Touring - Sicily

Has anyone toured Sicily? Any information would be appreciated.

I see your thread is about to leave the front page, so I'm giving it a boost by replying.

I have not toured in Sicily, although my wife and I have plans to do that after we retire as she is from there. I haven't done my usual high quality research yet, but if you are interested here's what I do:


I get a good quality, highly detailed map. In this case probably a Michelin
I start a weather log in the season I wish to tour. This includes highs, lows and relative humidity. The BBC has excellent international weather data. I've already done this part, and early spring immediately after Easter seems best. Sicily can get quite hot (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0067) and parts of the interior are desert.
I then start planning flights, arrival times, all the details that really make the tour work. I'll be travelling with my wife so we will be credit carding. I usually book first and lasts nights and take a chance in between


I hope some or all of this has been helpful

Oh, (hang on) my wife informs me that autumn might be pleasant as it is harvest time, and the weather is a bit cooler.

Thanks for the help. There are some things I should point out. First of all the Michelin map. I just toured around Sardinia using such a map. I camp and although the map shows plenty of campsites ( I think they are in their guide), when I arrive at the end of a long day they are non-existent. What it doesn't show are contours. I have ended up on climbing mountains when the map appears to show dead flat.I hope you enjoy your trip.

I hear you! Most cartoon maps don't show topo. Some maps of GB show hills with chevrons.> for small hills, >>for medium and >>>for killer.

I think the problem is that most maps are for cars and cars don't care if the hill is > or >>>.

Camping is a special problem. Even in Canada the campsite logo doesn't guarantee a place to stay. Having a 'Plan B' is always a good idea.

Has anyone toured Sicily? Any information would be appreciated.

Italy in general seems popular with British cycle tourists, you might try posting on the Cycling Plus forums (http://www.cyclingplus.co.uk/forum/.

The Touring Club Italiano maps are a touch more detailed than the Michelin maps, and they show contour lines. I found them very useful on my trip around Tuscany and Umbria last May. Get them from the TCI website (www.touringclub.it) or from Trek Tools (www.trektools.com).

The best way to find campsites that are currently in operation is to run a Google search using "camping" and the name of the town you're going to be staying in or near as search terms. Rough Guides and Lonely Planet Guides also have fairly complete, up to date (at time of printing) listings of campsites.

HTH,
mark

All well and good. A weather log will give you prevailing winds at a particular time of year so you can choose your direction of travel.