Sicily Circle Tour

We believe the best cycling trips happen when great routes meet smart logistics. Too often, stunning places are skipped just to make the schedule work — that’s not our style. We only call a tour “ready” when it’s planned so well that we’d happily ride it ourselves the very next day.
Sicily Circle is exactly that: seven stages combining iconic towns like Taormina with Sicily’s wildest landscapes, linking the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas. The route crosses Etna National Park, riding on the slopes of Europe’s highest active volcano, before revealing a greener and unexpected side of the island through the Madonie and Nebrodi parks, with forests, medieval villages, and wide-open views stretching to the sea.
Thanks to flexible logistics, the tour can start either in Taormina or Cefalù, depending on whether you land in Catania or Palermo. The routes, accommodations, and highlights remain the same, ensuring a seamless and well-balanced cycling experience.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival

Arrival in Sicily, transfer to Taormina (when included), bike fitting and welcome meeting.

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Day 2 – The Godfather Loop | 74 km | 1,494 m elevation gain

The first stage blends coastal riding with rolling hills inland, offering a perfect introduction to the week. Leaving Taormina, we follow the coastline before turning inland toward the Graniti area, a quiet agricultural zone set between the sea and the hills of the Agrò Valley. From here, a steady climb leads toward Mount Kalfa, with medium-distance ascents and wide views opening over the surrounding countryside.
Once at altitude, the route continues along narrow and peaceful roads through a green, scenic landscape before reaching Savoca, a village made famous by Francis Ford Coppola as a filming location for The Godfather. A cappuccino stop at the iconic Bar Vitelli, one of the movie’s most recognizable settings, is a must. A long and winding descent then brings us back to the coast, finishing the ride back at our hotel.

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Day 3 – From Taormina to Castiglione di Sicilia (via Northern Etna) | 73 km | 2,147 m elevation gain

Today’s stage is one of the highlights of the tour, taking us onto the slopes of Europe’s highest active volcano. After an initial stretch along the coast, the road turns inland at Fiumefreddo di Sicilia and begins a long ascent on the northern side of Mount Etna, climbing the historic switchbacks of Presa and Vena, often featured in major cycling races.
Passing through Fornazzo, the landscape gradually changes as lava fields and volcanic terrain shape the scenery, leading to the high-altitude plateau of Piano Provenzana, surrounded by cooled basalt flows and wide open views.
From here, a long and scenic descent through the Ragabo pine forest brings us toward Linguaglossa. Instead of climbing further, we ride through the town and follow the main road to a peaceful rural area set among vineyards, orchards, and lava stone walls, where we end the day in a quiet setting at the foot of Etna, perfect for rest and recovery after an unforgettable ride.

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Day 4 – From Castiglione di Sicilia to Petralia Soprana | 136 km | 2,545 m elevation gain

Today’s stage feels surprisingly far from the typical image of Sicily, with a long day of continuous climbing and descending between 600 and 1,200 meters in altitude. This is the only stage that links all three natural parks, crossing a highland landscape of open meadows and quiet mountain roads.
Leaving Randazzo, the route climbs gently toward Cesarò, the gateway to the Nebrodi Park, before continuing through a sequence of small inland towns such as Troina, Cerami, Nicosia, and Sperlinga. After the latter, a steady ascent leads into the Madonie Park, reaching the beautiful hilltop village of Gangi.
The day ends in Petralia Soprana, a charming medieval town set high in the mountains, where stone houses, narrow streets, and wide views over the surrounding valleys offer a memorable mountain finish.

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Day 5 – From Petralia Soprana to Cefalù | 87 km | 1,455 m elevation gain

After the previous day’s effort, today’s stage feels lighter, with a shorter distance leading us toward the coast. The ride begins within the Madonie Regional Park, one of Sicily’s most important mountain areas, known for its rich biodiversity and dramatic high-altitude landscapes.
A steady climb brings us to Piano Battaglia at around 1,600 meters, a wide mountain plateau surrounded by forests and rocky peaks, where the scenery feels far removed from the island’s coastline. From here, a long descent unfolds toward Isnello, with woodland views and rugged terrain accompanying the ride.
The descent continues past Gibilmanna and all the way down to Cefalù, a charming seaside town where medieval streets, lively squares, and a golden beach sit beneath the imposing Rocca, offering a beautiful contrast to the mountain landscapes of the morning.

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Day 6 – Cefalù loop | 68,5 km | 1,300 m elevation gain

This loop ride allows us to fully enjoy an extra day based in Cefalù, combining coastal views with a deep dive into the Madonie mountains. Leaving the town, the route follows the coastline for the first kilometers before turning inland at Lascari, where a long and steady climb begins toward the hilltop village of Gratteri.
The ascent winds through quiet countryside and forested slopes, offering wide views back toward the sea, before continuing toward Isnello and Castelbuono, one of the most vibrant towns in the Madonie, known for its historic center and mountain atmosphere.
From Castelbuono, a long descent brings us back toward the coast, closing the loop with a scenic return to Cefalù after a ride that perfectly balances mountains, villages, and the Mediterranean.

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Day 7 – From Cefalù to Capo d’Orlando | 93 km | 950 m elevation gain

Today’s stage is one of the easiest of the tour, following the stunning Tyrrhenian coastline with mostly flat riding. After leaving Cefalù, the route heads inland for a single main climb toward Portella di Montenero, a steady ascent of around 12 kilometers that leads up to the hilltop village of Pollina, offering wide views over the sea and surrounding countryside.
From Pollina, a long descent brings us back to the coast, where the ride continues along one of the most scenic stretches of northern Sicily. Passing through seaside towns such as Finale, Castel di Tusa, Santo Stefano di Camastra—famous for its traditional ceramics—and Sant’Agata di Militello, the day flows smoothly toward Capo d’Orlando, with the blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea never far from sight.

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Day 8 – From Capo d’Orlando to Taormina | 120 km | 1,852 m elevation gain

The final stage heads straight into the heart of the Nebrodi Mountains, with a long and steady ascent starting almost from sea level. Leaving the coast behind, the route climbs through hills and forests toward villages such as Naso, Castell’Umberto, and Ucria, where mountain landscapes, open meadows, and local life define the rhythm of the ride.
As the climb continues, the scenery becomes wilder, with vast pastures and the chance to spot the iconic black Nebrodi pigs, before reaching Floresta, the highest municipality in Sicily. From here, a long descent begins toward Randazzo and the vineyards of Mount Etna, where volcanic soils shape both the landscape and the wines.
The route then follows the Alcantara Valley before descending back to the Ionian coast, passing rural villages and seaside towns until reaching Taormina, where dramatic cliffs, the sea, and history provide a spectacular finale to the Sicily Circle Tour.

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Day 9 – Departure

Transfer to the airport (when included in the package) and end of services.

What’s included in each package

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