Sicily bike tour
 

I want to do a bike tour of the island and guess what, I hate the hills (well it a volcanic island) any routes that are for the lazy bicyclist?

I can't keep going to Puglia which is relatively flat!

Sicily is very popular with bike tour companies. This is because of the hills, mountains, valleys, gourges and volcanoes. So many wonderful HILLtowns and gorgeous mountain top vistas. It's not the place for lazy bikers. Sorry

I know, i was just wondering if any one had an easy bit

Bilboburgler--

I don't know anything about biking in Sicily, but I'd be very interested hearing more about your past trips to Puglia.

We're looking at a trip to the Veneto specifically because it is flat. We're not interested in a lot of hills either.

If you want easy biking then you need to stay in Trapani.( West side of Sicily) Otherwise the other areas are more hilly. You could also stay south of Siracusa towards Noto, ragusa but the traffic is horrendous.

Oh, if you only knew what you were missing! Nothing like slowly, steadily climbing a hill and being rewarded with an amazing vista and a breathtaking downhill! I'm going to Sicily in May for a week-long bike tour. Can't wait to see those hills. Volcanoes are great because they usually have gradual inclines which make for long, but do-able climbs, then really long enjoyable downhill spins. Can't wait! And the food won't be so bad either!

Nog - You will have a fantastic time!! The rewards are great. May is the perfect time. Enjoy!!

Julies

I road from Verona to the last hill before Venice then up into Soave and back to verona. Apart from a river that stops you going too far south the riding is relatively flat and we had a good time in late May. In the middle of this area is an old basalt mountain and yes we rode up it but left the bags in a agrotourismo.

I'll dig out it out and stick up a new thread.

Puglia I have a very dull we did this then that file somewhere, Again very flat until the evening! Basically we stayed in a different white town each night and they are fortified towns on top of hills .....

There is a big plateau called the Murge which covers the area and by chossing routes that are along the isoclines we kept a flat route.

Of course if you are a trained lazt biker then lake constance and the whole of holland is even better but then there is the wine and the food.

Thanks Bilboburgler--

I've also thought about Lake Constanse, but as you say, the food is probably a whole lot better in Italy.

Forgot to add I'll be interested to see the new thread you are going to start.

I suggest to give a loom to the heart of Sicily, wgere you can find, for example, "Piangentino" Cheese....

Anyway, give a look also to:

www.bebnicosia.it

The REAL incontaminated Sicily!!

I've checked and my diary of the venice trip is lost in a stolen pc. (good excuse) but was a one weeker.

Flew into Verona and stayed south in Villa Franca. A little one star hotel
then to the walled city of Montanyana (spelling wrong) and stayed in the only 3 star inside the city (rather than on the outskirts) very nice. Then onto Vo and an Agrotourismo called Bacco e Arianno (ok) this in the Colli Euganei and for those who like racing up hills is the bee's knees. This was one of the favorite places for Roman's to be banished to and I liked it a lot if a bit rural. Then we went to Abano Terme. A real oddity as the spa has more or less disappeared but does have 3 horrid multi-storey hotels on the spa site. So found a little hotel (sorry name gone) but the owner and staff were all 80 plus (very pleasant) and entertaining.

Then Soave and stayed in a cafe outside the walls and finally to a hotel up in the hills between Euganie and the airport. I'll try digging now for the hotel name as that was wonderful.

Just a note in this area tourist Infomation hard to come by and look out for the menu of the day (all you can eat and drink for 10 or 15 euro (very good if you are on a bike)

Puglia (still to come)

Sorry last hotel lost in the dust of memory but if you want to search it is in the hills to the West of the SP247 between Lumigano and Mossano and had a restuarant to die for (the room not the food) made of an old barn with one end relaced by glass.

Any way all the guidance for my old legs is drop Sicily so now looking at maybe a norther Puglia trip from Bari and or Calabria along the southern coast.

Or Bulgaria (only 2 mountain chains to avoid)

Ok posted 2005 italy trip at

"Puglia bicycle"

Looks like there two types of bikers the lazy,old or un fit who travel with their lugage and those who are fit, young or keen.