Compare Sicily Magnifica Tour by Tourissimo vs Hidden Sicily by Esplora

Day 1: Palermo

Terrain: Flat

Ride: 15 mi or 24 km

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Massimo Plaza (alternative Centrale Palace)

One of your guides will meet you at Palermo Airport for a late morning shuttle to your hotel in the city center where everyone will gather for an introduction over lunch at one of the famous open markets. In the afternoon, we will go for a short warm-up ride to test our bikes and to tune into vacation mode. Palermo is the cultural center of Sicily and is known for its architecture, which has just been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. You will get to appreciate this during a walking tour guided by Giuseppe Di Giorgio, a local friend of Beppe Salerno who co-designed the tour. The walk will end with an exclusive access to a noble palace where one of the most iconic scenes of Italian filmography was shot. Dinner will be at one of the best restaurants in town.

Day 2: Ficuzza

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Antica Stazione di Ficuzza

Terrain: Hilly

Ride: 25/46 mi or 40/73 km

Today we start our bike journey, leaving Palermo and traveling into an unexpected, rural Sicily. Orange, olive and almond trees are abundant in the fertile valleys as we transfer to Monreale. In Monreale we visit the Cathedral, also recognized by UNESCO, and considered the best expression of Norman architecture in Sicily. Monreale is situated on the slopes of Monte Caputo and the ride will afford breathtaking views of the valleys below as we descend. In the town of Piana degli Albanesi we’ll stop to taste the best cannoli in Sicily! Rolling, secondary roads take us to our accommodation near Corleone in the middle of the Sicilian countryside, an area characterized by cultivated fields and Mediterranean scrub. If you’ve read The Godfather by Mario Puzo or seen the blockbuster film of the same name by Francis Ford Coppola, you’ve heard of Corleone. The young Vito Corleone flees to the New World to become the respected man of honor that the Italian immigrants called Padrino (Godfather). After the movie, Sicily became synonymous with the Mafia and omerta, the code of silence.

Day 3: Menfi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Foresteria Planeta (alternative Relais Casina Miregia)

Terrain: Rolling

Ride: 51/66 mi or 81/105 km

Today’s panoramic morning ride involves a gradual descent and a short climb on the crest of the Sicani Mountain Regional Park. We stop and have a lecture on the history of mafia right in Corleone. Nowadays, we are seeing the rebirth of Corleone where the mob used to rule, thanks to the government and NGOs, and to the new generations believing in a legal alternative (such as tourism). Annalisa, from the Laboratorio della Legalita’ Association, will guide us through an eye-opening exhibit on mafia and its many facets. Upon leaving, a coffee at The Godfather bar is a possible stop. We continue on to Lake Arancio, a slice of paradise between Sambuca di Sicilia and Menfi. After crossing several sleepy villages, we will reach our wine tasting destination, the beautiful Ulmo Wine Estate owned by the Planeta family. The winery lies on the banks of the Lake Arancio in especially beautiful countryside and just a few meters from the 15th century farmhouse which has belonged to the family since then. We will take a tour of the winery and taste the local production, from international grapes such as chardonnay and syrah, to indigenous grapes such as grecanico and nero d’avola. Our hotel is just outside of Menfi. Planeta’s Foresteria is a romantic mix of rural luxury and Sicilian hospitality. Relax by the swimming pool and enjoy the view before a cooking class with a local chef. After the class you will own Planeta’s family recipes, from Sicilian-style pasta with sardines to caponata, from the superb timbale in Ricotta cheese crust to scabbardfish with herbs. 

