Overview
Palermo, Metropolitan City of Palermo, Sicily, Italy Go on a fantastic tour to explore the stunning Sicily, home of the Valley of Temples, Etna, thousands of Baroque churches, and enchanting villages made of white stones! This tour brings myriads of colors, packed with spectacular sea panoramas and coastal roads, roaming from the oldest civilizations among the archaeological sites of the Magna Graecia to the most recent historical testimonies. Italy on Motorbike will introduce you to the extraordinary reality of the most peculiar island in Italy. An unparalleled journey through unique fragrances, flavors, and panoramas is waiting for you.
Highlights
- Starts and ends in Palermo
- Climb to the majestic Etna and Madonie mountains
- Enjoy the Magna Graecia to Agrigento’s mystical Valley of the Temples
- Ride in the tracks of the historic “Targa Florio” and “Mille Miglia” motor race
- Bound for Val di Noto and its UNESCO-listed late-baroque towns
- Discover Zingaro Reserve and San Vito Lo Capo
- 8 nights' accommodation
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Palermo
Today is the individual arrival of all participants in Palermo. Italy on Motorbike recommends you to have a stroll through the lanes of the historical town center to visit the Palatine Chapel, the royal palace, and so much more. They suggest dedicating Palermo at least one day before or after the tour for a self-contained visit.
Day 2: Palermo to Marsala, 210 kilometers / 130 miles
At 09:00, you will leave Palermo for a great start of your tour through the beauties of Sicily. You will start heading for Monreale and its splendid Duomo cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, you will continue along the scenic route above the sea to visit the archeological remains of the charming Temple of Segesta and descend towards the sea and the historic tuna fishery in Scopello. From there, you will begin the discovery of the Zingaro Reserve and San Vito Lo Capo, then continue towards Trapani with its salt marshes and finally towards the splendid Marsala where you will stop for
Day 3: Marsala to Agrigento, 240 kilometers / 149 miles
You will leave the sea behind you, breeze through olive groves and vineyards en-route to the Belice valley with the surreal ghost town landscape of Poggioreale, and dive into the world of “Cinema Paradiso”, the best foreign film at the 1990 Oscars, and “Malena”. The last leg of this day brings you back to the sea and straight into the Magna Graecia to Agrigento’s mystical Valley of the Temples, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you will spend the night.
Day 4: Agrigento to Ibla, 210 kilometers / 130 miles
Again, you will face many curves towards the inland. You will visit the Villa Romana del Casale, an early fourth-century villa and UNESCO site with huge, exceptionally well-preserved mosaics. Then, you hit the road again, bound for Val di Noto and its fine UNESCO-listed late-baroque towns. Although all these centers had existed since the Middle Ages, they were rebuilt to suit late 17th-century tenets of architecture, decoration, and urban design after a catastrophic earthquake reduced them to rubble in 1693. Producing works of art, buildings, churches, and late baroque monuments of great beaut
Day 5: Ibla to Siracusa, 170 kilometers / 106 miles
This day is dedicated to the late baroque between cozy villages symbol of this fascinating island, a day with fewer kilometers but with so much to see. You will begin with UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Modica and Noto and finish with Siracusa and the beautiful island Ortigia, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. On top of all this, you can also pay a visit to the fascinating necropolis and / or among the ponds of the Cavagrande area. Your overnight stay is in Siracusa.
Day 6: Siracusa to Etna, 200 kilometers / 124 miles
A few kilometers on the motorway will allow you to quickly reach the area that you want to explore today, that is of the spectacular Etna. So, you will continue your tour with a visit in the historical center of Catania to then dedicate yourself to the unique sight of the majestic Etna, a UNESCO World Heritage which is, with its 3,340 meters above sea level, the highest active volcano of the Eurasian plate. It is on the slopes that you will stop for the night.
Day 7: Etna to Cefalù, 260 kilometers / 162 miles
You will spend the day through some of the most enchanting villages of Italy, between the sea and the mountain, exploring the natural park of the Nebrodi mounts which is the biggest in Sicily straddling the Ionian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, savoring many exquisite turns. You will then have a bite of the road which has characterized the known race “Targa Florio” before reaching another pearl of Sicily, the beautiful Cefalù, where you will stop for the night.
Day 8: Cefalù to Palermo, 200 kilometers / 124 miles
Get ready for some more serious riding in the mountains and by the sea. You will be motoring up and down through the Madonie mountains up to 1,600 meters in the tracks of the historic “Targa Florio” and “Mille Miglia” motor race before reaching your city of departure, Palermo.
Day 9: Farewell in Palermo
Today is your departure, leaving you free to go home, explore further the magic of Sicily on your own, or relax for some days by the sea.
Ride Details
- Terrain
- asphalt
- Bike
- personal or rental bike
- Mileage
- 1,500 kilometers / 932 miles
- Daily rides
- 170 - 260 kilometers / 106 - 162 miles
- Meals
- breakfasts
What's included
- 7 days of riding
- Thoroughly-designed daily itineraries in Sygic and GPS formats
- Assistance, medical, and luggage insurance
- Registration fees and a branded T-shirt
- 8 nights' accommodation
- Buffet breakfasts
Not included
- Motorcycle rental (ask Italy on Motorbike for a quote)
- Entrance fees in museums, natural sites, and monuments
- Main meals
- Tourist taxes and extras in hotels
- Transfers (ask Italy on Motorbike for a quote)
- Motorcycle operation costs such as petrol, parking fees, and tolls
- Personal expenses
Accommodation
You will stay in en-suite accommodation in a standard double room at either two-star hotels and B&B or at charming three-star hotels with top amenities for their category or deserving agritourism.
Food
You will get buffet breakfasts at the hotels during the tour. Meals on a half-board basis are available on request.
Getting There
The sunny Sicily, Italy, the biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea, is an astonishing place. Through the centuries, it has endured every kind of invasion, from the Greeks to the Romans, the Arabians, and the Normans, who all together made of it what it is now, a place with an incomparable, eclectic culture, and a very peculiar allure. With its many architectural styles, its gorgeous landscapes,
