Cycling in Sicily? Who would do that in his right mind?
In THAT Traffic? Italian drivers are known for their – lets say it politely – creative style of driving.
That’s what went through my head, when Giuseppe asked, if I could provide some help for his new found business. Do a few translations, send a few emails and such, he asked. Sure, I said, as long as I don’t have to ride on these roads with a bicycle. Five years have passed since and now I’m working full hours with Giuseppe… and the bicycling-virus bit me pretty hard – last year I even went along with a group of vacationers for a week – as their GUIDE.
My first ride into the hills
My curiosity was sparked by translating travel itineraries. „Over backroads with little traffic, along gentle hills and from one baroque town on to the next“, I was asked translate from Italian to English and German. Well, I have got to see this for myself came to mind.
One fine day, I gathered all my courage, got myself a bike out of storage and went with my brother, who happened to be visiting, for a ride. On a sleepy backroad right behind the office in Solarino we took a turn to the hinterland through the Anapo-valley. At first we cruised over the slightly undulating road, but further down the valley we first had to tackle a few hairpins, after which a final hill had to be climbed, which was pretty tough - at least for me. Between you and me, I was quite proud getting on top of the valley. Racing downhill back to the shop was the fair reward which finally won me over to road cycling.
Italian chaos on the roads? Certainly not!
It came as a surprise that local car drivers actually take care of the cyclists! They kept their distance or honk, not to shoo them off the road, but rather give them a friendly call to let them know they will be overtaken soon. Or – when cruising with a pack and all the cars had to stop at a junction, there was hardly ever a complaint at all. On the contrary, sometimes we were even cheered on!
After all, cycling is – of course after soccer - the second most popular sport in Italy. Especially in Sicily, as the reigning king of the Tour de France – Vincenzo Nibali is a fellow Sicilian.
I have also taken fond of the camaraderie amongst the cycling folk. Whenever I struggle up a hill, passing cyclists always cheer me on, not to quit and to go faster! Helping each other in case of break downs is a point of honour, no questions asked!
Cyclers’ Paradise Sicily – when and where?
The area in the southeast of Sicily is extremely versatile. It offers long, flat tours along the coastline, with plenty spots for a hop into the sea at one of the sandy beaches. Empty roads connect the stunning baroque villages in gentle hills in the surrounding hinterland, whereas the Iblei-mountains do offer challenging climbs and fast downhills. Sicily offers roads and tracks for everybody’s taste.
Thanks to the mild climate, cycling can be done throughout all seasons. January and February see a bit more rain, from March to December the weather stays pretty stable. Obviously, Spring and Fall are THE time to visit. In spring it appears as if the entire island is on bloom, green meadows and blooming flowers everywhere. In the months of summer, there is always a gentle, cooling breeze along the coast and, one can always take a dip into the sea. Even in fall the water is plenty warm enough from our long summer, swimming can be pleasant until late November.
Culinary Sicily - Italian cuisine at its best!
Discovering Sicily by bicycle entitles travellers to enjoy the local cuisine without remorse, the options are almost without limits. Nature provides plenty in this area, there is ample supply of fresh fish and local produce year round.
Insider tips – Olé:
A good day in Sicily always starts with ice cream! Well sort of: a classic for breakfast is Granita alle Mandorle con brioche. Granita is flavored crushed ice, in Syracuse naturally with taste of almonds. Typically Granita is served with a Brioche, which is picked to pieces and dunked into the tasty ice.
One note: Allegedly Granita has been invented by the Romans. When they used ice from the top of Mt. Etna to cool their groceries, they created ice cream along the way. Empire style!
One must-do when in Sicily: get a taste of Peperoncino-chocolate in Modica. In this little town they still produce chocolate after a recipe the Spanish have brought back from the Aztecs: Cacao is processed in its cold state and is not molten. This produces a rather rough textured chocolate, which is traditionally spiced with Peperoncino, you guessed it: a hot, spicy Chilli!
Also when in Modica, try the pastry Ricotta-Cannoli of the Pastry shop Bonajuto.
