(This is our itinerary from '08, next year's is on it's way!)
Friday, June 6, 2008: 11.00AM…..Arrive at Punta Raisi airport, Palermo (Sicily) meet David at 'arrivals', near the gate, look for the large Australian flag. Transfer by car to our accommodation on the western side of Palermo airport. Lunch & orientation of our new surroundings will follow and assembling of bikes etc. Dinner by the sea near our accommodation, possibly enjoying a bowl of spaghetti with Scampi and a crisp dry white from one of the local 'Trattoria', with a meditteranean view, followed by a passegiata, with gelati, along the waterfront.

Saturday, June 7: After breakfast, we gear up and start our 'Giro di Sicilia', taking the roads south, around the coast of the ‘Gulf of Castellamare’.  We’ll be beside the beaches  for the first 30k, then head inland to circumnavigate the hill of Monte Sparagio.  Here there should be quieter roads, on our way to the northern cape town of San Vito lo Capo. We'll have lunch and morning coffee en route, and dinner this evening in our accommodation, which is a family owned Hotel situated close to the beach. (75k, with undulating climbs)

Sunday, June 8: From San Vito lo Capo, we will head inland for a short jaunt before returning to a final 10k cruising the coast into Trapani.  Once here we will have time to enjoy a long lunch (the traditional thing to do in Italy on a Sunday) and spend a relaxing afternoon looking around the old town of Trapani.  (40k, small climbs, plenty of views)

Monday, June 9: We’ll transport out of Trapani (approx 35k) this morning by mini-van and saddle up at Calamita Vecchia.  We’ll have 66k of rural roads to contend with today, and not being near the coast means there will be some climbing.  Therefore, as it is not flat, the bonus is, it will be scenic!  And we are headed towards Corleone, the heart, soul and original home of the mafia.  The most un-visited town in Italy, here you will get an insight into italian or Sicilian life at it’s purest, ie:  it has experienced a minimal amount of tourist influence.  Tonight we stay at an Agriturismo in Roccamena, just outside Corleone. (66k hard, with hills)

Tuesday June 10: A big day of scenic riding is planned for today.  We’ll have morning coffee in Corleone before continuing in an easterly direction, passing underneath Prizzi, before turning left and taking the road up into Prizzi for a picnic lunch in the main piazza.  Once fed and coffee-ed up, we’ll roll out of town, past Lercara Friddi and into Roccapalumba, once again dining inhouse.  (75k hard, with hills)

Wednesday, June 11: From Roccapalumba, we have a rolling route towards Cefalu with a picturesque ride through the coffee stop of Caltavuturo, along with a comfortable descent to the coast on the way to our accommodation by the sea. Once near Cefalu we’ll jump into the vans to continue the final stage into Milazzo, where we will spend the night, before our big adventure out to the island of Lipari.  (76k hard, with hills)

Thursday, June 12: Time now to relax, as we have two days of doing as we please.  We’ll pack a daypack (well, a two-day pack)and our bikes for an early morning hydrofoil trip (1 hr approx) to the island of Lipari, where we will spend the next two nights. There is one 25 k loop of road on Lipari, which may not sound like a lot, but in Topbike’s well traveled opinion, it is the best 25k loop in the world.  So it'll be up to you to do as many laps as you wish, before dinner.
Friday, June 13: Rest day today, on Lipari.  A few suggestions are:
1:  Sleeping in, then walking to the beach, enjoying a couple of freshly caught charcoal grilled garfish for lunch followed by a lengthy afternoon siesta. 
2:  Catch a ferry to Stromboli and have a close look at an active volcano. 
3:  Set the world record for cycling laps around Lipari in a day. 
It will all be up to you (I’ll be chasing the garfish option myself). 

Saturday, June 14: Departing Lipari on an early ferry (early meaning about 9am around these quarters) we’ll arrive in Milazzo with plenty of time to do the climb up to our next agriturismo at Novara di Sicilia.  Novara is a small town of 1500 residents and at 650 metres above sea level is not too high, but it’s probably enough to warm us up to enjoy a cool beer upon arrival while surveying the mountain views.  Dinner tonight inhouse.
 
Sunday June 15: Novara di Sicilia to Catania today, riding out we’ll firstly have to topple the ‘port’ of Mandrazzi at 1125m, which is not too bad, considering we are already more than halfway up the climb, from sea level.  Once over the peak we’ll roll down towards the sea, or the straits of Messina.  We’ll have a picnic lunch en route and should arrive at Giardini-Naxos with plenty of time to enjoy a gelati before driving the remaining few K into the maelstrom of Catania.  Dinner tonight will be over the water at Capo di Mulino. A few k from our B & B accommodation.  For our last meal together there’s sure to be Scampi pasta and a crisp dry white on the menu.  (46k hard at first, then it just gets easier…)    

Monday June 16: After breakfast it's time to pack up the bikes, farewell all our new friends and head off for our next adventure. Arriverderci!