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MOUNT
ETNA: NORMANS, ARABS AND THE ENGLISH
an
7 day self guided cycling holiday
A holiday on Sicily, the most fascinating island of the
Mediterranean, combines enchanting coastal villages, excellent Sicilian
cookery, white beaches with deep blue sea and sites brimming with
history. During this tour you cycle through the region at the foot of
Etna, the mighty fire-spitting volcano, where the earth whispers its
lively history. You will pass the friendly, authentic fishing villages
of the 'Riviera dei Limoni' and evocative little towns such as Randazzo,
Maniace, Bronte, Taormina and the baroque town of Acireale.
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Programme
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Day
1
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Arrival
in your hotel in Nicolosi
Before dinner you will meet the
local agent for the route briefing. |
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Day
2
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Nicolosi - Adrano - Bronte
(km 44 / 27,5 miles)
Today's route passes the town of Adrano, situated at the
edge of the National Park of Etna. You will have enough time to
visit the historic centre and the Norman castle dating from the
11th century. You then continue your ride crossing the 'Ponte
dei Saraceni' (bridge of the Saracens), an 11th century stone
bridge over the river Simeto. The next stage crosses the Nature
Reserve of the 'Forre laviche del Simeto' (lava gorges). These
impressive gorges, gouged
out of the solidified lava by the river Simeto, are between 5
and 15m high and are punctuated by waterfalls, pools and rapids.
Your overnight stay is in Bronte, the town
renowned for its pistachio groves. In the evening you
can, of course, enjoy a dinner with typical pistachio dishes.
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Day
3
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Bronte - Maniace - Randazzo (40
km / 25 miles) First you will cycle to Maniace to visit Horatio Nelson's
castle and the Norman abbey of S.Maria di Maniace (12th
century). You will stay overnight in Randazzo, a medieval town
nestled at the food of Etna. Randazzo has an interesting town
centre and it is certainly worth visiting the Archaeological and
Nature Museums. The archaeological museum houses one of the most
important Sicilian collections, with artefacts from the VI –
III century before Christ. Among these is an Oinochoe, of which
only four examples remain in the world, representing the myth of
Phineus. The exhibits of the nature museum include the
ornithology collection of Priolo, consisting of 2,250 Italian
and exotic bird species. Among these are the extinct 'Grifone
dell’Etna' (Griffon of Etna) and the ’Avvoltoio degli
Agnelli' (Bearded Vulture).
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Day
4
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Randazzo - Gola dell'Alcantara
- Giardini di Naxos (41 km / 25,5 miles)
You leave Randazzo cycling along
the 'strada del Vino' (a wine route) and of course, you will
have the opportunity to taste some of the excellent wines from
the vineyards on the sunny slopes of Etna and to try some local
specialities at a winery. After this you will visit the
impressive gorges of Alcantara, which in some places reach a
depth of 25m. The widest parts of the gorge are only 4-5m wide,
narrowing to 2m at some points. The gorges mark the course of
the Alcantara river over the years. Your overnight stay is in
the town of Giardini Naxos, site of the first Greek colony on
Sicily.
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Day
5
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Giardini Naxos - Taormina - Giardini Naxos (20 km / 12,5
miles)
This morning you will have time to
visit in Randazzo the large archaeological site with an adjacent
museum. After your visit you cycle to Taormina. There is a lot
to see and you can take a walk around the town to visit some of
the fascinating sites, such as the Cathedral dedicated to San
Nicolò, the many other churches and imposing historic buildings
and of course the well-known Greek theatre. On the other hand,
you may choose to just relax on the beach at Isolabella. Your
overnight stay will be in Giardini Naxos.
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Day
6
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Giardini Naxos - Acireale -
Acitrezza (km 42 / 26 miles)
On the programme for today is the town of Acireale, whose
baroque centre has earned world fame. After your visit you will
cycle along the coast through the beautiful nature reserve 'La
Timpa'. Your overnight stay is in the fishing town of Acitrezza,
noted by the famous Italian writer Giovanni Verga (1840-1922) in
his 'I Malavoglia'.
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Day
7
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Departure
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The
tour includes:
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6
overnight stays in *** hotels with breakfast
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5
diners (in Nicolosi, Bronte, Randazzo and Giardini Naxos)
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luggage
transportation
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detailed
route instructions with maps (Italian and English) and other tour
information
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briefing
at arrival
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24
hours local back up service
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medical
and luggage insurance
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Period
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Daily
through all the year except from 31/07/2010 till 01/09/2010. We
advice not to start on Saturdays, because the Castel of Orazio
Nelson is closed on Mondays. High season is from 15/07 till 30/07 and
from 01/09 till
20/09; Eastern
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Level
2
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Easy.
A hilly landscape. The
steeper climbs are short and the longer ones not too steep. The
daily distances are restricted to between 20
km / 12,5
miles and 45 km / 28 miles.
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Participants
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minimum
two persons (
a single person on request)
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Prices
2012
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Bike
rental € 70,00
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Per
person double room sharing € 660,00
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Supplement
single room € 165,00
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Supplement
High season p.p. € 60,00
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