Cycling in Sicily: itinerary (page 2 of 2)

Hi Marius, My replies are a bit late, but I haven’t forgotten... so here are a few additional details: Overall, life isn’t expensive, and it’s nothing like Northern Italy, for example. Coffee: 0.80 € Water: it’s best, we were told, to drink bottled water (issues with old and poorly maintained pipes). I don’t remember the exact price, but large 2-liter bottles cost around 1 €. We always went to restaurants in the evening, usually recommended by our host—small local spots where we ate really well (often pasta, but not only, to fuel up for the next day’s cycling!): between 12 € and 20 € max per person. We found accommodations mostly on Airbnb, sometimes on Booking. Always spotlessly clean, simple, and welcoming, with breakfast included—rooms ranged from 23 € to 58 € (only once at that price). No problem taking bikes on the train for free. No problem taking bikes on the boat either—it’s free too. Here are one or two photos to give you an idea of this beautiful destination

Hi Corinne, Thanks for these comments. And yes, prices are reasonable in Sicily—except for fuel, which works out well since we don’t need it when cycling. I recognize that lush Sicily, it’s stunning—like being in the mountains, even though right now it’s taken on the look of the Sahel. I spotted the photo with the lake—Piana degli Albanesi. The first one has me stumped, though—it was early in the trip. Those red patches in the fields come from a forage plant called Sulla, which blooms red. It’s grown as animal feed, for medicine, and even honey. With pollination, those scattered red patches pop up sporadically in the landscape, especially along the roads. Anyway, even with short stages, you’ve got real grit—cycling with all that gear must’ve really reminded you of gravity’s pull on those long climbs.

thanks for this info, do you have any GPX tracks from your trip?