Search found 754 matches

by ConRAD
1 Jan 2024, 5:03pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: North East of Sicily
Replies: 7
Views: 452

Re: North East of Sicily

Bice wrote: 1 Jan 2024, 10:22am...
1. Ref. the last "circular castle": it's the castle of Sant'Alessio Siculo and is located roughly 40km South of Messina
2. Ref. accommodation and cost: I was travelling alone and using booking, 1st/2nd week of December 2023, I spent something in the between 35 and 40 Euro for one overnight (b&b's)
3. About Catania: well, since two years ago I "emigrated" to the South and I'm presently living in Siracusa (Ortigia). From the railway station of Siracusa is then very easy to load the bike and, at no additional cost, start so far the trip from a more convenient point. In this case with a 10 Euro (approx) one way ticket I can go to Catania/Fiumefreddo/Letojanni/Taormina.
4. Ref. traffic: I'd say pretty scarce everywhere except urban/portual areas of Catania and Messina
5. Ref. "arrogant criminality": I know that it does exist ... but, perhaps because I'm travelling with a bicycle, I've no time nor perception that it actually exists
by ConRAD
31 Dec 2023, 10:22pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: North East of Sicily
Replies: 7
Views: 452

Re: North East of Sicily

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by ConRAD
31 Dec 2023, 10:13pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: North East of Sicily
Replies: 7
Views: 452

North East of Sicily

8-9-10-11 DEC 2023: taking advantage of the excellent starting point called Siracusa Railstation, this time I went to Taormina to start from there a fantastic tour of 241km/2444m+ in the extreme NE part of Sicily passing through Forza d'Agrò, Messina, Torre Faro , Milazzo, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Falcone, Oliveri, Montalbano Elicona, Floresta, Randazzo, Linguaglossa, Fiumefreddo .... to finish in Taormina again! The stretch between Montalbano and Floresta (1266 masl) on the edge of the Nebrodi Park and watershed between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas is truly worthy. Weather always cloudy/very cloudy... grey/dark grey/black!! From Floresta to Randazzo very cold, a little rain... but luckily no snow!!! PS: the view from a few meters of one of the two "Pylons of the Strait" in the Torre Faro area is always very exciting... disused pylons of the 220 kV high voltage power line which for thirty years, from 1955 to 1985, crossed the Strait of Messina between Calabria and Sicily.
by ConRAD
31 Dec 2023, 9:29pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: 3-days ETNA roundtrip
Replies: 0
Views: 348

3-days ETNA roundtrip

2-3-4 DEC 2023: tour of vulcan Etna (Sicily) clockwise, 149km-H+2419m. Departure and arrival from/to Acireale, then towards Nicolosi, Belpasso, Adrano. Before reaching Bronte, a detour over the Simeto river to "immortalize" the (so called) Saracen Bridge over the Simeto river. To close the tour, continuation to Randazzo, Linguaglossa etc. etc.. ... well yes, it was really worth it🤠
by ConRAD
13 Sep 2023, 9:27pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Selected photos of a tour in Italy and Switzerland
Replies: 2
Views: 2125

Re: Selected photos of a tour in Italy and Switzerland

Lovely places indeed, I lived there and surroundings for half a century. Nice pics.
by ConRAD
24 Apr 2023, 10:03pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: SIRÀGRIPAL APR2023
Replies: 5
Views: 524

Re: SIRÀGRIPAL APR2023

Chris Jeggo wrote: 21 Apr 2023, 9:26am .. Commissario Montalbano's house is in Punta Secca
... yes, it is!!
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by ConRAD
21 Apr 2023, 1:37pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: SIRÀGRIPAL APR2023
Replies: 5
Views: 524

Re: SIRÀGRIPAL APR2023

MrsHJ wrote: 21 Apr 2023, 6:23am ... ref. I didn’t understand the reference to the Via Francigena. Is there a Sicilian link into the route?
Maybe here (http://www.viefrancigenedisicilia.it/) nevertheless and maybe good for walking only. With my loaded bicycle I actually had to zig-zag on top of it, very nice however in this season. From June onwards it might be too hot!!
by ConRAD
20 Apr 2023, 8:46pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: SIRÀGRIPAL APR2023
Replies: 5
Views: 524

