Tour Etna & Taormina - Across the Land of the Myths

Overview
Itinerary
Services
Dates & Prices
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The history of Mt. Etna is not only that of the most active volcano in Europe, but it’s also the history of Eastern Sicily itself. A bike ride through the Sicilian hinterland, in the shade of mighty Etna and among extraordinary national parks, it’s a journey that shifts between history and mythology to the discovery of enchanting tiny villages and foregone flavours. This tour of medium difficulty will allow you to visit Taormina, the ‘pearl of the Ionian sea’, the mediaeval village of Randazzo, Castiglione di Sicilia, which lies on the Valley of Alcantara and the Baroque seaside town of Acireale. You will visit some of the most spectacular national parks of the island such as Mt. Etna national park, Alcantara national park and Forre Laviche del Simeto nature reserve. Our tours are designed for those who love to travel with some autonomy but also enjoy a range of services which will make our guests’ cycling holiday comfortable and unique.

Arrival in Nicolosi, bicycles and information material handover.
Using a public bus, you will reach Rifugio Sapienza (1900m), the starting point for organizing you trip up Mt. Etna. After your excursion you will ride down to Nicolosi along a scenic road which winds its way along 1200m of difference in level. In case of adverse weather conditions, you can opt for an excursion to the old town of Catania by public bus.
After leaving Nicolosi behind, you will be riding mostly downhill along quite secondary roads until you reach Forre Laviche del Simeto nature reserve. Here you can see and explore a very special kind of canyon carved by the Simeto river through an old lava flow. You can also see Ponte dei Saraceni, an old bridge dating back to the Roman era. Large pistachios groves preannounce the proximity to Bronte, a village at the foothills of the volcano, famous for its ‘green gold’. You will be staying at an old manor surrounded by pistachios groves.
Leaving Bronte behind you and by riding along a scenic secondary road that stretches North towards Parco dei Nebrodi, you will soon be arriving to Maniace, where you can visit Nelson Castle and the ex-Norman abbey of S. Maria di Maniace. Back on the same road as earlier, you will finally arrive in Randazzo, an interesting village of mediaeval origins.
Today’s itinerary, easier in terms of altitude, will take you along ‘Mt. Etna wine road’, where you will have the chance to visit several wine canteens. Do not miss the old town of Castiglione from which you can glance, in the distance, at your next stop, the Alcantara’s valley which separates Nebrodi’s mountain chains from the Peloritani’s. Your final destination will be Giardini Naxos, the first Greek colony in Sicily and it’s here that you can finally enjoy a refreshing dip in the Ionian Sea crystalline waters.
Only a few kilometres from Giardini Naxos you will find Taormina, ‘the pearl of the Ionian sea’, a town of great charm, nestled on a hilltop, that has attracted travellers, poets and writers for centuries. If you keep climbing up for a further 5km, you can also visit Castelmola, a pretty medieval hamlet with a breath-taking view of the splendid gulf below, of smoky Etna and of the Italian peninsula’s coastline. Back to Giardini Naxos.
This is a tranquil and relaxing ride that will lead you along a unique stretch of coastline named the Riviera dei Limoni for a very good reason. Here, at the foothills of Mt. Etna, you can immerse yourself in the intoxicating and wonderful smell of zagara, the lemon and orange flower from the many trees that abound in this area, and the unmistakable smell of the sea. Timpa’s climb, 2km long, preannounces the proximity to Acireale, a lovely town with an interesting historical centre in Baroque style. The itinerary ends in Acitrezza, also by the sea.
After breakfast, our services will come to an end. Individual departures.

Departure dates for individual tours:
Every Saturday from March to November 3rd, 2024. Departure on other weekdays is possible on request. Minimum 2 participants

Tour characteristics:
The route follows mainly less frequented secondary roads. Most of the parts are flat or lightly uphill sections, with a couple of more demanding ascents. This tour is suitable for all healthy persons with a minimum of bike practice.