Siciliy’s winding, hilly roads and sweeping landscapes offered the perfect pandemic tonic for our travel-deprived souls. Cyclomundo’s Sicilian Crossroads self-guided cycling tour tested our flat prairie terrain legs but enticed us each kilometre with the promise of the next charming town along the route.
We had planned to do this tour in May 2020. (Do I even need to write this next sentence?) We postponed it when virtually all travel shut down due to COVID. When pandemic life finally started to feel a bit more stable this past summer, we decided it was time to reactivate our deposit on this trip.
This cycling tour turned out to be the perfect solution to the challenges of pandemic travel. The tour was self-guided, so we weren’t around others, and we were outdoors virtually all day. October was also an optimal time to visit Sicily when temperatures are moderate, and tourist numbers are lower. With days and evenings hovering around the mid-twenties Celsius, dining on restaurant patios was a pleasure. Overall, it was easy to follow best practices for avoiding COVID infection.
How self-guided cycling tours work
We’ve taken several self-guided cycling tours, including one in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, the Andalucia region of Spain, Provance in France, and Puglia, Italy. They all operate similarly. You choose the route based on the tour company’s packages, and in most cases, you can also opt to create a customized itinerary if you prefer.
The tour company books accommodations for you and provides a bicycle rental. A guide/manager meets you at your starting destination to make sure the bikes fit and to review your route with you. You get a booklet outlining the tour that includes maps, as well as a programmed GPS unit that provides you with turn-by-turn directions. Cyclomundo tours always include breakfast (and sometimes a few other meals depending on the type of tour). Your guide is available to you if you run into any difficulties along the way. Each day, when you embark on your ride to the next destination, the tour company transports your luggage for you.
It’s pretty much a dream come true if you love the unique perspective of exploring a country from the seat of a bike as we do.
The Cyclomundo Sicilian Crossroads tour
The Cyclomundo Sicilian Crossroads tour is rated moderate to hard difficulty. For the most part, we thought the route was more on the moderate side other than day two, which had us peddling an elevation gain of 1,185 metres. My glutes were screaming a little that day.
Day 1 – Arrival in Piazza Armerina
The first day of the cycling tour involved arriving at its start in Piazza Armerina. We settled into our accommodation, the delightful Suite d’Autore (art hotel).
Apart from the unique room decor, this hotel had a lovely common area rooftop patio that we didn’t have enough time to lounge on. Instead, we opted to take a short taxi ride to the Villa Romana del Casale, which draws most visitors to this small town.
The Villa Romana Casale ruins were once the residence of a high-ranking government official and featured ridiculously intricate mosaic floors that illustrate various stories. The open-air site is perfect for safe strolling during COVID.
Dinner at the reasonably priced Trattoria Da Gianna restaurant gets the award for the best meal I had in Sicily. The homemade pasta with seafood was so fresh and delicious that I could not stop talking about it for the rest of the trip.
Day 2 – Piazza Armerina — Caltagirone 36 km/22 miles, 675 meters/2,115 ft of climbing
OK, time to work off the pasta, wine and gelato from the evening before with the start of our first day of cycling! Day two was a re-introduction to what it feels like to cycle up and down hills. Downhill, is of course, easier but comes with its challenges. I’m a bit of a high-speed scaredy-cat, so I tend to ride the brakes aggressively. Still, I managed to clock about 50k/hr at some points, which is quite a clip in my books.
What would you rather do after about four hours of cycling hills than climb 142 stairs? We did just that upon our arrival in Caltagirone because the Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte is what one of the oldest cities in Sicily is known for. Each step of this magnificent stairway is lined with colourful tile work, and when you reach the top, your reward is a spectacular view of the town below. Caltagirone is well known for its ceramics, and several shops alongside the staircase sell beautiful housewares and art.
Our accommodation in Caltagirone was a luxe B&B on the outskirts of town called La Collegiata. Thanks to it being shoulder season and less traffic due to the pandemic, we had the property to ourselves, which was amazing. The downside was its location outside of the town centre. The B&B proprietor generously offered to drive us into town and pick us up after a few hours of exploring. As lovely as this was, our preference is to stay in a central place so that we can come and go as we please.
Day 3 – Caltagirone — Palazzolo Acreide 68 km/42 miles,1,185 meters/3,890 ft of climbing
We started to get into the daily cycling groove on day three and were ready to take on our longest ride of the tour. Just to take the edge off of our enthusiasm, the sky threatened to rain most of the day. A note here about the weather forecasting in Sicily–it was rarely correct. Days forecasting rain turned out sunny most of the time, except for this day when it rained for about 30 minutes of our ride. The worst part about bad weather on a cycling tour is anticipating it. Once you’re wet, you’re wet.
Despite the moisture, this was a beautiful day’s ride that passed through a few charming villages and one of the oldest towns in Sicily, Vizzini.
Our destination for the night was Domus Hyblaea, a posh resort on the outskirts of Palazzolo Acreide. We were suitably pooped at the end of our ride, so we didn’t mind settling in our room without exploring much of the village. This resort is known for its fine dining and served the best steak tartar we’ve had.
Day 4 – Palazzolo Acreide — Ragusa 40 km/25 miles, 680 meters/2,330 ft of climbing
Cycling the 40 kilometres to Ragusa felt like an easy day after the close to 70 kilometres the previous day. We were eager to reach our destination, where we chose to stay an extra day to relax.