Day 4: Menfi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Foresteria Planeta (alternative Relais Casina Miregia)

Terrain: Hilly

Ride: 53 mi or 85 km (shorter and longer options available)

Today’s loop ride takes us inland to the ghost town of Poggioreale. This town (and others) was almost destroyed and then abandoned in 1968 due to a violent earthquake. The ruins show a somehow sinister, yet fascinating pre-1968 Sicilian Village. The lush, fertile Belice River Valley is home to shepherds who proudly carry on their cheesemaking traditions (Slow food presidia), unwilling to settle for the comfort and opportunities of the coastal towns. What better way to enjoy the day than a picnic with fresh vegetables, crispy bread, and cheese sampling? Our host is Signor Giacinto of Poggioreale Antica. He will tell us about old Poggioreale and his dream of making it an open air museum. In the afternoon we meet Stefano, a young wine maker that with much pride and against all odds has started an interesting production and he is in the process of bringing back the indigenous grapes such as Catarratto (white) and Perricone (red). We will take a tour of the vineyard which is next to the old village of Montevago, also destroyed by the earthquake. The way back to Menfi is a rolling ride with very little traffic and some gorgeous photo opportunities. For dinner, we will transfer along the coast to Porto Palo for a seafood dinner at a restaurant that is known all over Sicily for its mouthwatering seafood dishes prepared with the daily catch such as mussels, sardines, octopus and lobster.

Day 5: Marsala

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Carmine Hotel

Terrain: Rolling

Ride: 51 mi or 83 km

After our breakfast "made in Sicily", following the Ciclovia of the Southern Coast we’ll arrive in Selinunte, one of the most impressive archeological sites of ancient Greece. In the 6th century it was a city with 100,000 inhabitants, and was one of the most powerful in the world. Today it impresses visitors with its striking waterfront setting. Leaving Selinunte we’ll pedal along golden, sandy beaches to reach Mazara del Vallo. It is not a touristy town, but a busy workaday port with the largest fishing fleet in Italy. We’ll have lunch here which will feature the best of the daily catch. There’s a strong north African influence in this town which can be seen in the labyrinth of streets called the Casbah. The eastern half of the island is almost completely flat and very easy to explore by bicycle. Continuing along the Southwest coast of Sicily we reach Marsala. Marsala is located at the westernmost part of Sicily and it is in the Italian history books for the docking of Garibaldi on May 11th 1860. Nowadays, Marsala is best known for its sweet dessert wines. We spend one night in Marsala, a town worth exploring and learning about.

Day 6: Favignana

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Relais Antiche Saline

Terrain: Boat and swim day

Ride: none

From Marsala we’ll sail to butterfly-shaped Favignana Island, the largest of the Egadi islands. We’ll learn about the Florio Museum, a former tuna processing plant, and the history of tuna fishing on the island, including the “mattanza,” the traditional ritual of trapping and killing tuna. After taking in the sights we’ll gather at the port and board a boat for a private tour. Around the coast tufa quarries are carved out of the crystal-clear waters. We’ll stop at protected coves to swim in clear, blue water and enjoy lunch on the boat. The rest of the day is open to enjoy the relaxed pace of island life, taking a stroll through the piazzas and small streets or maybe relaxing on the beach! We make our way back to the Sicilian coast via hydrofoil to reach our next hotel. We spend two nights in a Relais in the middle of saline, yet another spectacular setting hand-picked by Tourissimo tour designers.

Day 7: Nubia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Relais Antiche Saline

Terrain: Rolling with one long climb

Ride: 40/58 mi or 64/92 km

The province of Trapani is known for its coral, tuna fishing tradition, and wine. We will ride south through the peaceful landscape of saline, which are artificial ponds where salt, a very precious product traded in the Mediterranean since the Bronze Age, is still collected. Salt was a highly valued trade item to the point of being considered a form of currency. Dotted along the salt pans are tiny windmills that were used to grind salt. From there we’ll ride into a nature reserve and every turn in this network of secondary roads affords stunning views of the Egadi Islands to the West and Erice to the North. We then ride to the top of Mount Erice, at around 750 meters (2,460 ft) above sea level (but there is also a chairlift option). Our celebratory dinner will be in the magic setting of the Antiche Saline.

Day 8: Nubia

Meals: Breakfast

Terrain: Departure

Ride: None

After breakfast you will be transferred in private taxis to the Palermo airport according to your travel plans and flight schedule.

Day 1: Arrival in Catania and onward to Palazzolo Acreide

Evening meal and overnight in an agriturismo near Palazzolo Acreide.

