Western Sicily Highlights Self-Guided

Accommodation

The standard accommodations for the self-guided itineraries are family run hotels, agriturismos, and bed and breakfasts. Generally, these have around 10 to 20 guest rooms and the owners live on the premises. Italian hotel are classified by a star rating system – from one to five stars – standards for each category may vary a little from region to region. Most of the hotels that we use fall into the three star category – though we occasionally use two and four star hotels when circumstances or availability dictate. In almost all cases the bathroom facilities are ensuite (self-contained within the room). Some of the smaller hotels do not have a restaurant, but there will always be several options close by, within easy walking distance.

The Italian breakfast is light – a cappuccino and a brioche (pastry). Most hotels serve a continental breakfast of orange juice, coffee, tea or hot chocolate, bread rolls and jam. There may also be yogurt, cheeses, cured meats, pastries and cakes.

When you book a tour, your pre-trip planner will have more details about the specific facilities and services provided by the accommodations.

Examples of our Western Sicily hotels include;

• Hotel Cala Marina, Castellammare
• Masseria Susafa (Agriturismo)
• Hotel Sicilia, Enna

Getting there

Air

There are two airports in the region. Palermo Airport is the larger and services most international flights. Trapani has mostly internal flights but also serves a limited number of European destinations – including London.

Getting from Palermo Airport to Palermo

Train

Trains run from Palermo Centrale to Punta Raisa (Airport) approximately every 30 minutes – the journey takes from 45 minutes to an hour.

Taxi

The best option is to take a taxi or airport bus to Trapani Station, and then a train to Palermo. Trains run approximately every 2 hours and the journey takes about 3 hours.

To and from Mainland Italy

The main train line takes you to Sicily from the mainland along the coast going south from Rome. Ferries connect Sicily to mainland Italy, Sardinia, Malta, Tunisia, and Egypt.

Useful links

Palermo Airport

Trapani Airpor

Ferrovie dello Stato

Autoservizi Lumia

Autoservizi Salemi

Autoservizi Segesta

Siremar

Ustica Lines

Climate

Sicily has a perpetually sunny climate with coastal temperatures rarely dipping below 15C. Beaches and off-shore islands warm up around mid-April and stay hot well into October. Inland in the mountains the weather is generally pleasantly fresh even in the stiflingly hot months of July and August when the coastal temperatures exceed 30C.

The best times for bicycle touring in Sicily are April, May, June, September and October. In these months the weather is usually good, prices are lower, and there are fewer tourists. Between April and June is the best time to enjoy the explosion of spring flowers.

1140 Euro is the cost per person sharing. The cost includes the following

• 10 nights' accommodation with breakfast
• 3 Evening meals
• Pre-trip planner
• Routes in the form of highlighted maps and cue sheets
• Regional Handbook
• Telephone support
• Meet and greet (if you are renting bicycles)

• Luggage transfer charges are calculated as follows:
  
  

  The standard charge is based on one or two riders. A couple would therefore share the luggage transfer costs. There is then a small additional fee for the third and each additional person.
  For example:

  1. Total cost for one or two riders = 555 Euro (277 per person based on two people sharing)
  2. Total cost for three riders = 555 + 65= 620 ( 206 per person)
  3. Total cost for four riders = 555 + 65 + 65 =685 (171 per person)

Note that the more riders in the group, the less expensive are the luggage transfers per rider.

Please note that whilst we will try our best to provide you with the exact bike as listed below, due to availability or sizing issues we may not always be able to. The bike you will receive will be of a very similar spec and always in very good condition.

Trek FX hybrid

• 5 frame sizes
• FX Alpha Gold Aluminium
• FX Alloy fork
• 27 speed

Bring your own saddle and/or pedals if you wish and we will fit them to the bike. (You must be able to remove them yourself at the end of your trip).

Fitted with: Rear rack; platform pedals, bottle cage, fenders (mudguards)

Equipment provided: Handlebar bag; map case; spare tube; puncture repair kit; lock; mini pump; multitool.

Available on request: Panniers, helmet, odomoter, gps unit

Cannondale Synapse 105

• Carbon Frame
• Shimano 105 Shirting
• Shimano 105 Breaking system
• Lightweight

Bring your own saddle and/or pedals if you wish and we will fit them to the bike. (You must be able to remove them yourself at the end of your trip)

Fitted with: Platform pedals, bottle cage,

Equipment provided: map case; spare tube; puncture repair kit; lock; mini pump; multitool, frame bag

Available on request: Panniers, helmet, odomoter, gps unit

Sduro Trekking E-Bike

• Drive unit: Bosch Active Plus, 50Nm
• Battery: Bosch PowerPack 400Wh
• 28" wheels

Bring your own saddle and/or pedals if you wish and we will fit them to the bike. (You must be able to remove them yourself at the end of your trip).

Fitted with: Rear rack; platform pedals, bottle cage, fenders (mudguards)

Equipment provided: Handlebar bag; map case; spare tube; puncture repair kit; lock; mini pump; multitool.

Available on request: Panniers, helmet, odomoter, gps unit