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2023 Sicily 🇮🇹

Catania - Ragusa Ibla - Ragusa Ibla - Caltagirone - Piazza Armerina - Piazza Armerina - Etna - Linguaglossa - Catania airport

Day 1 — 88.9 km

Probably my 10th time in Italy, and I still can’t get enough of it. I love this country. The temperature ranged from 18°C down to 2°C, and the descent was particularly cold, though luckily the expected rain never came. Beautiful scenery, excellent roads and, surprisingly, courteous drivers—even in Sicily, they’re better than Israeli idiots.

Day 2 — 85.7 km

Another beautiful day, despite insane winds and a lot of rain towards the end, when the temperature dropped to 6°C. The problem wasn’t the weather but having the right clothes, and my Decathlon gear kept me warm and comfortable. Italy is insanely beautiful: incredible nature, charming little towns and amazing food. The only downside is the amount of garbage along some roads—somehow even dirtier than Israel.

Day 3 — 127.1 km

Absolutely gorgeous views, empty roads and finally perfect weather. Beautiful little towns, great snacks and far too much coffee. Italy at its best. Temperatures again ranged wildly, from 16°C during the day to 2°C at 1,050m. And yes, Etna glows at night. I made a completely spontaneous overnight stop when it got too dark to continue. Perfect.

Day 4 — 63.2 km

A fantastic two-hour climb at 7% in just a merino T-shirt, with 2°C and snow. The locals cheered me on to the pass, making the freezing conditions feel almost perfect. For the descent I put on everything I had, but still ended up asking a driver if I could warm up in his car. Five minutes later I continued until I found a restaurant, where the owner asked, “Don’t you check the forecast?” I told him I actually enjoy cycling in snow. I spent the next ten minutes hugging a heater with a cappuccino.

The snow eventually turned into drizzle all the way to Catania. The final section had busy roads and terrible asphalt. I grabbed a quick lunch, stopped at the B&B to collect my bike box, and headed to the airport. Sicily was incredible. I’ll definitely be back.

4 activities