Syracuse Sicily Cycle Path

If you find yourself with an opportunity to go for a bike ride while in Syracuse Sicily there is no better ride than the Pista Ciclabile Rossana Maiorca or Rossana Mallorca cycle path. With stunning views along the coastline and a smooth surface to ride, you’ll find yourself stoked to have discovered this amazing ride. From our perspective it is the best Syracuse Sicily cycle path and a fantastic way to spend a day experiencing the beauty of the area.

History

The cycle path was created on the footprint of an old defunct railway line. The railway line was decommissioned in the late 1990’s. After considering several possible uses for the space the overwhelming suggestion and final decision was to turn it into a cycle path. The surface is an easy to ride gravel along a flat 6.5km well maintained route.

Route Description

You can locate the beginning of the cycle path here, behind the Monument to the Italian Fallen in Africa. The monument is situated atop a cliff with fabulous wide open views of the sea below capped by the cityscape above. The landscape along the route has everything from shady overgrowth above to narrow train passages cut through the rocks. Glorious expansive sea views predominate however, sheer cliffs, old ruins, and rocky islands add to the epic scenery. Along the route, there is also an artistic sculpture park.

Riding the Cycle Path

Living onboard a cruise ship we were only going to be in Syracuse for one day. We discovered the cycle path thanks to a wonderfully descriptive post on Ciclabili Siciliane. Our small group rode through town and found the monument without any difficulty. We rode the length of the cycle path with ease, loving the beauty of the surrounding area. There were plenty of other bikers, runners, and hikers enjoying the path as well, but it wasn’t crowded at all. We didn’t see much wildlife aside from a handful of lizards scurrying along.

The highlight of the ride for us was stopping at an old 18th century tuna fishery called Tonnara di Santa Panagia that originally dates back to the 1100s. I’ve included a link there to the Life Beyond the Wire blog which has more on the locations history as well as some great photos of the location. We took a break to walk down near the buildings and stick our feet in the water. In addition to our cycling party there were a handful of fishermen, swimmers, and sunbathers enjoying the beauty of the old fishery location. The abandoned cove with the ruins and cliffs as a backdrop make for a truly beautiful scene and a fantastic place to cool off.

Always ride prepared for a flat with Gup Quick Fix which is both sealant and inflator. You can carry one and be ready even without tools handy. This is a sponsored link that won’t cost you anything extra.

Best Cycle Path in Sicily?

To be fair and transparent, we haven’t ridden many routes in Sicily. We have done a lot of riding in the United States. This cycle path ranks up there as one of the best we’ve found anywhere. After spending a few hours on this ride we are willing to guess that this is one of the best routes in Sicily. It is definitely the best Syracuse Sicily cycle path. The ride was easy and oh so pleasant. If you have the opportunity and enjoy a ride, then you should definitely take a spin on Pista Ciclabile Rossana Maiorca.