Cycling in Sicily – practical bike touring guide

Before I went cycling in Sicily, most things I could find online were warnings about crazy drivers, bad roads and omnipresent litter. I couldn’t find any reports of women bike touring in Sicily solo. Should I be alarmed? Are there any reasons none of them dared to go there on her own? Or is it just Sicily’s peripheral location that makes it a rarely chosen destination compared to other parts of Italy?

I decided to see with my own eyes how Sicily really is. I only had a couple of days to explore the island by bike, so I had to limit myself to the eastern part.

How to get there?

You have two options: a plane or a ferry.

Plane

There are plenty of cheap flights to Catania and Palermo, and both cities are a good starting point for a bike trip. Check out especially WizzAir and RyanAir, to get the best deal. 

Catania will be a better option if you plan to cycle on Mount Etna. From Palermo, you will have easier access to less known but not less beautiful Madonie mountains. The highest peak there – Mount Carbonara – is 1979 metres high, and the region is home to many wild animals like deer and foxes. 

Palermo is also a good starting point to visit San Vito lo Capo. It is a paradise for climbers and outdoor enthusiasts where you can also find scenic beaches. This region is also full of fun MTB trails.

Ferry

You can also reach Sicily from mainland Italy by ferry. The shortest trip is from a small town Villo San Giovanni to Messina, and it costs only 3 euros.

You can also go from Naples and Salerno to Palermo and from Salerno to Messina. I took the Messina-Salerno ferry back to mainland Europe and paid 45 euros for myself and my bicycle. The ferry leaves at a very inconvenient hour (2:00). You usually need to be there at least 2 hours before departure.

Taking my bike was unproblematic – they tied it closely to the wall, together with a bicycle of a German tourist. Most of the passengers on the ferry were truck drivers. I didn’t buy a cabin, as I am not a fan of paying more than 100 euros for something like that, but the lodges in the deck bar were quite comfortable, so I managed to get a good night’s sleep.

Before my trip to Sicily, I visited Malta. Taking a ferry from there is another option to get to Sicily. You can combine a vacation in Europe’s most southern country with a biking tour in Sicily. There are a lot of budget flights to Malta from all the major cities of the old continent.

The ferry from Valletta to Pozzallo goes twice a day (once in the early morning, once in the late afternoon) and takes 1:45 minutes. It costs from 42 euros in the low season to 66 euros in the high season (sometimes they have special deals, e.g. return ticket for the price of a one-way ticket). The company is Virtuu Ferries.

Rent a bike in Sicily

If you don’t want to or cannot bring your own bike to Sicily, you can rent one in Catania or Palermo. Some companies offer different drop-off and pick-up locations.

The prices vary between 20 and 30 euros per day.

For example, Sicily Cycling rents out Trek gravel bikes for 25 euros/day or Specialised Adventure & Touring bikes for 20 euros/day. You will have to pay extra if you need a helmet, luggage rack and panniers. Check out also the offer of Italy Cycling (they have more different options).

Is Sicily safe for solo female travellers?

Despite being warned about the macho culture and unwanted attention, I felt safe for most of my stay in Sicily.

You need to be prepared that the public spaces are dominated by men, which can seem intimidating at first. When I was trying to get petrol for my camping stove, a group of men surrounded me and tried to figure out what a lonely cycling girl needs at a gas station. But they were not pushy. Walking around Catania, I’ve heard way too many ‘ciao bella’, but I haven’t experienced any dangerous situations. The best way to deal with flirty Sicilians is to ignore them, and they will leave you alone.

Terrain

Sicily is very mountainous, with its highest peak – Mount Etna (3 357 m) growing straight from the sea. Brace yourself for a lot of climbs. The only way to avoid them (at least partially) is to stick to the coast. However, the coastal roads are busy and not really cycling friendly.

Roads, bicycle lanes and traffic

Don’t expect good bicycle lanes in Sicily.

You will have to choose between getting your legs killed inland or sticking to the coast and fighting with the cars. The Sicilians are not the most considerate drivers, so if you are dead scared of being taken over without enough distance, you can feel threatened there.

The interior is quite different – there are many well-maintained small roads with little to no traffic where you will ride safely and enjoy the silence. Just be prepared that some of them might be rocky dirt roads where you might have some problems on a fully loaded bike.

