Contact us for more info about Sicily 13 Day Lifestyle Tour

We don't currently have scheduled dates for this tour, however please let us know you're interested and when you'd like to go and we will endeavour to provide you with a tour to meet your needs.

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    Sicily 13 Day Lifestyle Tour

    from $8735 NZD

    Contact us for more info about Sicily 13 Day Lifestyle Tour

    We don't currently have scheduled dates for this tour, however please let us know you're interested and when you'd like to go and we will endeavour to provide you with a tour to meet your needs.

      [recaptcha]

      13 Days
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      • Availability Guide:
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      • Closed or too close to departure (Call Us for options)

      Sicily is the most southern region in Italy and thanks to its strategic position in the Mediterranean, has always been a land of conquests. Greeks, Romans, Byzantine, Arabs and Normans are just some of the ancient civilizations that have influenced the history, buildings, culture and traditions of this special island. On the West Coast we’ll see African and Arab influences, we’ll admire the Baroques beauty in mid Sicily, and on the East Coast we’ll discover Etna’s volcano, the stunning and historical city of Taormina as well as Alcantara’s Valley.

      During this 13 day lifestyle tour, we’ll immerse ourselves in Sicily’s unique culture and history, which will be a delight for both e-bikers and food lovers alike.

      Our accommodation will be charming hotels in just four different locations (Palermo, Trapani, Noto and Taormina), allowing us to properly discover some of the most beautiful places on the island.

      You can choose to ride, join an optional cooking class, explore the town at your leisure or just relax by the pool (or the beach in some locations).

      • E-bikers: up to 8 guided rides (40km to 80km)
      • Food lovers: up to 4 (optional) cooking classes
      • Mix and match: choose the rides and/or cooking classes you prefer

      Palermo to Catania

      Palermo
      • Lifestyle
      • Grade
      • Group size: max 16
      • EUR 1350 single room surcharge (subject to change)
      • EUR 550 e-bike hire
      • Road bike hire on request
      • This tour is invoiced in EURO
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      jordan



      Fitness and Preparation

      Grade 1 - Easy Tours

      Easy tours are specifically designed to allow you to experience a new activity and culture in a relaxed environment. If you’re after a peaceful holiday with a light introductory focus on one or more activities then easy tours are a great option. Routes chosen will be easy and often ridden entirely at your own pace, suitable for families.

      Fitness required

      A low level of fitness is required, exercising at least once a week prior to the tour.

      Full Itinerary

      DAY 1

      Arrival in Palermo

      No cycling

      Welcome to Sicily. Please make your own way to the Bastione Spasimo Boutique Hotel in Palermo. The rest of the day is yours, so take some time to explore and admire the beauty of this Sicilian capital as we leave tomorrow. You may like to visit some of the city’s most famous attractions, such as the Politeama Theatre, the Massimino Theatre, the Ballarò market, the archaeological museum, and Monte Pellegrino with the shrine of Santa Rosalia. Tonight we’ll get together at a local restaurant and ready ourselves for our first bike ride.

      Meals: No meals

      DAY 2

      Palermo to Trapani

      Cycling 40-68 km, 900 climbing metres

      Our day starts with a 65 km transfer to Castellammare del Golfo, an attractive seaside town with an historic little fishing port. The town is located in a small bay on a pretty stretch of the Sicilian coast. Now on our bikes, we’ll leave the Gulf of Castellammare behind and cycle to the bay of Scopello, made famous by the Ocean's 11 movie. Its also known for being one of the gateways to the Zingaro Oriented Nature Reserve. Then, we head inland for about 20 km before reaching the westernmost coast of Sicily. After passing tuna fisheries and fortification towers, we arrive in Trapani, a fishing and port city with a rich history. We’ll see the salt pans of the Trapani and Paceco Nature Reserve and visit the Salt Museum to learn about the "white gold" that has driven the local economy for hundreds of years. The city also has a beautiful historic centre with elegant bars, restaurants and shops, all located within amazing architecture. Our home for the next 3 nights is the Baglio Sorìa Resort, a 17th-century building located just a few kilometres from Trapani. Built on a hillside, it overlooks the enchanting agricultural landscapes below.

      Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

      DAY 3

      Trapani: Favignana Island loop

      Cycling 45 km

      A few nautical miles from Trapani, in the archipelago of the Egadi Islands, is Favignana, the “butterfly of the Mediterranean”. Visited by over 10,000 bicycles a year, both traditional and pedal assisted, this small island is the most bike friendly in the whole of the Mediterranean. After breakfast its a 10km ride to Trapani’s port, from where we take the ferry to Favignana. During our 25km cycle tour around the island we’ll pass numerous wilderness areas as well as pristine beaches where we can stop for a swim. After lunch we’ll take the return ferry to Trapani and cycle back to our hotel.

      Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

      DAY 4

      Trapani: Erice loop

      Cycling 43 km, 780 climbing metres

      A short and enchanting return ride to Erice is in store for us this morning. Perched on a mountain, Erice is described as one of Italy’s most beautiful villages. At an altitude of 700m above sea level, it overlooks Trapani and the Egadi Islands. Although Erice was founded by the Phoenicians, it developed a structure much more like Greek towns. After being destroyed by the Carthaginians, it later regained its beauty thanks first to the Arabs and then to the Normans. We’ll visit the town, taste one of the famous genovesi (a typical sweet of Erice) and witness the view from the Castle of Venus, before cycling back to the hotel. One of the optional cooking classes offered by our Resort awaits us this afternoon.

      Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

      DAY 5

      Trapani to Noto (Transfer day)

      No cycling

      Today we’ll pass through the middle of Sicily during our 4.5 hour transfer from the West Coast to beautiful Noto, considered to be the island’s Baroque capital. Completely destroyed by the terrible earthquake of 1693, Noto was rebuilt on a new site, about 10 km from the old centre. It’s now a showcase of massive churches and public buildings with stylish architectural details. Many of these are located on the main thoroughfare of Corso Vittorio Emanuele including the public gardens, Monastero del Santissimo Salvatore with its graceful tower, the inspired Palazzo Ducrezio, the cathedral, the Church of San Francesco, the Jesuit Church and College, and Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata. As are so many other places on the island, Noto is not only an open-air museum, but also an area where local delicacies are produced. Situated on the slopes of the Iblei Mountains overlooking Noto, is Baglio Genovesi, our charming accommodation for the next 3 nights. Relax on the large terrace and admire the views below.

      Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

      DAY 6

      Noto: round trip via Modica & Palazzolo Acreide

      Cycling 40-75 km, 1,050 climbing metres

      After a 35 km transfer to Modica, we'll ride through the quiet and lazy Sicilian countryside with its rolling hills and typical dry-stoned walls. First we arrive at Giarratana, a tiny village famous for the production of a particular variety of onion. Then we continue through remote farmland on a panoramic road to the charming town of Palazzolo Acreide which combines opulent Baroque architecture, several archaeological ruins and a sophisticated gastronomic scene that belies its small-town stature. We’ll spend some time here before cycling back to Noto.

      Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

      DAY 7

      Noto: Loop ride

      Cycling 40-60 km, 950 climbing metres

      This morning we’ll return by bus to Palazzolo Acreide for our amazing loop ride inside the park of the Anapo valley where we’ll witness Sicily’s interior wilderness and pass through little villages such as Cassaro and Ferla. As we again approach Palazzolo Acreide, we'll veer off and ride back towards the coast, on a road with plenty of switchbacks. This afternoon you probably won’t want to miss this fabulous (optional) cooking class at the farmhouse of Fabio and Annarella. After a quick farm tour where you’ll see how they grow all their produce, learn how to make traditional Sicilian dishes from scratch.

      Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

      DAY 8

      Noto to Taormina (transfer via Syracuse)

      No cycling

      If you are looking to go back in time to when the ancient Greeks ruled the world, Syracuse is undoubtedly the city where to begin your journey as more than 2,700 years of art and history are concentrated in this extraordinary city. When the Greeks landed here in the 8th century BC, they established their colony on the small but strategically important island of Ortigia which became the central core of Syracuse. Over the centuries its buildings have been influenced by the styles of the time, not only by the ancient Greeks, but also by the Romans, Arabs and Normans. These days the distinctive and vibrant island of Ortigia is popular with tourists. As well as many shops, there is the well-known food market selling fish, cheese, fruit, vegetables as well as other Sicilian delicacies. After our stop in Syracuse, we’ll continue our transfer to Taormina, another beauty of ancient Greece. Spectacularly perched on the side of a mountain, Taormina is a chic resort town and popular tourist destination. It has beautifully restored medieval buildings, amazing views around every corner and a giddy network of winding streets strewn with shops, bars and restaurants. In Taormina on Sicily’s beautiful coastline we’ll check in at ANAHOTELS Capotaormina, an elegant retreat which will be our home for the next 5 nights.

