The Ultimate Sicily Itinerary. Treasures of Northern and Western Sicily
ULTIMATE SICILY ITINERARY - Treasures of Northern and Western Sicily
A complete guide to discovering most of the Sicilian countryside In 7 days
What does the Sicily Itinerary involve? First, let’s imagine why we want to go to Sicily in the first place.
Would you like to start off your day riding down the side of a mountain, and gazing at trees on the one side while the blue Mediterranean sea beckons on the other? Check!
Then a short ride to the beach where you spend the rest of the day lounging by the beach and sipping on coconut water (of all things!)? Check!
How about going hiking in the thick forests of the mountains the next day? Also check!
Food and culture? Triple check!!!
This Sicily Itinerary takes you through the northern hills, all the way to the west with its crystal clear waters and hilltop towns that seem suspended in time.
In this post, we provide you with a detailed breakdown of our Treasures of Northern and Western Sicily Itinerary. We hope you find this useful and add it to your bucket list.
Why you should add THIS Sicily Itinerary to your bucket list
A ride through Sicily will provide you with such a rewarding experience and lasting memories that you will want to come back for several more helpings.
Trust me, I should know. I married a Sicilian, and live half my time in Sicily, but I still can’t get enough! There is so much more to experience than just soaking in the sun and swimming in the sea. Let’s see what we’ll get.
- A unique mix of landscapes- sea, mountains, forest, waterfalls, and the Mediterranean countryside.
- One of the bluest, cleanest seas in Europe.
- Lots of history- Greek, Roman, Arabic, and Norman periods.
- The perfect roads for motorcyclists- winding, narrow and rural.
- Great food with variety as you move along the route.
While our Sicily Itinerary was designed for us to ride our motorcycle, it could be adapted for use wiht any vehicle. So, let’s get right to it, shall we?!
Some Important details to note when driving in Sicily (Italy)
As you well know, it is vital to be well-prepared before going on any trip (I suppose that’s why you’re reading this post!).
The first thing to consider when going on a road trip is what the road rules are. Every country has its road, and being a tourist doesn’t mean you should take them lightly. So before we begin this Sicily Itinerary, let’s take a look at a few important details about driving in Sicily.
- Vehicle: We highly recommend this trip using a motorcycle of at least 500CC for the optimal experience. However, you can also do it by car, van, or minibus.
- Total Distance: It took us about 950kms from Syracuse and back, but it will be less for you depending on where you decide to start.
- Italian Road Laws: Most of the EU Road Laws apply. The speed limit on highways is set at 130km/hr. In addition, if you’re not from the EU, you must have an International driving license. Finally, pay close attention to road signs, or else you’ll get a fine (sometimes, hefty). Read this article for more information.
Now that we are somewhat familiar with traffic rules in Italy, let’s get to our Sicily Itinerary.
SICILY ITINERARY DAY 1:
Syracuse- Gole de'llalcantara- Ficarra
Since we live in Siracusa which is southeast of Sicily, that’s where we started off. However, you can start this trip from Catania or Palermo which host the two main international airports in Sicily.
We made the trip in the last week of May (The beginning of spring so the weather is quite moderate at around 18ºC – 24C). Our journey began about midday and we headed towards northeast Sicily. ds.
GOLE DE'LLALCANTARA
After about an hour and a half, we stopped for lunch and a visit to a major landmark in Sicily, Gole dell’Alcantara. The gorge is a mesh of black volcanic rock from mt. Etna, and a series of canyons where people can go water rafting or hike along the top of the gorge or through its cold, cold waters. For more information, read this article.
FICARRA
Next, we rode to Ficarra, a small Sicilian village, high up on the hills with old historical buildings and the best seafood restaurants in the area. We stayed at a gorgeous old farmhouse that had everything and one of the best views of northern Sicily and the nearby Aeolian Islands.
SICILY ITINERARY DAY 2:
Tindari & Milazzo
If you’re in search of a place that has different eras of history all jammed in one, this is it. Evidence at the archeological park of Tindari reveals the presence of Norman, Greek, and Roman ruins.
One such piece of evidence is pictured above- a floor mosaic that perhaps, tells the story of the origins of the “Trinacria” (a 3-legged Medusa), which has now become the official symbol of Sicily.
