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Golden Cities
Nights: 7
Day 1: The first day’s cycling follows a trail recreated from a 19th-century narrow-gauge railway line, which for many years connected Palermo with the island’s interior. You travel through verdant and craggy countryside with a few steep stretches to reach Ficuzza and its network of forest paths. There should be time on arrival to explore this lovely area, to visit the Bourbon palace or sample some of the local arts and crafts displayed locally. (55km) Day 2: Today's route takes you close to Corleone as you cycle over a landscape of rolling hills, both cultivated and wooded, and dotted with the pastel-coloured houses of rural villages. (45km) Accommodation: Rocca dei Capperi (agriturismo), Contessa Entillina. This is an attractively rustic agriturismo built lovingly by its owner Paolo Barbon. There are panoramic views, and you savour the rich traditions of the Sicilian kitchen at the communal table, looked after by Paolo and his wife Alexandra. The couple chose this place as the one beautiful spot above all others where they wanted to settle, after worldwide travel. Accommodation: Rocca dei Capperi, as above. Day 4: Today you cycle over undulating hills, with some steep climbs, as you continue to Partanna and then to Montevago - an area richly cultivated with vineyards, citrus and olive groves, and figs. (48km) Accommodation: Hotel Terme di Acqua Pia (3*), Montevago. The hotel is named for the area's famous hot springs and thermal baths, used for therapeutical purposes, and boasts its own spa facilities. Accommodation: Hotel Lido Azzurro (2*), near Selinunte. A simple but delightful hotel with sea views. Your stay is on a bed and breakfast basis. Day 6: Your final day’s cycling takes you once again through undulating hills with some gentle climbs, as you approach Marsala. There are various places offering wine tasting on the way (pay locally) - an appropriate prelude to your arrival in this town famed for its wines. (69km) Accommodation: Hotel Carmine (3*), Marsala. Offering first-class hospitality, this hotel is a charming blend of ancient and contemporary architectural styles, situated in the town’s heart in one of its most famous squares, next to the monastery of Carmine. Take your pick of the local restaurants for dinner (pay locally). Recommendations for extra nights: Marsala, to allow you more time to discover this fascinating town. Extension: You can extend your holiday by three nights to complete a circuit of Sicily’s west coast. Enjoy a visit to the lovely medieval hill-top town of Erice, and perhaps make a trip out to the Egadi Islands from Trapani (pay locally) - then enjoy two nights in the delightful fishing village of Scopello where you can choose to meander on your bike locally, perhaps to seaside San Vito Lo Capo. Or leave your bike behind to explore the delights of the coastal Zingaro Natural Park on foot. Please contact us for details. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airport: Palermo
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Your trip begins at Monreale, famed for the paradisal golden mosaics of its cathedral, and wends its way across the island’s rugged interior to Marsala - home to Sicily’s famous golden wine. Once you leave Palermo you follow green trails and country lanes over rolling countryside, often in sight of the coast. Peace and quiet are a hallmark of the island’s interior, especially outside summer, and cuisine influenced by many cultures is a highlight wherever you go. Sicilian dishes make lavish use of colourful local produce - aubergines, tomatoes, peppers, olives, oranges - while almonds are a particular inspiration for creative desserts. 
Starting point: Hotel Carrubella (3*), Monreale. Monreale is sited high on a hillside just outside Palermo, and the Carrubella affords wonderful views over the city. It has been sympathetically renovated, and retains many wonderful mosaics from the early 20th century. Here you are just a short walk from the cathedral, the interior of which is decorated with exquisite Byzantine mosaics in vibrant colours on a shimmering gold background. You stay on a bed and breakfast basis. 
Accommodation: Antica Stazione (3* agriturismo), Ficuzza. Once a station, this is now a stylish and spacious country hotel, alongside the neoclassical hunting lodge built for Ferdinand IV. 
Day 3: Take advantage of your day in this area to sample local wines (pay locally for tastings) at one of the Planeta wineries, and visit the small medieval hillside town of Giuliana and its castle. (58km) 
Day 5: Head down to the island's south-west plains, with the blue sea stretching out before you towards Africa. There is time to visit the outstanding Greek acropolis and temples at Selinunte, in their tranquil coastal setting. (64km)