{"id":8459,"date":"2022-05-13T08:45:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T06:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wobblyride.com\/?p=8459"},"modified":"2025-06-09T10:46:38","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T08:46:38","slug":"cycling-in-sicily-practical-bike-touring-guide-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wobblyride.com\/pl\/2022\/05\/13\/cycling-in-sicily-practical-bike-touring-guide-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling in Sicily – practical bike touring guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before I went cycling in Sicily, most things I could find online were warnings about crazy drivers, bad roads and omnipresent litter. I couldn\u2019t 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\u2019s peripheral location that makes it a rarely chosen destination compared to other parts of Italy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"cycling<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jak dojecha\u0107?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You have two options: a plane or a ferry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samolotem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out my article about how to pack your bicycle for a flight.<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking my bike was unproblematic \u2013 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rent a bike in Sicily<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prices vary between 20 and 30 euros per day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example,\u00a0Sicily Cycling<\/a>\u00a0rents 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\u00a0Italy Cycling<\/a>\u00a0(they have more different options).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukszta\u0142towanie terenu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sicily is very mountainous, with its highest peak \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roads, bicycle lanes and traffic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don’t expect good bicycle lanes in Sicily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior is quite different \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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 tutaj<\/a>). But then I met a Swiss hiker heading the same way with a Garmin navigation, and it also didn\u2019t show that the road was blocked. And on my map, it was an official hiking trail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking a bicycle on a train in Sicily<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019t allow it. Read more about taking a bicycle on a train in Italy on trenitalia.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pogoda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Summers in Sicily are too hot for cycling, so it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild Camping in Sicily<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wild camping in Sicily is illegal (you can read more about legal wild camping in different European countries tutaj<\/a>). 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forget about doing it on the coast. Up in the mountains, it might get a bit easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"wild<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some refugios (mountain hotels) will allow you to pitch a tent next to them if you ask permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noclegi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Catania, I can definitely recommend Ostello Elefanti (if you book your stay through this link<\/a>, 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\u2019t 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\u2019s located on the main street in the city centre, so it can be loud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More inland, the prices become a bit higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n