Sicicla

This tour is packed with natural, scenic and architectural charm and includes visits to the following places of interest: Palermo and its stunning coastlines – including the popular golden sandy Mondello beach, the Scopello “Tonnara” (tuna fishery) and bay – the Zingaro Nature Reserve; the archaeological site of Segesta; San Vito Lo Capo and its white beaches,; the Medieval Town of Erice, Trapani with its beautiful hidden treasures, the island of Favignana with its historic “Tonnara” and stunning cliffs and beaches, Trapani/Marsala Salterns, the island of Motya, Marsala and its famous wine cellars, Mazara del Vallo and its harbour, Selinunte with its archaeological sites and its wild, white beaches.

Points of Interest

• Palermo’s historical centre with Unesco Arab-Norman architecture
• Mondello
• Scopello
• Zingaro Nature Reserve
• San Vito Lo Capo
• Trapani Old Town
• Erice with its medieval hamlet
• Favignana Island
• Trapani and Paceco salterns
• Stagnone Salterns in Marsala and Motya Island
• Marsala: historic centre and wineries
• Mazara, with his kasbah, the “dancing satyr” and the fishing harbour
• Selinunte archaeological site

This is a mildly challenging bike tour from Palermo to Agrigento, going beyond the traditional tourist circuits and testing your endurance with hill and mountain climbs around rural Sicily. You will ride on back roads in the countryside, immersed in very evocative scenes and landscapes. You will discover ancient villages where you can admire historic architecture and meet truly traditional Sicilians, taste local dishes and products of the age-old Sicilian farming tradition (e.g. various types of organic cheeses, vegetables and locally-made olive oil) and sip local wines – in some cases directly from the producers.

Points of Interest

• Monuments from the Norman-Arab era in Palermo and Monreale – recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, including the Monreale Cathedral and Cloister, the cathedral of Palermo, the Norman Palace; the Zisa and the Admiral’s Church
• Piana degli Albanesi (Plain of the Albanians), a small town nestled in the hills surrounding Palermo where a small community of Albanian origin lives
• Forest of Ficuzza and Royal Hunting House of King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon
• Tagliavia Sanctuary
• Corleone, with its old town, its ancient alleys and its important testimonies of the “fight against the mafia” as well as the spectacular “Cascate delle Due Rocche” (Waterfalls of the Two Fortresses)
• Abandoned rural villages
• Palazzo Adriano – film set for the Oscar-winning film “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso” by G. Tornatore
• Teatro Andromeda, built in a scenic area with a circular stage and seating made from stone blocks that are arranged to represent the formation of the stars in the Andromeda Constellation
• Eremo di Santa Rosalia – a mystical place nestled in a forest, where the patron saint of Palermo is believed to have lived in a cave for several years
• Mussomeli and its scenic castle
• Montedoro Zolfara Museum
• Natural Zolfataras (volcanic sources)
• Historic centers of Grotte, Raffadali and Joppolo Giancaxio
• Favara Farm Cultural Park
• Agrigento and the valley of the Greek Temples

This bike tour gives you the chance to experience the hidden depths of Sicily: a multi-faceted land of contrasts. You will ride through a variety of both urban and natural landscapes, that wind along the seashore and through wheatfields, vineyards, woods, lakes, dams, rock faces, canyons, waterfalls, villages (often uninhabited) and urban centres with a unique charm. You will travel through coastal roads, along quiet country lanes free from traffic, on panoramic tracks and cycle routes surrounded by greenery, including some trails built on old railway lines. On this immersive experience you will uncover the truly rural side of Sicily, by tasting traditional Sicilian dishes made with organic produce and sipping fine wines – directly from the vineyards in which they are produced. Along the way you will have the chance to sample the traditional local produce of the land including a variety of cheeses, extra-virgin olive oil, exquisite regional pastries such as Sicilian sweet ricotta-filled ‘cassate’ and ‘cannoli’ – a treat for the palette and for the eyes. At every point of the tour will come across the welcoming and good-natured locals. You will enter the heart of Sicily and will return home with Sicily in your hearts.

Points of Interest

• Palermo’s historic centre with its Arab-Norman influences
• “Peppino Impastato” Museum of Memory
• Terrasini: Regional Sea Museum, Magaggiari beach, Cala Rossa
• Capo Rama Naturel Reserve
• Borgo Parrini
• Lake Poma
• Rural abandoned villages
• Ficuzza Wood and the Royal Stables
• Corleone with its alleys enriched in history
• Due Rocce Waterfalls (The Cascade of the two fortresses)
• Vineyards and wine cellars
• The Cathedral of Monreale and its Cloister

We’ve specially crafted this tour to provide both architectural and scenic charm. The tour comprises of visits to the following places of interest: Palermo and its stunning coastlines – including the popular golden sandy Mondello beach, the Scopello “Tonnara” (tuna fishery) and bay – the Zingaro Nature Reserve; the archaeological site of Segesta; the medieval Town of Erice, Trapani with its beautiful hidden treasures, the island of Favignana with its historic “Tonnara” and stunning cliffs and beaches, Trapani/Marsala Salterns, the island of Motya, Marsala and its famous wine cellars, Mazara del Vallo and its harbour, Selinunte with its archaeological sites and its wild, white beaches.

Points of Interest

• Palermo’s historical centre with Unesco Arab-Norman architecture
• Mondello
• Scopello
• Zingaro Regional Nature Reserve
• Trapani historical centre
• Erice with its medieval hamlet
• Favignana Island
• Trapani and Paceco Salterns
• Stagnone Salterns in Marsala and Motya Island
• Marsala centre and its historic wine cellars
• Mazara with its kasbah, the “dancing satyr” and the fishing harbour
• Selinunte archaeological site