Time permitting, there will be the chance to visit the town of Palazzolo Acreide on arrival.

Day 2: Pantalica and Noto Antica

Evening meal and overnight in the agriturismo.

After breakfast we travel to the valley of Pantalica – home to a fascinating necropolis with over 5000 tombs dating from the 13th to the 7th centuries BC. We explore the famous “Anaktaron” (the supposed house of the one-time ruler of Pantalica) and discuss how this had once been a perfect natural fortress.

We then travel to Noto Antica for a rustic picnic.

After lunch, there will be time to explore Noto Antica. Those who have already visited the Baroque town of Noto will be awed by the difference. In Arab times it was the provincial capital of the Val di Noto – or the whole of the South of Sicily – but was completely destroyed by the 1693 and today only ruins remain. Nevertheless, it is today one of the most suggestive sites in the whole of Sicily.

In the late afternoon we return to our agriturismo.

Day 3: Caltagirone, Morgantina

Evening meal and overnight in a small, comfortable hotel in Petralia Sottana.

We depart from the agriturismo and take a drive through the lush Sicilian countryside towards Vizzini. There will be time to stop at the old leather workers factory and also to see the house where the 19th century Sicilian writer Giovanni Verga was born.

After a short stop we continue to Caltagirone, where there is a chance to visit the fascinating ceramic museum before strolling to the fabulous staircase of Santa Maria del Monte.

We continue our journey to have lunch near Piazza Armerina. Assuming that guests will already have visited it on a previous occasion, on this journey, we do not stop at the Villa del Casale, but continue on to Morgantina – a Hellenic town set in the valley beneath Aidone with fabulous view towards Mount Etna.

After visiting Morgantina, we drive to the mountain village of Petralia Sottana in the Madonie.

Day 4: Petralia Soprana and Gangi

Evening meal and overnight in a small, comfortable hotel in Petralia Sottana.

We start the day with a visit to Petralia Soprana, the only town in Sicily to have the “Bandiera Arancione” of the Touring Club Italiano – the award for an exceptional town. It contains some beautiful churches and boasts some breathtaking views of the interior of Sicily. After a picnic lunch we drive a short distance to Gangi.

In 2014, Gangi was voted one of the “the most beautiful towns” in Italy. Built over the peak of a hill, it looks from the distance something akin to a carapace and, in the early Spring, usually with the backdrop of the snow-covered peak of Etna. It is surely one of the most unforgettable sights in Sicily.

Day 5: Mussomeli, Monte Cammarata

Evening meal and overnight in a country hotel above Santo Stefano Quisquina.

We begin the day with an hour or so’s drive to Mussomeli through fields of ripening wheat and spring flowers. In Mussomeli we visit the Castello Manfredonico and one of the most iconic castles in Sicily. The castle seems almost to grow from the rock on which it is perched.

We continue to Monte Cammarata where we have a picnic amidst a spectacular setting before visiting the monastery where Saint Rosalia is said to have lived and continuing on to our evening accommodation – a stunning location set high in the Sicani Mountains.

Day 6: Palazzo Adriano, Piana degli Albanesi

Evening meal and overnight in Scopello.

In the morning we move on to Palazzo Adriano, where much of the film Nuovo Cinema Paradiso was filmed. Albanian in origin, with its wide cobbled streets and expansive central Piazza, this small town still exhibits an untouched air and it is easy to see why Giuseppe Tornatore chose it as the set for his masterpiece. There will be a chance too to visit the small Cinema Paradiso museum.

Another short drive through some stunning scenery brings us to the Bourbon hunting lodge of Ficuzza. After lunch at the hunting lodge we continue on to Piana degli Albanesi, home to another thriving Albanian community which still maintains its strong traditions. After visiting the museum, we continue on to Scopello.

Day 7: Scopello and the Parco dello Zingaro

Evening meal and overnight in Scopello.

On our final day in Scopello, there is a chance to either relax by the pool, or else take a walk in the nature reserve of the Zingaro Park.

Day 8: Departure

Drive to Palermo in time for flights.