle of Siracusa behind, your cycling holiday in Sicily begins. You will first gradually cycle up through a beautiful landscape: these quiet country roads take you past orange, lemon and olive groves. Then cycle through Solarino, where you can stop for a coffee before heading to Palazzolo. When the weather is clear, you can catch a glimpse of Siracusa and Mount Etna on your way, together with breathtaking panoramic views.

Daily distance: 53km (33 miles)
Elevation gain: +991m ( 3251ft)
Terrain type: Rolling Hills

Accommodation: Hotel Feudo Bauly, Agriturismo Il Melograno, or similar.

Highlights: Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa Ibla, Greek ruins at Akrai, the world famous chocolate of Modica, World Heritage towns of Palazzolo and Modica

Your ride today takes you first through the unique landscape of Monti Iblei; next, the stage stops in Ragusa Ibla, one of the most beautiful Sicilia Baroque towns, picturesquely located on a hilltop. Your final destination is Modica, famous throughout Sicily and Italy for its chocolate! Modica chocolate seems to be a residual treasure from the Aztec world brought to Modica by the Spanish in the 16th century. For some reason, Modica artisans picked up and preserved the craft of making traditional Aztec chocolate while that skill has disappeared everywhere else. So chocolate tasting should be on your list for this afternoon and tomorrow morning.

Short option: 56km (35 miles)
Long option: 60km (37 miles)
Elevation gain: +660 m (2165 feet); -1004 m (3294 ft)
Terrain type: Rolling Hills

Accommodation: Ferro Hotel, Hotel Le Magnolie, or similar.

Highlights: Scicli and bicycling along the coast

Before leaving Modica you might want to stock up on chocolate! There are something like twenty producers in town! The most famous flavors are the vanilla and cinnamon flavoured chocolates. Most unique is the chocolate with the hot peppers said to be derived from the Aztec chocolatiers in the 16th century. So be sure and pick some up for the road. Your route today takes you across the limestone plateau to Scicli and on to the coastal town of Pozzallo. Pozzallo has some of the best beaches in Sicily and is also a departure point for ferries to Malta.

Daily distance: 42 km (26 miles)
Elevation gain: + 342m (1122ft )
Terrain type: Rolling Hills

Accommodation: Hotel 1921, or similar.

Highlights: The southernmost point in Sicily, coastal rides, flamingos and wetlands, fishing villages

Take time to enjoy an extra morning coffee in the square of Palazzolo or return to the ruins of Akrai to enjoy the site of this ancient Greek colony. Over the centuries Palazzolo absorbed the influence of the Arabs, Normans, and the Spanish Baroque architecture in its 16th-18th century churches.
You'll reach the Southernmost point in Sicily today as you pedal along the coast from Pozzallo to Marzamemi. The British contingent of the allied invasion of Sicily occurred along this coast in July and August of 1943. Near Marzamemi you ride by the coastal marshes of Longarini and Cuba, important stopping points for pink flamingoes and herons among other waterfowl. At Capo Passero you can look North to the Ionian Sea and South to the broad Mediterranean Sea extending South to Libya and Southwest to Tunisia. Stop for a delicious seafood lunch along here. Your ride ends just north of Marzamemi on the San Lorenzo Beach.

Daily distance: 55 km (34 miles)
Elevation gain: +255m ( 837ft)
Terrain type: Mostly Flat 

Accommodation: Agriturismo Tenuta Arangio, Agriturismo La Vignazza, or similar.

Highlights: Coastal cycling and Noto, the "capital" of Italian baroque cities

Spend a little time on the beach today if you wish as we have a short and easy ride to Noto later this morning. We continue past more coastal marshes, including the natural reserve of Vendicari. Our destination is Noto, famous in Italy as one of the principal baroque towns of Italy. Noto harbors a number of baroque churches built by the Spanish after the 1693 earthquake (that destroyed something on the order of 45 towns and cities in Southeastern Sicily).

Daily mileage: 34km (21 miles)
Elevation gain: + 396 m (1299ft)
Terrain type: Rolling Hills

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Sofia, or similar.

Highlights: An easy ride along the coast; the ancient city of Syracuse

Today you have two options that will take you both to the capital of Magna Grecia and the famous Greek colonial town of Syracuse. Choose between cycling along the coast up North or pedaling through the inland to the panoramic point of the Cavagrande del Cassible gorge and then downhill to the coast.

Get an early start so you can take time to explore the archeological ruins of Neapolis with the large Greek theater. In the center of old Syracuse is the island of Ortygia where the Greek goddess Leto is said to have given birth to Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo.

Short option: Daily Distance: 41km (25 miles) - Elevation gain: +165 m (+541 ft) - Terrain type: Mostly Flat
Long option: Daily Distance: 59km (37 miles) - Elevation gain: +591 m (+1939  ft) - Terrain type: Rolling Hills

Accommodation: Hotel Gargallo, Hotel Gutkowski, Ortigia Boutique Hotel, or similar.

Highlights: Syracuse and the Greek ruins

The tour ends this morning after breakfast. Take more time to explore this beautiful city.
Thank you for coming with us. Buon viaggio!

PLEASE NOTE: The final itinerary, including hotels and/or activities described here, are subject to changes according to availability. 

We recommend flying into Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA)

From Catania Airport (CTA) to Siracusa

• By bus: The most convenient option is the Interbus service, which runs frequently from Catania Airport to Siracusa. The journey takes about 1h10 and stops at Siracusa’s bus terminal, near the city center.
• By train: Take the Alibus shuttle or a taxi/Uber from Catania Airport to Catania Centrale Station (15 min), then a regional train (Trenitalia) to Siracusa (1h15).

We recommend flying out from Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA)

From Siracusa to Catania Airport (CTA)

• By bus: The Interbus service runs frequently from Siracusa to Catania Airport, with a travel time of about 1h10.
• By train: Take a regional train from Siracusa to Catania Centrale (1h15), then the Alibus shuttle from the train station to the airport (15 min).

Final Arrival and Departure Instructions: Detailed pre-travel documents, including your actual hotel details (which may vary from those listed), as well as exact meeting time, will be sent via email before your departure.