A Taste of Sicily Cycling Tour

The largest island in the Mediterranean is arguably the most beautiful and certainly the most dense with history and humanity. Sicily's complex culture is matched only by its stunning natural beauty and the incredible, diverse landscape: rolling hills and valleys swathed in grapevines, miles of aquamarine coastline and a series of archipelagos that can be reached via a quick boat ride. We will pedal back in time to a colorful and enigmatic past that has never left the island.

With Tourissimo, you will see (and taste) the real Sicily. This seductive mediterranean island has lured conquerors and visitors for centuries. Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Normans have all contributed to the many layers of its vibrant culture. We’ll steep ourselves in the sights, scents and flavors of the western part of Sicily, an area less exploited by tourism. We’ll swim in pristine waters, sample the finest wines of the island at a local producer, and learn about the Greek heritage of Selinunte, a stunning waterfront village that is a UNESCO Archeological Site.

Sicily is a region renowned for its Baroque and Norman architecture, for its artistic importance (many poets, writers and intellectuals were born here), and of course, its excellent food! The cuisine in Sicily is different from the rest of Italy because of the various cultures it has been exposed to. In addition to its great wines, dinner in Sicily usually consists of vegetables (tomatoes, eggplants, artichokes), plenty of seafood, and yes, lots of pasta and olive oil. Its lemons, oranges, figs, almonds and apricots are among the best in the world.

In past decades Sicily has received attention for its organized crime, and the Mafia became a literary and Hollywood phenomenon. Unfortunately, for some that is all that Sicily is known for. True to the Tourissimo Experience brand promise, we will show you a different story. Without hiding the evidence of this history, we will learn the historical roots of it through the people who, with courage and pride, are winning the battle against organized crime.

Highlights
Palermo and its Arab-Norman architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Corleone
Selinunte ruins
Take a swim in the blue mediterranean waters
Saline (salt farms) near Trapani
The ghost towns of Gibellina and Poggioreale
A lesser-traveled, bucolic Sicily
Seafood and Slow Food dishes and specialties
Cooking demonstrations
Sicilian wine production
Overnight stay at a stunning countryside abbey