Cycling in sicily Baroque Tour

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Cycling in Sicily Baroque Tour – From Baroque cities to the capital of Magna Graecia: Cycling Tourism in Sicily in the Val di Noto passing through Marzamemi

Welcome to all cycling tourism enthusiasts in Sicily. This tour is an exciting journey through the history, art, and nature of Southeastern Sicily, where ancient traditions blend with the elegance of the Baroque and natural beauties merge with echoes of the past. This is the Val di Noto, a territory rich in architectural treasures and breathtaking landscapes that will leave you breathless. Our cycling tour will lead you through this fascinating corner of Sicily, offering an unforgettable experience among Baroque cities, fishing villages, and archaeological sites of great value. Val di Noto, Marzamemi, Vendicari, and Syracuse are the incredible stops on this journey.

Cycling in Sicily Baroque Tour – Discovering the Val di Noto by Bicycle

The Val di Noto is one of Sicily’s hidden gems, a region renowned for its extraordinary architectural and landscape beauty. Our cycling tour will allow you to explore this fascinating land, pedaling through the Iblei Mountains and visiting the charming Baroque cities of Palazzolo Acreide, Modica, Scicli, and Noto, not to mention the wonderful fishing village of Marzamemi. Each city has its unique charm, with cobbled streets, Baroque churches, and historic palaces that will transport you back in time.

Cycling in Sicily Baroque Tour – The Magnificence of Syracuse

The highlight of our tour is Syracuse, the ancient Greek colony and capital of Magna Graecia. Here you can admire the majestic remains of the ancient city, including the Greek Theater, the Ear of Dionysius, and the Island of Ortigia, the pulsating heart of the old town. Syracuse is a city rich in history and charm, with its narrow streets, picturesque squares, and cozy restaurants where you can taste delicious Sicilian cuisine.

Cycling in Sicily Baroque Tour – The Natural Wonders of the Coast

But our tour does not stop at the architectural and historical wonders of the Val di Noto. Along the coast, you will find a series of places of extraordinary natural beauty, such as the Vendicari Oasis, a protected natural reserve that is home to rich fauna and flora, the fishing village of Marzamemi, with its picturesque colourful houses and fishing boats gently swaying on the sea, the Island of Capo Passero, a paradise for nature lovers with its pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters, and the Island of Currents, a magical place where the Mediterranean meets the Ionian Sea.

A Tailor-Made Experience for You

Our cycling tours are designed for those who want to travel independently but also desire a range of services that make their cycling holiday comfortable and unique. With our knowledge of the territory and our many years of experience in the cycling tourism sector, we can create a tailor-made tour that fully meets your preferences and interests. Let us truly make your journey in Sicily “yours,” giving you an experience that will stay in your heart forever.

Click on the tabs to discover the tour itinerary, the services we offer, dates, prices, and the photo gallery, and for further information, do not hesitate to contact us.Do you love cycling tourism in Sicily and would like to visit the Baroque cities using road bikes? Click here!

Individual arrival at Palazzolo Acreide, handover of the bikes and the roadbook and maps with all the information you will need.
Before you start cycling today, we suggest visiting the historical Old Town of Palazzolo Acreide, with its many baroque building and the churches San Sebastiano and San Paolo, two wonderful examples of Sicilian Baroque. Then you will cycle through the beautiful territory of the Monti Iblei, a unique landscape, where rugged and wild areas alternate with pleasant green scenery, characterized by the typical stonewalls. The stage stops in Ragusa Ibla, one of the most beautiful baroque towns of the “Val di Noto”, picturesquely located on a hilltop, and ends in Modica, another baroque jewel of our tour. Do not miss to visit the church of San Giorgio.
Before you leave Modica you should taste the famous chocolate, e.g. spiced with hot chilli peppers. The recipe has been brought from the Aztecs by the Spaniards to Sicily. Cruising downhill through a beautiful Iblei canyon, you will arrive at Scicli, another city of the “Val di Noto” and well worth a stroll through the small alleys, before you continue down to the coast to Pozzallo with its long sandy beaches. The perfect opportunity to finish the stage with a refreshing bath in the sea.
This day the road will be completely flat. You will pass through some typical wetlands, the “Pantano Longarini” and “Pantano Cuba”, a popular stopover amongst the migratory birds on their trips between Africa and Europe. Cycling along the shore you will reach the southernmost point of Sicily, the island “Isola delle Correnti”, which lies on the same latitude as Tunis and marks the watershed between the Ionian and the Mediterranean Sea. Continuing through Portopalo di Capo Passero and Marzamemi, an ancient fishing village, you will finish your ride in San Lorenzo.
On a flat road heading north along the coast, you will reach the entrance of the nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary “Oasi di Vendicari”, a wonderful and uncontaminated coast full of interesting plants and migratory birds like flamingos and kingfishers. You will then continue to the inland, through vineyards to Noto. Noto is the capital of Sicilian Baroque with numerous magnificent palazzi and churches.
Today you have two options. Either following the coast further up north. Or a detour through the inland to the vista point of the Cavagrande del Cassible gorge and then a spectacular downhill with hairpins to the coast. Along the coast, you continue to Siracusa, the metropolis of ancient Greece, where you certainly will want to visit the stunning archaeological park with one of the biggest Greek theatres of the Magna Graecia. You should finish the day with a stroll through the picturesque historical centre, the Island Ortigia.
End of tour and individual departure or extension with additional days. We recommend visiting the fascinating Ortigia island, the historical and cultural centre of the city. The Old Town of Siracusa captivates immediately with more than 3000 years of history and archaeological evidence of practically all great civilizations of the Mediterranean. Also in Ortigia is the lively Fishmarket of Syracuse.

Path difficulty:
On day 6 it is possible to choose, according to one’s physical fitness, among two alternative paths, different from each other in length and slope steepness.

Tour description:
This tour is mostly on level roads but occasionally presents a few short legs uphill. For most of the tour, cyclists will ride on secondary roads, with reduced car traffic. We advise this tour to participants who are already familiar with cycling.