Eastern Sicily bike way

From Catania starts first step of our tour traveling to nord, for about 60 km, the sunny east cost of Sicily. First location you cross is Aci Castello; the name of this fishermen’s village derives from the Norman castle built on the top of a basalt rock jutting into the sea. At a few km you cross Acitrezza, a picturesque fishing village that was the setting for Giovanni Verga’s novel I Malavoglia. Acitrezza is also known for I Faraglioni that represents the big lava stones hurled by Polifemo against Ulisse in the mithologic history.
The trip continues to Taormina, situated at the bottom of Monte Lauro, tha you climb riding for about 30 minutes; Greek teathre, set in a spectacular position, is one of the most famous sicilian monuments in the world. Form Taormina you came back for a few kms, strarting the climb to Piedimonte Etneo, a peculiar country on the unique “Strada dei Vini” itinerary.

Duration approximately: 05:25
Distance: 72.2 km
Uphill difference in height: 1,050 m
Altitude difference downhill: 710 m

From Piedimonte you’ll cross Linguaglossa, the largest village on the northeastern slopes of Etna; its name derives from a 17th century lava flow that was called lingua glossa (big tongue). From Linguaglossa starts the climb to Mareneve street, set about 1000 mt above the sea level, and cutting old Lava flow you arrive in Randazzo. It’s the town closest to the crater of mount Etna, built of lava stone but it has never been inundated with lava. Continuing the trip to first destination, near Bronte, you’ll enjoy the beautiful and unique landscape of Etna North and Nebrodi Mountains.

Duration approximately: 03:36
Distance: 41,2 km
Uphill difference in height: 960 m
Altitude difference downhill: 340 m

You leave again to Bronte enjoing Etna north view; Bronte is well known for pistachios’s production and it’s situated on a terraced lava slope. You descend throught pistachios farmlands to Ponte dei Saraceni, a civil contruction of Middle Age. You cross the river heading towards Centuripe, important Greek-Roman little town known as “the balcony of Sicily” because the wide views.
A long descent and flat roads will lead you to Ramacca, an important farming centre known for carciofo violetto plantation (violet artichoke), distributed in the whole world.

We greet Ramacca traveling for about 25 kms direction to Caltagirone. Built between Iblei and Erei mountains it’s the Ceramic town; the Scalinata of S. Maria del monte, with its 142 step staircase clad in ceramic, is worth the visit. We continue the trip to Grammichele, the city with esagonal plant, arriving after a total of about 5 hours at Vizzini, situated on Iblei hills where is located Cunziria, an eighteenth century village known because Giovanni Verga imagined the final match about the Cavalleria Rusticana novel.

Duration approximately: 04:58
Distance: 68,3 km
Uphill difference in height: 960 m
Altitude difference downhill: 660 m

From Vizzini you enjoy riding to Monterosso Almo, a little country built on Iblei mountains that you circumnavigate at the base, throught an off road trail of about 3 km.

You move to Giarratana where you can admire the Basilica Sant’ Antonio in baroque style, continuing in the same direction, trought Santa Rosalia lake, you’ll be in Ibla, historical centre of Ragusa with churches and building in perfect baroque style, as San Giorgio Cathedral.

The trip goes throught other baroque style countries as Modica, also well known about its special chocolate, and Scicli that you leave to traverse the last 25 kms to Pozzallo, an important turistic location, with maritim vocation, on the south coast of the island.

Duration approximately: 06:06
Distance: 89,1 km
Uphill difference in height: 1.090 m
Altitude difference downhill: 1.660 m

From Pozzallo you start riding to West side, direction to charming sailor village of Marzamemi, grew up around a tuna fishery and the residence of the noble Villadorata family, who are still the proprietors of the local tonnara.

Your trip continues moving to Vendicari Natural Reserve, and arriving to Noto, a magnificient baroque architecture town with beautiful buildings and churches of VIII century.

From Noto you’ll go throught the beautiful wild Gelsomineto beach, to finish the tour in Ortigia, Siracusa’s historical centre.

Duration approximately: 06:04
Distance: 89,5 km
Uphill difference in height: 590 m
Altitude difference downhill: 590 m

Last trip starts visiting Ortigia’s historical centre. You have the opportunity to admire Apollo Temple, the most ancient sicilian greek temple of VI siecle a.c., Duomo Place, an immense theatrical space free of traffic and its beautiful Cathedral which is the most important church of Siracusa, in rococò and baroque style.

Leaving to north the trip will cross the Natural Reserve of Saline di Priolo and the Natural Reserve “Foce del Simeto”. Riding along the Playa coast you will arrive to historical centre of Catania. The city boasts many fine baroque buildings: Town hall, the Cathedral dedicated to the city’s patron saint (Agata) and Porta Uzeda, Palazzo Biscari, Bellini Theatre and Amenano fountain which is the focal point of a colourful fish market, named Pescheria, wich occupies the nearby streets and small squares every morning. At the centre of Piazza Duomo is the Fontana dell’Elefante, a fountain sculpted in 1736; on the pedestal there is an elefant made of lava, became the city’s symbol.

Duration approximately: 06:28
Distance: 94,9 km
Uphill difference in height: 520 m
Altitude difference downhill: 510 m