Approaching Ragusa, the houses and buildings appear from a distance to be clinging to the hillside. It’s terribly pretty, especially at night with the lights twinkling.
Our accommodation at the boutique hotel Giardino sul Duomo was comfortable, but we were disappointed in our lower-level room, which felt a little cramped and dark. We were there for two days, so we tried to secure a better room, but the place was entirely booked. The exceptional view from the grounds, the pool, and the lovely breakfast (extensive options) made up for the room.
Ragusa is a fabulous location that actually feels like two towns, which it kind of is. After the horrendous earthquake that destroyed a lot of Sicily in 1693, half of the citizens populating this region decided to rebuild in the area now known as Ragusa Superiore, and the other half rebuilt the lower town (Ragusa Ibla). The two sites eventually merged. Superiore has a more modern feel with many open spaces and broader streets. Most visitors are drawn to the lower part of town, which is dominated by the grand neo-classical cathedral Rosario Gagliardo.
Ragusa was a treat and the perfect spot to spend an extra day. It was here that we tried the oddly-named yet popular pasty St. Agatha’s Breasts, which has a fascinating backstory.
Day 5 – Ragusa — Ispica 58 km/36 miles, 775 meters/2,545 ft of climbing
If you’re going to have a flat tire on a cycling tour, you couldn’t ask for it to happen at a better time than at the start of the day before you’ve left for your next destination. On day five, when the hotel staff let us into the garage storing our bikes, we discovered that the front tire on my bike was a goner. This was the first time we had an equipment failure on a cycling trip. Armed with the supplied tool kit, replacement inner tube and a YouTube video for how-to guidance, we fixed the tire with no drama.
Off we went to Ispica. This region is known for its ancient cave dwellings, and one place we regret not visiting is Cava Ispica in Modica, which is along the way. This archeological park contains prehistoric necropolis, early Christian catacombs, cave churches and dwellings, monastic hermitages, and historic hamlets.
Our day’s final destination was Palazzo Gambuzza, a gated, rustic, renovated palace. Our room was spacious and comfortable, with a large dining room table and full kitchen. We decided to get take-out to enjoy the space and tried our first Sicilian pizza from a spot called La Bottega della Pizza. The owner convinced us to have the house specialty, made with a crust on top and bottom. It was interesting, overall tasty, but we prefer the traditional style.
Day 6 – Ispica — Noto 56 km/35 miles, 555 meters/1,815 ft of climbing
The Ispica to Noto portion of the tour offered a very different landscape—seaside views and cute little beach towns. We stopped in Marzamemi (too adorable for words) for a snack, a stroll, and a little boutique shopping.
En route, Steve had to take the opportunity to wade in the sea (and, hey, why take off your helmet and GoPro?). I’m sure folks thought we were bonkers (nope, just landlocked Canadians who don’t often see the sea).
This relatively easy ride placed us in Noto with a good amount of time to explore. This pleasant little town would be another ideal spot to spend a couple of days if you wanted to stretch out the tour. It’s jam-packed with interesting shops, many patios, and a spectacular cathedral, which featured a spectacular outdoor temporary exhibit by the provocative Polish artist Igor Mitoraj.
Our stay at Hotel La Dendenance was effortless. This classy hotel offers a complimentary sunset cocktail on the rooftop, which is a must-do. We also had a memorable meal on a patio tucked away on a side street at a restaurant called Retablo.
Day 7 – Noto — Syracuse 38 km/23 miles, 250 meters/810 ft of climbing
I can’t recall our ride from Noto to Syracuse because my instantaneous and deep love of Siracusa (Syracuse) seems to have obliterated my memories of the journey. It is THAT amazing. Cyclomundo had us staying at the Grande Albergo Alfeo hotel, which had very welcoming service and well-appointed rooms. The hotel is a short walk from where visitors want to spend every moment—Ortygia Island. This area of Siracusa has it all—ancient ruins (Temple of Appolo), grand piazzas, impossibly narrow streets lined with sweet little restaurant patios, beautiful shops, and breathtaking walkways along the sea that are perfect for strolling at sunset. Sigh. JUST beautiful.
We stayed in Siracusa for a week following the tour (on the island), and boy, was that a great decision. I’m not often sad to leave a place (there’s always more adventures to come), but I was teary-eyed when our time in Siracusa ended. If you take the Cyclomundo Sicilian Crossroads tour, you will not regret tacking on an extra day or two in this last stop.
Tips to consider if you take the Cyclomundo Sicilian Crossroads tour:
We flew from Winnipeg to Rome (via Montreal) and took two days to acclimatize before flying to Sicily. If you’re arriving from another time zone, we highly recommend taking at least two days’ rest before starting your tour. Peddling 4-5 hours on a bike while jetlagged would be brutal.
From Rome, we flew to Catania, Sicily’s second-largest city and the closest to our starting point in Piazza Armerina.
We inserted an extra day in Ragusa, which was a smart decision. Ragusa was worth a full day of exploring, and it gave us a little break to rejuvenate our legs.
I usually recommend picnic lunches rather than stopping at restaurants during the day. This trip was a little more challenging for doing that. Grocery stores are not plentiful, and the 1-4 p.m. daily shutdown of most places means the timing of a stop to eat is important. It would be great if the tour book indicated grocery stores or easy takeout spots the way it does for dine-in restaurants. Pack snacks in your bike bag!
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