Ortygia and Scicli

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Ortygia

   Ortygia is the island where Syracuse began. Greek colonists from Corinth landed here in 734 BC, drawn by a harbour and a freshwater spring, and the town they founded grew into the most powerful city in the Greek world, rivalling Athens. The island is small enough to walk across in fifteen minutes and holds an astonishing density of history. The cathedral is built into the columns of a Greek temple of Athena, so the Doric pillars are still visible in its walls. A few steps away, the freshwater spring of Arethusa still bubbles up beside the sea, with papyrus plants growing in the pool.

   Read the complete Ortygia write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Ortygia is where the day begins. Next is Militello Val di Catania.

2. 2. Militello Val di Catania

   Militello in Val di Catania is a small town in the hills south-west of Catania, in eastern Sicily, surrounded by orange groves and olive trees, with Mount Etna visible on the horizon. Like many towns in this part of Sicily, it was devastated by the earthquake of 1693, which destroyed much of the south-east of the island, and was rebuilt in the Baroque style. Its churches and palaces are part of the UNESCO-listed Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto, inscribed in 2002, together with Noto, Ragusa, Modica, Caltagirone and others.

   Read the complete Militello Val di Catania write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Militello Val di Catania comes up 71 km in. Next is Scicli.

3. 3. Scicli

   In January 1693 an earthquake flattened much of south-eastern Sicily, and the towns that rose from the rubble were rebuilt in a confident, theatrical late baroque style. Scicli is one of the eight towns of the Val di Noto listed by UNESCO for that reason, and it may be the most charming. It sits at the meeting of three limestone gorges, with a rocky hill above crowned by the ruins of the old church of San Matteo, and a centre of honey-coloured churches and palaces whose balconies are held up by carved grotesque faces, horses, sirens and monsters.

   Read the complete Scicli write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   142 km in you reach Scicli. Next is back through Militello Val di Catania.

4. 4. back through Militello Val di Catania

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Militello Val di Catania write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Militello Val di Catania, late in the day. Next is Ortygia.

5. 5. Ortygia

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Ortygia write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Ortygia. That is the ride.