SICILY
London
This trip was a special tour as 8 of our closest friends joined us for the adventure. I love introducing Duvine to friends and seeing how scared they are about the riding piece at first and how much they love it once they arrive. Seeing the world on two wheels while getting exercise is my absolute favourite thing to do….besides hiking of course!
Sicily isn’t easy to get to so the planning took a while. We settled on a direct flight to London for an overnight stay before making our way to Catania. London is always a fabulous place for a quick stopover.
Our dinner at Roka was definitely memorable!
Syracuse
We arrived in Catania a few days before our tour was scheduled to begin. We were greeted at the airport by our driver who took us to the incredible Minareto Hotel. Situated on a cliff adjacent from Oritigia Island it is nestled in the enchanting Bay of the Latomie within the Plemmirio Marine Reserve. Clear water to dive into, soft sand to stretch out on, a unique panorama to admire.
There is a water taxi that will take you from the hotel to the island of Ortigia and back for 25 euros per person. The small Baroque island is the historic center of Syracuse and is widely considered one of the most beautiful destinations in Sicily.
In the lively hustle and bustle of the market, La Salumeria always has a spot to sit down and enjoy a moment, whether it's savoring a Filuneddu sandwich with pecorino and caponata or sipping on a glass from their selection of wines. Lunch here may have been the highlight of our stay.
If you have time, charter a small boat and discover the caves along the coast.
Just do NOT go to the Villa Gaiangos restaurant for pizza. It may be walking distance from the hotel, but it is the worst food you’ll ever have! Pretty difficult to mess up pizza in Italy, but they have certainly done it.
Day 1 - Ferla to Dimora Della Balze
Our incredible guides picked us up at Minareto and we were off to the ancient Pantalica Valley. After getting fitted on the bikes and we made our way into Baroque Ferla. Our lunch was in the village of Buccheri at Osteria U Locale, a restaurant owned by a pair of brothers who have devoted their lives to preserving local culinary traditions, foraging for wild ingredients, and generally serving one of the best meals you’ll ever have.
The weather wasn’t amazing and it poured while we were eating our lunch. We had to make a choice whether to ride to our hotel or to take a transfer. So glad we chose to ride as the rained let up and we had an incredible finish to our day.
Our fist hotel was definitely the most memorable. Dimora Delle Balze is set in a restored 19th-century masseria. The 11-room hotel is situated around three courtyards, including a saltwater pool, a lounge and a breakfast terrace with views of the Unesco-protected Val di Noto. Each room is named after a piece of art, film, literature or music by a Sicilian artist, and all are decorated in the local style.
The up-and-coming resident chef welcomed us with a memorable first dinner that showcased the flavors of this special island.
Day 2 - Noto Loop
Riding through the rolling terrain of the Iblean plateau our first stop was at the deserted city of Noto Antica, leveled by the earthquake of 1693. From there we began our descent to modern Noto, taking in the sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea. This small town in the south-east was founded again in the 1700’s and it is the heart of the valley of the Sicilian Baroque.
Lunch in Noto was at Sabbinirica a Putia D’Ercole.
Dinner was a convivial evening of cooking, eating and drinking in nearby Palazzolo with Chef Turi.
Day 3 - Monterosso & Vizzini
This morning we set out on a scenic journey across the open pastures of the Val di Noto, through Giarratana and into Monterosso before climbing up to Vizzini.
Today’s lunch before our transfer to our next hotel, was a home cooked meal at Giuseppe’s family-run farm with true Sicilian hospitality. He supplies beef to local Michelin star restaurants, and we got to taste it first hand at his home.
After getting settled at Villa Neri located on the slopes of Mount Etna, we spent the afternoon at the spa enjoying a well deserved sports massage.
This evening was an introduction to the elegant vintages of this unique wine growing region during our paired tasting dinner at the hotel. Etna whites may be my new fav wine!!
Day 4 - Mount Etna & Taormina
Today we saw an entirely new side of Sicily as we pedaled through a region defined by Mount Etna. With grapes growing out of black volcanic soil next to farmhouses built from basalt rock, it’s hard to believe this is the same island we’ve been cycling all week. After a tasting lunch at one of the region’s top wineries, Girolamo Russo, we enjoyed our gradual descent to the coast before tackling our climb up to our incredible hotel in Taormina.
The Ashbee Hotel is located steps from the gate that leads into the incredible town of Taormina. The hilltop town is known for the Teatro Antico di Taormina, an ancient Greco-Roman theater still used today. Near the theater, cliffs drop to the sea forming coves with sandy beaches. A narrow stretch of sand connects to Isola Bella, a tiny island and nature reserve. For those who have see the second season of White Lotus, it is also knows as cheater island.
Tonight was our “free” night for dinner and we chose to have something casual. The two best pizza places in Taormina are La Napolenta and Casa Ciampoli
Day 5 - The Godfather
Saving the best and most challenging ride for last. We began our scenic descent from Taormina down to the coast, riding along the Mediterranean before turning inland to tackle a series of challenging climbs. Taking us deep into the coastal mountain range and through a string of mountain-perched villages where the most iconic scenes from The Godfather were filmed.
The coastal vistas and ancient landscape of Savoca were indeed cinematic as we approached the town from above. Here at Pipi Spezzi, a passionate emerging chef wowed us with lunch before we began our long descent back to the coast where we took a dip in the cool Mediterranean.