SIRÀGRIPAL APR2023

SIRÀGRIPAL APR2023 .... from Syracuse to Palermo passing through Val di Noto, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and finally along the Magna Via Francigena (obviously wherever it was possible!!)
http://prendoillargo.blogspot.com/
by ConRAD
27 Jan 2023, 9:20pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Bicycle touring in Puglia, Italy
Replies: 4
Views: 569

Re: Bicycle touring in Puglia, Italy

tmac100 wrote: 14 Jan 2023, 4:48pm... has anyone taken a bicycle tour of Puglia, Italy starting in Lecce?
Yes, simply wonderful!
https://prendoillargo.blogspot.com/2018 ... -sele.html
by ConRAD
18 Nov 2022, 12:44pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Cycling in Sicily- Advice please
Replies: 9
Views: 1541

Re: Cycling in Sicily- Advice please

Katebike6172 wrote: 17 Nov 2022, 4:29am.... however I have recently heard that roads in Sicily have become very litter strewn...
.. very sadly indeed, I do confirm :(
by ConRAD
16 Jul 2022, 7:59am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: French maps
Replies: 15
Views: 891

Re: French maps

by ConRAD
25 Jun 2022, 9:14am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Across the border
Replies: 2
Views: 346

Re: Across the border

MrsHJ wrote: 24 Jun 2022, 10:03pm... had to go in cycle.travel to orientate myself to the route
Well ... the route either along the cycle paths of Valchiavenna and Valtellina are pretty well sign posted, even better whether you download relevant gpx files. One suggestion is to do it in CCW direction since, once in Tirano and just in case, there's always the Bernina Red Train option :D
by ConRAD
24 Jun 2022, 8:59pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Across the border
Replies: 2
Views: 346

Across the border

Short cross-border trip between Italy and Switzerland around the Bernina massif (4050 m a.s.l.). Valtellina, Engadina (Canton of Grisons) and Valchiavenna, two days, 250 km, many climbs & descents but above all many emotions.

http://prendoillargo.blogspot.com/2022/ ... o-tra.html

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by ConRAD
13 Jun 2022, 9:08pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Have any of you done Eurovelo 6? Advice please!
Replies: 25
Views: 1987

Re: Have any of you done Eurovelo 6? Advice please!

Constanța is definetely one of the most caotic places i've ever been in my life ... but just outside it till Budapest (or viceversa) is quite a pleasant place to cycle, even on common roads. Booking.com works pretty well everywhere ... though most of the times you just need to look at "zimmer/room" signposts along the route. ps: yes, unfortunately today, it's better to avoid Moldova/Ukraine border.
by ConRAD
8 Jun 2022, 8:50pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Have any of you done Eurovelo 6? Advice please!
Replies: 25
Views: 1987

Re: Have any of you done Eurovelo 6? Advice please!

Daveymac wrote: 8 Jun 2022, 4:40pmHave any of you cycled as far as Constantia?
May 17th, 2012: From Galaţi to Constanța
After Galaţi, an important industrial and commercial town of the Moldavian region of Romania, we followed in direction of Tulcea passing the minor villages of Văcăreni, Garvan, Luncavita, Isaccea, Niculiţel and Somova. The road in the between Galaţi, and Tulcea is a continuous up and down though with some beautiful views on the Danube.
Tulcea belongs to the Romanian portion of Dobruja and represents the main port for touristic boat trips on the Danube delta. After Tulcea, to follow our step-by-step program, we pointed directly to Constanța passing through the little towns of Babadag, Baia, Năvodari, Ovidiu and Mamaia. In the between Tulcea and Constanța we followed, with “no-distraction” the DN22, 125 km of contrary wind, heavy traffic, often pretty poor road conditions and a very terrible continuous up&down!!!

From Yalta to Budapest through the heart of Balkans