Self-Guided Bicycle Tours in Italy: Eastern Sicily: from Baroque Cities to the Capital of Magna Grecia Tour Itinerary

The Facts | Full Itinerary | Interactive Map

Day 1: Arrive in Palazzolo Acreide

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Highlights: Fit bikes and take a warm-up ride as time allows
Arrive in Palazzolo Acreide today to begin your tour. We fit bicycles and will provide you with your orientation materials for your tour. You can test your bicycles on a short ride to the ruins of the ancient Greek site of Akrai, just outside of Palazzolo. The small Greek theater is a beautiful remnant of this Greek colony founded in 664 BC by the Greek colony of Syracuse.

Day 2: Bicycle from Palazzolo Acreide to Modica

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Highlights: Greek ruins at Akrai, the world famous chocolate of Modica, World Heritage towns of Palazzolo and Modica
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. Your ride to day takes you to 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. Daily mileage: 50 Km (31 miles).

Day 3: Bicycle from Modica to Scicli and Pozzallo

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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 mileage: 36 or 48 km (23 or 30 miles) depending on your choice for today.

Day 4: Bicycle the coast from Pozzallo to Marzamemi

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Highlights: The southernmost point in Sicily, coastal rides, flamingos and wetlands, fishing villages
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. Distance: 58 km (36 miles)

Day 5: Bicycle from Marzamemi to Noto

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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: 40 km. (25 miles) depending on your choice for today.

Day 6: Bicycle from Noto to Syracuse

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Highlights: An easy ride along the coast; the ancient city of Syracuse
An easy coastal ride again takes us to the capital of Magna Grecia and the famous Greek colonial town of Syracuse. 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. Daily mileage: 35 or 50 km (22 or 31 miles) depending on your choice for today.

Day 7: Tour ends today

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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.