Grand Tour of the South and Sicily

Description

Motorcycle Tour of the South of Italy and Sicily – day by day

Day 1: We start the motorcycle tour of the South of Italy and Sicily by exiting Rome on a Saturday morning and ride to the volcanic lakes and hills south of Rome. Our routes takes us partially along the ancient Roman Appian way and along the hills south of Rome before reaching Sperlonga for our first night by the seafront. An easy day getting used to Italian roads and ending early to enjoy what Sperlonga has to offer.

Day 2: Our Motorcycle Tour of the South of Italy continues following the Via Appia and to reach Pompei mid morning. We enjoy this amazing archaeological site and have lunch in Pompei, leaving all of the afternoon to reach Amalfi for our first double night stop over.

Day 3: We have a full mid week day to enjoy the Amalfi Coast. We ride to Sorrento and to Termini to view Capri island. We ride back stopping in Positano for coffee. A relaxed day to enjoy this amazing coastline and its villages.

Day 4: Before we leave the Amalfi Coast we visit Ravello and then ride to Paestum for a visit to the first Greek temples of the tour. We shall come across more in Sicily. After the visit to Paestum we ride along the Cilento coast to reach the small town of Sapri for the night.

Day 5: We leave Sapri and enjoy riding one of the very best sections of the very long SS18, This coastal road is awesome and offers a delightful stop in the town of Maratea. Here we ride all the way to the top to view the Statue of the Redeemer and enjoy the magnificent view this location offers. Once we finish visiting Maratea we complete the SS18 in Castrocucco, where we turn inland into the mountains and ride the roads across the Pollino National Park reaching the Ionian coast near Rossano Calabro, well-known for the production of licorice of excellence.

Day 6:  From Rossano our motorcycle tour continues on the twists and turns of the Sila National Park plateau,. An amazingly wild park covered in conifers, chestnuts, ancient oak trees and lakes. The good conditions of the roads and the little traffic make it a very enjoyable ride across a territory very often neglected, but of outstanding natural beauty. We return to the Tyrrhenian sea and finish our day in the quaint town of Tropea, another small town of outstanding historical beauty. Great dinner at il Pescatore!!

Day 7: From Tropea we follow the coast all the way to Scilla and cross over into Sicily at Villa San Giovanni. After a short blast on the Sicilian highway, we take on the pass of Sella Mandrazzi, which offers incredible views over the Eolian islands to the north and over Etna volcano on the south. In the late afternoon we reach Taormina for well deserved two night stop.

Day 8: After 7 full riding days a break would not be shameful. Taormina has plenty to offer if you’d like to take a break from the saddle. For those instead who want a short ride (70km 2.5hrs), we will gladly take you to the small village of Savoca, home of the famous Bar Vitelli, featured in the Godfather movie.

Day 9: On the way to Siracusa from Taormina we ride the Etna volcano around the east side with spectacular views of the coast and of the volcano. The roads are all new as occasionally the volcano decides to destroy them ; ). If time permits, we shall also ride by the Necropolis of Pantalica on the way into Siracusa, where we shall stay two nights on the island of Ortigia, the baroque heart of the historical centre of this city.

Day 10: As we stay two nights in Ortigia, you could take another break from the saddle and enjoy the sites in Siracusa. The archaeological site and the baroque town will easily fill your day. We offer another short ride. A loop across the Iblei hills, viewing the finest examples of Sicilian baroque architecture in the towns of Noto, Modica and Ragusa. The ride is very pleasant along valleys and hills amongst olive grows and vineyards.

Day 11: Our ride takes us west to Caltagirone, the ceramic and pottery capital of Sicily, and to Piazza Armerina, where a visit to the Roman Villa del Casale is an absolute must. This Villa offers the best preserved Roman mosaics in the world. Our final destination is however by the sea near Agrigento, where the Valley of Temples awaits.

Day 12: After a visit to the Valley of Temples we transfer across the centre of Sicily and reach Cefalù on the north coast of Sicily. We ride over the Madonie mountains on parts of what were once the famous road tracks of the Targa Florio and visit the museum in Collesano. Cefalù is another UNESCO site with its beautiful Norman cathedral. Our dinner will be in sight of the cathedral. Our hotel by the beach within minutes on foot from the centre.

Day 13: From Cefalu we drive west to the furthest tip of Sicily. We view the castle of Caccamo, stop for coffee in Corleone and ride across endless vineyards all the way to Marsala. We also stop by the greatest modern art installation in the world in Gibellina, the Cretto di Burri, testimony to the earthquake of 1969. In the evening we have the opportunity to visit the Donnafugata winery close by the our hotel and enjoy their wines for dinner.

Day 14: From Marsala we ride along the salt plants of the Stagnone lagoon and reach medieval Erice at the top of an isolated 840 meter high mountain. The road up there is a great ride and the views of the surroundings and over the Egadi islands, are amazing. From Erice we reach the exclusive white sandy beach resort of San Vito lo Capo before heading to Palermo. Just before reaching Palermo we visit the cathedral of Monreale, another must stop in your visit to Sicily. We then reach our hotel in the centre of Palermo.

Day 15: You have a full day in Palermo to visit this incredible city before catching the ferry back to Napoli in the evening.

Day 16: Our motorcycle tour of the South of Italy and Sicily heads for the last day. We land in Napoli in the morning and will make our way back to Rome partially on the highway with visits to the Abbey of Montecassino and that of Casamari, two outstanding Benedictine abbeys of significant importance. We reach Rome by mid afternoon, hand over the bikes, and get ready for our farewell dinner.

other motorcycle tours in Italy and Europe

any questions or doubts about this motorcycle tour feel free to contact Francesco on tours@cimt.it or via whatsapp on +39 335 793 8218