Another issue I encountered was small roads blocked with a big fence. There was no warning sign at the beginning of the road, so I had to do some big detours. At first, I thought it was my navigation fault (I use a mapy.cz app, you can read more about it here). But then I met a Swiss hiker heading the same way with a Garmin navigation, and it also didn’t show that the road was blocked. And on my map, it was an official hiking trail.

Taking a bicycle on a train in Sicily

Many trains run between the main cities on the island. You can take your bikes on all Regio trains and some Intercity trains. The Regio trains have a clause that the conductor can refuse you boarding a train with a bike if the conditions don’t allow it. Read more about taking a bicycle on a train in Italy on trenitalia.com.

Weather

Summers in Sicily are too hot for cycling, so it’s best to come there in Spring (April, May) or in Autumn (from September to early November). If you plan to do more biking high in the mountains, April can still be too early.

Wild Camping in Sicily

Wild camping in Sicily is illegal (you can read more about legal wild camping in different European countries here). If you decide to do it anyway, you will need good skills to find a spot. Most of the land is private property, surrounded by fences or guarded by angry dogs.

Forget about doing it on the coast. Up in the mountains, it might get a bit easier.

I managed to wild camp once and found a lovely spot by a river near a hiking trail. It was quiet and peaceful, but it took me a good hour to find this spot.

Some refugios (mountain hotels) will allow you to pitch a tent next to them if you ask permission.

Accommodation

Close to the coast, there is no problem with affordable accommodation (between 10 and 25 euros per person). There are plenty of guesthouses, hostels and campsites. Some campsites were not yet open when I was there at the beginning of April.

In Catania, I can definitely recommend Ostello Elefanti (if you book your stay through this link, I will receive a small commission, no additional costs for you). For 21,50 euros, I got a dorm bed with breakfast (fresh fruit, croissant and a cappuccino). I got also surprised by free pasta in the evening (and as a cyclist after 110 difficult kilometres, I couldn’t wish for a better surprise). Hostel’s stuff helped me carry the bike upstairs, where I could safely store it in the reception. They also allowed me to leave the baggage and the bike for a few hours after the checkout, to allow me to explore the city without the weights. Bring earplugs – it’s located on the main street in the city centre, so it can be loud.

More inland, the prices become a bit higher.

Cycling highlights in Sicily

Mount Etna

Without any doubt, visiting Mount Etna will be the highlight of your Sicily trip. It doesn’t happen every day that you can cycle the slopes of Europe’s most active volcano. You can also feel like an elite cyclist, as the routes around Mount Etna are on the itinerary of Giro d’Italia and belong to the most demanding cycling routes in Italy.

The long climbs among the lava fields are challenging but rewarding. Make sure to always bring an extra water supply, as there will be no chance to get water on the way. 

Before you conquer the mighty Etna, check current conditions and activity on this website. The Sicilian volcano is still active, and it’s not allowed to cycle there if the streets are covered with lava sand. 

You can find more detailed information on the road cycling routes on Mount Etna on this website.

If you are into MTB and are looking for a good challenge, you can also do a circle around Mount Etna. Climb on the road to Rifugio Sapienza and continue on a trail Pista Altomontana and enjoy the true off-road adventure. This one will be more suitable for a light bikepacking set-up than a fully loaded bike with panniers. You can find more information on Pista Altomontana here.

Magna Via Francigena

Become a pilgrim and take your bike on a 200 kilometres long route from Palermo to Agrigento. This part of the medieval Francigena pilgrim trail can be well travelled by bicycle. It leads partially on unpaved roads and trails, so better bring a gravel or mountain bike. You will have a chance to explore old villages and enjoy some solitude in the less known Sicani mountains. 

Find more information about Magna Via Francigena here.

Sicily Divide

Are you more of an “off-the-beaten-path” kind of traveller? Cross the island from west to east and explore Sicily’s less-travelled interior. Sicily Divide is a gravel route from Trapani to Catania (there is also a more challenging variant from Palermo to Catania). It will take you to charming old towns, quiet Sicilian villages and vast vineyards. You can find more information and download the GPX file on this website.