Modica with its ancient history in Sicily, Italy. Flickr:r0431977

4.5/5 (2 reviews)

Sicily - Syracuse, Noto Valley, and Baroque Villages Bike Tour

Italy Bike Tours

A journey on bike through southeast Sicily

  • Rich in culture, history and beautiful landscapes, Sicily, though part of Italy, seems a world apart. Conquered and influenced by one invader after another, it has emerged with a unique and distinct blended culture.

    Your week-long bike tour leads through eastern Sicily, an area of outstanding natural beauty with its nature reserves, crystal clear sea, and lush vegetation. Completely destroyed in the 1693 earthquake, the towns and cities were reconstructed in the understated elegance of the late Baroque style, characterized by soft ochre-colored houses and golden buildings, in contrast with the typical flamboyance of earlier Baroque. The interaction between the changing light of the day and the soft hues of the buildings and monuments is both magical and mesmerizing.

    At the end of your cycling days, reward yourself with the tastes of the ancients, the renowned Sicilian cuisine, and wine!

    Highlights:

    • The dramatic landscape of the Monti Iblei
    • Unesco listed Noto Valley
    • Inspiring Baroque villages such as Palazzolo Acreide, Modica, Noto, where time stands still
    • Pristine Vendicari Natural Oasis
    • Syracuse, an ancient Greek colony

    Check out all our bike tours in Italy.

  • Double/twin: $ 2051 £ 1015 $ 1,773 € 1110 $ 2094 kr 12513 $ 1,264 Single supplement: $ 296 £ 146 $ 256 € 160 $ 302 kr 1804 $ 182

    extra options

    Dinners included (5): $ 351 £ 174 $ 304 € 190 $ 358 kr 2142 $ 216 Electric bike: $ 296 £ 146 $ 256 € 160 $ 302 kr 1804 $ 182 Extra nights:

    Palazzolo Acreide
    Twin/double: $ 107 £ 53 $ 93 € 58 $ 109 kr 654 $ 66 Single: $ 148 £ 73 $ 128 € 80 $ 151 kr 902 $ 91

    Syracuse
    Twin/double: $ 131 £ 65 $ 113 € 71 $ 134 kr 800 $ 81 Single: $ 172 £ 85 $ 149 € 93 $ 175 kr 1048 $ 106

    During tour:
    Twin/double: $ 102 £ 50 $ 88 € 55 $ 104 kr 620 $ 63 Single: $ 142 £ 70 $ 123 € 77 $ 145 kr 868 $ 88

     

    please note

    Rates are per person based on double occupancy.

    A non-refundable admin fee of 20 Euros per person is included in the deposit amount.

    Information to read before you book.

    We recommend purchasing bike trip insurance.

    Please see our FAQ.

  • Travel

    Closest international airport to your tour start is Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), located 66 km from the center of Siracusa.

    Local Travel

    Arrival transfer is included in your tour price. You will be picked up at the airport and transferred to your first hotel. At the end of your tour if you are utilzing public transportation, you have several options.
    By bus:
    From Siracusa to Catania airport there is direct bus connections (company Interbus), there are departures every 2 hours between 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM (transfer time approx. 75 minutes, price about €6.50).
    By train + bus:
    From Siracusa to Catania train station there are direct train connections. There are about 5 trains per day (transfer time is approx. 70 minutes, price between €7-10) - from Catania train station to the airport, shuttle bus Alibus runs every 25 minutes from 5.00 AM to 12:00 AM (transfer 20 minutes, price about 4 €).

    Climate

    Please check local conditions before your arrival.The climate in Sicily, the Mediterranean’s largest island, is described as Mediterranean, with hot dry summers and mild, wet, winters. Therefore, the island can be considered a year round cycling destination. July and August are quite warm with the average high/low temperatures in July and August are: 92/65° F (33/18 ° C). A good website to research average high/low temperatures and average rainfall is weatherbase.com. Note the mild temperatures in February, March, April, May, October, November, and December.

    Remarks

    It is possible to add an extra night before, after, or within your itinerary.

    DOCUMENTS:

    Before you travel, please check your country's passport and visa requirements and the passport and visa requirements of the country/countries you plan to visit. For US citizens, the US Department of State website is a good source of information. The Country Information tab in the International Travel section provides details about passport validity, blank passport pages required, etc. For our other international clients, please be sure that you research your own country's travel requirements. It is each traveller's responsibility to insure proper documentation.

Where You’ll Stay

Based on availability, you will be accommodated in an eclectic mix of establishments, including 4 star, one hotel restructured from an old dormitory for railway workers, and a modern beachfront hotel.

What’s Included

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • Breakfast
  • Arrival airport transfer
  • Hybrid bike rental with aluminum frame and shock absorbing front fork, mud guards, rear rack, bottle cage, handlebar bell, and one pannier
  • Repair kit, two tubes, and one pump per booking
  • Combination lock
  • Bike
  • Hotline
  • Roadbook and map
  • Luggage transfer
  • GPS tracks

What’s Not Included

  • Lunches
  • Dinners (5 dinners can be booked for a supplement)
  • Departure airport transfer
  • Electric bike (Telaio frame with brushless Boasch 36 V, 250 W motor with four levels of assistance)
  • Travel Insurance

TourBike
TypeSelf Guided
SkillEasy–Moderate
Length8 days
From€1110 Rates
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Tour Dates

2020

Daily arrivals are possible. Best months to bike in Sicily are April, May, June, September, and October. 