Milazzo, on the other hand, takes you back to Norman times, with its byzantine castle that takes up a lot of space on a promontory overlooking the rest of Northern Sicily. The view up in the castle is worth the 5 euros in entrance tickets.
SICILY ITINERARY DAY 3:
EXPLORE THE NEBRODI NATURAL RESERVE PARK
Well, do you remember that thick forest I mentioned in the introduction? Now it’s time to see how strong and fit you are.
If you’re driving a car or other 4-wheel vehicle, you’ll have to park at the car park provided at the entrance and walk the rest. For motorcyclists, however, you can continue up the dirt road until the path narrows down to a stony path. We’d advise you to park somewhere there and hike the rest to be safe.
Swimming is allowed in the Catafurco Waterfalls inside the park so take a swimsuit with you. If you’re an avid hiker, there are several trails you can choose from but you have to contact a guide beforehand.
- Distance travelled from Ficarra where we lodged: 75.3km
- Time taken: 1.36hr
- Places visited: Nebrodi park, Cascata di Catafurco (Catafurco Waterfalls), Madonna di Catafurco
And that ended our time in Northern Sicily. Our Itinerary continued to the west of Sicily.
SICILY ITINERARY DAY 4:
Ficarra-Palermo
So, on day 4, we hopped on our bike, a little sore but excited, and headed west. This Sicily Itinerary is about to get even more exciting!
- Distance travelled: 278km
- Time taken: 3.29hrs
- Stops on the way: Palermo, Erice
Since we had visited Palermo a few times in the past, on this Sicily trip, we only breezed through, visiting the Palermo Cathedral before heading to Marsala and our second lodge for this trip, in an “agriturismo” establishment.
Simply put, an agriturismo is a farmhouse- turned- hotel in the countryside where guests can join in the farming activities, taste the fruit of the labours, and have freshly prepared food as well as a great, off-the-beaten-path place for a feeling of total relaxation.
What better way to learn about the land and its cultural history than by actually working it? Perfect!
Interested in visiting Sicily? We’ve compiled a list of useful information about Sicily in our Ultimate Guide to Sicily.
SICILY ITINERARY DAYS 5 & 6:
Day visits to Erice, Reserva Naturale di zingaro (natural reserve of Zingaro), and San Vito Lo capo
Now, that was perhaps one of the most memorable experiences of this Sicily Itinerary trip. Why? Because Erice is without a doubt, the most magical village in all of Sicily! It sits atop a mountain of the same name and could be easily missed if you didn’t know it was there because it’s wrapped up in a mysterious fog of clouds, walls, and trees. Within its walls, you could easily imagine yourself in the middle ages, joining in the witch hunt or some crazy stuff like that.
What’s more, you could imagine you were defending its walls from invasion as you gaze down through the clouds, and out at the amazing view in front of you- sea, mountains, and islands.
After a day reveling in all that grandiose beauty, we went back tired but happy.
The next day, we rode to the Natural Reserve of Zingaro, another nature reserve in Sicily. If you want to get away from the beach crowds and have a quiet time with nature, this is the place to go in northwest Sicily.
Next, we ended up in San Vito Locapo, a small seaside town known for its pristine white sandy beaches that stretch on for miles! A quick swim later and back to our agriturismo lodge.
SICILY ITINERARY DAY 7:
Marsala -salina di mozia, marsala
Almost a week in and our delicate bottoms had begun to complain. This was our first long motorcycle trip and we weren’t well-prepared.
But the good news was that this Sicily Itinerary brought us to another magical region of Sicily. This time, in Western Sicily.
Marsala is a true Sicilian treasure and a joy to visit. It is sparsely populated, with most of its land dedicated to farming- grape farming for – you guessed it- the world-famous Marsala wine. The wine produced here is the only one that can lay claim to the name “Vino di Marsala” because the type of grapes used are grown only in this region.
We stayed at an Agriturismo similar to the one here. We had an evening of wine tasting and dinner that was heaven!
The Marsala wine is so special that it boasts protected status in the European Union.
If you’d like to learn more about Marsal wine, read this interesting and detailed article.