      Meals: Breakfast

      DAY 9

      Taormina: Godfather’s loop ride

      Cycling 40-65 km, 1,250 climbing metres

      Today’s ride is a mix of coastline and inland hills on mostly narrow and quiet country roads. As we explore this spectacular and lush region we can stop for a cappuccino at the famous and quaint Bar Vitelli in Savoca, straight from Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Godfather’ movie. After we’ve rested our legs, its a thrilling and winding descent back to the coastline and then on to our hotel.

      Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch

      DAY 10

      Taormina: free day

      No cycling

      You have a full day to explore at your leisure. We definitely recommend a visit to the Taormina Theatre, from where you have great views both to the sea and Mount Etna. Or you may like to spend some time at the beach (Isola Bella beach is recommended), thanks to the cable car that connects the upper part of Taormina with the coast. This afternoon there will be an optional cooking class. Professional chefs will teach you how to prepare one of the most famous Sicilian desserts in the world - the cannolo!

      Meals: Breakfast

      DAY 11

      Taormina: Northern Etna loop

      Cycling 40-80 km, 1,860 climbing metres

      The long-awaited day has arrived as we take on the highest active volcano in Europe. After a short stretch of coastline, we begin the long climb up to Linguaglossa. Following that, the main climb has an average gradient of around 5%, although there are a few steeper sections. The last 3 km to Piano Provenzana is the hardest with the gradient above 10%. Etna's northern slope shows evidence of the volcano's last major eruption in 2002 and during our ride, we’ll see how powerful nature can be. We’ll also notice how the landscape will change from a fir tree forest to one best described as lunar, with volcanic rocks and black sand. After an exhilarating descent we’ll return to the hotel for some well-deserved relaxation. Later this afternoon you may like to participate in an optional cooking class to learn various recipes for preparing a typical Sicilian meal.

      Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch

      DAY 12

      Taormina: Etna’s Vineyards

      Cycling 40-76 km, 1,100 climbing metres

      In the van we’ll transfer to Linguaglossa before riding along Quota Mille road on the northern Etna slopes. Then we’ll head to Maletto, the highest town in the Etna circle at 1,000m above sea level, before descending to Randazzo, a small village built with black lava stone and consequently known as “black city”. Here, in this fertile area we’ll find many vineyards where a lot of wine is produced. As we continue cycling we’ll reach the Alcantara valley, famous for its gorges, a basalt canyon created by watercourses and lava flow. The rolling terrain finally leads us back to the hotel.

      Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch

      DAY 13

      Taormina to Catania (departure)

      No cycling

      Our fascinating tour of Sicily finishes after breakfast with a group transfer to Catania Airport.

      Meals: Breakfast

      Tour Inclusions and Exclusions:

      Tour Includes:

      • 12 nights in 3* and 4* boutique hotels
      • All breakfasts, 8 picnic lunches (riding days), 6 dinners
      • Support van & driver/guide
      • Additional cycling guide subject to group size
      • Bus for transfer days
      • Group transfer: Taormina to Catania Airport (day 13)
      • Return ferry to Favignana Island
      • Local city taxes
      • GPS routes provided
      • Luggage transfers
      • Drinking water during bike rides

      Tour Excludes:

      • Flights, airport taxes, passport & visa expenses
      • Meals not listed in the itinerary
      • Bike hire (extra cost)
      • Single room surcharge
      • Transfer: Palermo Airport to Palermo (day 1)
      • Optional 4 cooking classes (~€60-€120 pp per class)
      • Travel insurance (compulsory)
      • Optional sightseeing & entrance fees
      • Pre and post tour nights
      • Personal expenses & drinks
      • Tips for guides and drivers