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Palazzolo Acreide
Day 2: Palazzolo Acreide - Modica, 30 mi. (48 km)
Day 3: Modica - Pozzallo, 26 mi. (42 km)
Day 4: Pozzallo - Portopalo di Capopassero, 27 mi. (44 km)
Day 5: Portopalo - Marzamemi - Noto, 20 mi. (32 km)
Day 6: Noto - Syracuse, 34 mi. (55 km)
Day 7: Syracuse
Day 8: Departure

All distances are approximate. Route graphs are available.

Day 1: Palazzolo Acreide
Arrival transfer from the airport to your first hotel. You will have a tour introduction and briefing. 

Day 2: Palazzolo Acreide - Modica, 30 mi. (48 km)
Before setting off on your bike, be sure to admire the historical monuments and picturesque lanes in the medieval part of the town. The day's destination is Modica, one of the UNESCO listed Baroque towns. You will cycle a dramatic landscape of the Monti Iblei, or Hyblaean Mountains, characterized by gentle slopes and sharp valleys. In the central area, you will find forests laced with dry stone walls typical of south-eastern Sicily. The coastal area is characterized by terraced hills with Mediterranean vegetation, such as olives, citrus, and almonds. Accommodation in Modica, situated around a junction of steep valleys, with the oldest part of town, Modica Alta, on a ridge in between. 

Difference in elevation: 407 m

Day 3: Modica - Pozzallo, 26 mi. (42 km)
Before leaving the town of Modica, an amazing aristocratic village that rises on a cliff, you must taste the delicious spicy chocolate and visit the magnificent 18th century Church of San Giorgio. You will cycle downhill along a typical quarry of the Iblei, reaching the town of Scicli, another of the Unesco listed towns. The town sits in a gorge just a few miles from the long sandy beaches of Sampieri and Donnalucata and is overlooked by a towering rocky mass on which the Church of San Matteo sits. You will visit the center with the ample Piazza Italia, the monuments, and other impressive buildings. The day's destination is the port city of Pozzallo, historically important because of its proximity to Malta.  Pozzallo was central to one of the war’s defining moments: in 1943 Allied forces landed on the beaches around Pozzallo as part of Operation Huskey, the first step in the liberation of Europe. 

Difference in elevation: 147 m

Day 4: Pozzallo - Portopalo di Capopassero, 27 mi. (44 km)
Cycling on flat terrain, first on the agenda is Isola delle Correnti, the most remote point of the continent, between the Ionian sea and the Mediterranean, on the same latitude as Tunisi. This is a pleasant old fishing village, with pleasant beaches, coves, and spectacular seascapes.  On the way, you will have the chance to taste the wonderful “Vino D’Avola” in one of the many cellars. Accommodation in the area.

Difference in elevation: 121 m

Day 5: Portopalo - Marzamemi - Noto, 20 mi. (32 km)
You will cycle first on flat terrain, and then begin to climb as you head north, passing through the untouched and pristine Vendicari Natural Oasis, area of great scientific interest,  with an abundance and diversity of flora and fauna.  A highlight will be the beautiful seaside village of Marzamemi, with its picturesque Piazza Regina Margherita. This town is a colorful picture postcard. Multi-colored wooden boats, charming buildings, and fishermen's houses with sky blue doors, and windows with red potted geraniums, add splashes of colors throughout the meandering alleys and harbor! The route continues northward ending the day at the city of Noto, the capital of Baroque. Accommodation in Noto.

Difference in elevation: 151 m

Day 6: Noto - Syracuse, 34 mi. (55 km)
After having tasted the almond “granite” with the brioches, pride of the capital of the Baroque, as well as visit the many churches and palaces, you will cycle along the coast towards Siracusa, capital of the Magna Grecia. Syracuse was once the largest city in the ancient world, larger even than Athens and Corinth, and according to Cicero, “the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all”. It is true. Few cities rival the timeless beauty of Syracuse.

Difference in elevation: 91 m

Day 7: Syracuse
Today you will have all day to soak in all that is Syracuse. The Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, one of Sicily's greatest archaeological sites, where the Greek Theatre rises is a must-see. The islet of Ortigia is the historical heart of the city of Syracuse. Within its area of ​​one square kilometer, it is possible to admire the architectural beauties of different historical periods: from the first prehistoric settlements, through the numerous remains of ancient Greek Byzantine and Norman. Highlights:  Temple of Apollo, the Dome that is the outcome of successive transformations made to the grandiose temple of Athena, and the Fountain of Arethusa. 

Day 8: Syracuse
End of tour.

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Tour Reviews

  • Norbert G. 3 months ago     Verified Reviewer

    Good local staff!

     Reply

  • Maria Luiza L. 6 months ago     Verified Reviewer

    The cities of Noto, Syracuse, and Modica. The architecture, atmosphere, and food...

     Reply

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