Now, enough about wine (me: pausing to go grab a glass of wine). Another thing that put Marsala on our Treasures of Sicily Itinerary is its series of pink Salt Lakes.
Just as Marsala is famous for its wine, so also is it known for its crystalline salt, which has such a delicate taste (not too salty. ha!). The most interesting part of the salt production is the flamingos, which i’ll tell you about.
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So, we went to the Riserva Naturale di Saline di Marsala where we had a pleasant and quiet day visiting the salt factory and the Island of “Motya” aka Mozia. More about that later.
We had a guide take us around the factory/museum (I bought some heavenly pink and white salt.). After that, out we went into this surreal sea of pink stagnant water. Surprisingly, it didn’t smell badly.
There, he explained the process of collecting the seawater and extracting the salt (rather long and technical, I must say). And then he told us a beautiful story.
Did you know that pink flamingos get their colour from what they eat?
Boom! I just blew your mind, didn’t I?
You see, the stagnant water is a breeding place for small marine animals like tiny cute red crabs. These crabs are food for the flamingos. The more they eat and grow older, the pinker they become.
So next time you see a flock of white and pink flamingos, you know who are the bosses.
Unfortunately, We couldn’t catch a picture of them.
SICILY ITINERARY DAY 8:
island of mozia
This is a small island with ties to the Phoenicians, who built a colony there, with an impressive underwater cobbled roadway to connect to mainland Marsala using their horses. Nowadays, small boats are used.
There are quite a number of things to do on the island like kite surfing, hiking, visiting the museum, and the archeological site which is still under excavation.
The island was bought by an English archaeologist in the early 1900s, Joseph Whittaker (he actually came for the wine though). He began excavating and turned the island into an open-air museum.
If you like history and stuff, read this article about the history of Mozia.
SICILY ITINERARY DAY 9:
valley of the temples, agrigento
The last day of our Sicily Itinerary brought us to Agrigento in the heart of Sicily. Known in ancient Greek era as Akragas, a foremost and prosperous city.
One of the most remarkable things to do here is take a walk through The Valley of The Temples (it’s a reserved area so no vehicles are allowed in), situated a few kilometers outside the city of Agrigento.
This UNESCO world heritage site contains perhaps, the best-preserved Greek temples and architecture in the world (in our opinion). It transports you to a time when the gods were all linked to nature and temples were built to enhance those aspects of nature that their gods represented. For example, the temples are built in such a way as to catch every bit of sunlight from the setting sun, turning everything golden and sacred-looking.
There are 7 main temples dispersed over an area of over 10 square kilometers. The most intact of them all is the Temple of Concordia which was later converted into a church.
In addition to the imposing temples, are even more imposing gigantic statues made of huge blocks of stone (how did they do it?!). Some can be found upright and others lying on the ground.
Nowadays, apart from tourist visits, there are annual theatre, art, and even fashion shows held in the Valley of the Temples. If you’re curious to know what kind of events you could encounter when you visit, you can check out the park’s official website here.
Finally, after a long walk, we jumped back on our motorcycle and rode back home, tired but contented. And that ended our epic first motorcycle trip.
So, what do you think about our Ultimate Sicily Itinerary? Would you like to try it? How would you adapt it to fit your needs? Let us know in the comment section below.
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Isabella & Pietro
TRZ TEAM
A couple with a zest for all things travel, a love for motorcycles, and a voracious appetite for good food!
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I’ve always wanted to go to Sicily. It’s high up on my adventure list. I’ll definitely look back to your itinerary! Thank you for so many great ideas.
You’re very welcome! When you decide, let us know if you have any other questions not covered here.
I’m reading this with a pinch of sadness as I should have visited Sicily this summer for the first time! But I’m definitely saving this for the next occasion I’ll be going! Also it’s so cool that you live in Siracusa, one of my dearest friend is from Sicily and she always told me it’s one of the most beautiful cities in Italy!
Wow your list is so complete! I’ve been to some places but learned about many new ones thanks to your article!
[…] and I had been traveling around the world for over 8 years before we decided to take our first motorcycle trip […]
Thanks for sharing this detailed itinerary! Saving this for my trip
You’re very welcome. Hope you enjoy Sicily when you visit!