Italy E-Bike Tour: Biking through Baroque Sicily

Day 1: Our tour begins in the seaside city of Syracuse, famous for its magical sunsets, sublime Baroque architecture, and ancient Greek ruins, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll begin our tour with a guided walking tour of Ortigia, the tiny island where the Temple of Apollo was first built in the 6^th century BC. We’ll get further acquainted at our first group dinner. 0 miles. 

Day 2: In 1693, an earthquake demolished much of southeast Sicily. Rebuilding the region known as the Val di Noto has meant that today, we have eight towns (including our destination of Noto) that glorify Sicily’s 17^th-century Baroque style and have deservedly earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The Baroque movement is known for its drama, grandeur, and elaborate detail in art, music, and architecture.

Today’s cycling route introduces us to this area’s unique aesthetic, resplendent with golden-hued stone, lavish carvings, grandiose facades, and expansive town squares. We’ll break midday for a light lunch and wine tasting. You’ll have time to explore Noto’s Baroque charm and charisma in the evening as you savor dinner on your own. 37 miles ±1486’.

Day 3: As we continue our Baroque bike journey through Val di Noto, our next stop is Ragusa. After the 1693 earthquake, the aristocracy rebuilt the city’s original footprint, known as Ragusa Ibla, while just about everyone else moved to higher ground to the Ragusa Superiore. This social divide created two separate cities, which did not merge until the 1920s.

We’ll focus our time in Ibla, whose narrow, winding streets and cobblestone alleys connect a plethora of Baroque churches, cathedrals, and palaces. But before we get there, we’ll nourish ourselves with a light lunch and tasting of Ragusano, a stretched-curd cheese whose flavor varies from sweet to spicy depending on its age. 32 miles ±3117’.

Day 4: Today we pedal to nearby Modica, a small city celebrated for two things: churches and chocolate. Many of its 100 churches are built into the surrounding steep hillsides. The chocolate, meanwhile, borrows its unique grainy texture from the Aztec cold-press method brought to Modica via the Spanish. Lunch will include a tasting before we head back to Ragusa Ibla for the night. 37 miles ±2959’.

Day 5: Our final cycling day in Val di Noto promises to be both delightful and delicious. The route passes through Giarrantana before arriving in Palazzolo Acreide. Both towns boast ancient Greek sites and grandiose Baroque structures of jaw-dropping beauty. We’ll overnight at a masseria, a walled farm estate built by wealthy landowners in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, where saffron is harvested from delicate purple crocuses. The menu at our communal supper will offer several opportunities to savor this precious spice. 25 miles ±2835'.

Day 6: Today’s ride is by far the most challenging, but the rewards are worth it. After shuttling to Nicolosi, we’ll begin pedaling to Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest and most active volcano. We’ll spend the next two nights in Taormina, where we’ll  have a perfect view of Etna, as well as the Ionian Sea. A stroll along the Corso Umberto, Taormino’s pedestrian thoroughfare, promises inspiring options for dinner, shopping, and people watching. 23 miles ±3937’.

Day 7: Our last pedal will take us along fertile vineyards and fields to the charming medieval village of Randazzo. It’s dubbed the “Black City” because of the lava stone that defines its architecture.

From there it’s a gentle downhill to the Alcantara Gorges, where basalt columns emerged 8,000 years ago after Etna’s hot lava was quickly cooled and crystalized by the chilling waters of the Alcantara River. Who could ask for a more refreshing finale to our Sicilian cycling adventure? 

We will shuttle back to Taormina for a jubilant end-of-tour meal. 29 miles ±1148’.

Day 8: After breakfast, we’ll shuttle to the Catania airport, arriving by 10:00am. We’ll say our goodbyes and begin our voyage home. Buon viaggio! 0 miles.