La Via dei Laghi

From Lentini, arriving by train or other means, you take your bike and from the GATE of the Stazione Ferroviaria you head north and, through fragrant orange trees and a passage to the Giardino delle Biviere, you easily arrive to border the Lentini lake, the great naturalistic oasis of the territory. The roads, SP67, SS385 and SP28/I are generally in good condition and with light traffic, with the exception of some stretches of the State Road. The GATE of Scordia, placed in Piazza Umberto I, can be reached after about 20 kilometers of easy riding.

Stage

Scordia - Militello Val di Catania

Easy

Distance

10.00Km

(30.80Km/tot.)

Height difference

316m+

The route from Scordia to Militello in Val di Catania could be considered easy only due to its brevity, but it involves a difference in height of 316m, all of which is added due to the climb that leads to the center of Militello in the Val di Catania - a UNESCO World Heritage town from which you can admire the beauty of Mount Etna. The SP281 has an excellent quality, and motor vehicle traffic is present in a noticeable way only at the entrances and exits of populated areas.

Stage

Militello Val di Catania - Licodia Eubea

Easy

Distance

21.00Km

(51.80Km/tot.)

Height difference

340m+

Another relatively easy stage that leads to the POINT of Licodia Eubea, located near the Villa Comunale. You will cycle on the SP28II, part of the ss290, the SS124, and finally the SP 381. The road surface is good, and traffic is concentrated only at the entrances and exits of the populated areas. Starting from Licodia Eubea, it is possible to take a detour to visit Lake Dirillo, hidden between the mountains and a destination for hikers and sports athletes.

Stage

Licodia Eubea - Chiaramonte Gulfi

Medium

Distance

29.70Km

(81.50Km/tot.)

Height difference

552m+

Don't be deceived by the first part of the path, mostly downhill, because climbing to the GATE in Chiaramonte Gulfi located in piazza Duomo at an altitude of 677 meters requires some effort. The roads leading to the beautiful village (SP38II, SP5, SP7, and SP8) are in good condition and motor vehicle traffic is mainly concentrated at the exits and entrances of populated areas, particularly near Chiaramonte Gulfi, the "Balcony of Sicily". The GATE is located in Piazza Duomo.

Stage

Chiaramonte Gulfi - Giarratana

Medium

Distance

39.50Km

(121.00Km/tot.)

Height difference

536m+

This is a medium difficulty in particular because of the climb that, after Chiaramonte Gulfi, reaches the 850 meter plateau overlooking the village, where you can take a brief stop at the "Antica Stazione", transformed today into a friendly hotel. Ragusa is encountered at the 96th kilometer and, until the exit from the city at the 105th kilometer, it's easy to stop to admire its beauty. From km 111 to km 114 the view of the beautiful Santa Rosalia lake can invite you to take an additional detour from the track. From km 111 to km 114, the view of the beautiful lake of Santa Rosalia may invite you to take an additional excursion off the track. The road that leads to Giarratana, located near the Chiesa Madre, rises gently among masserie, woods, and cultivated fields. The "Perla degli Iblei", as the town is called, has carefully preserved its rural traditions, and it guards its celebrated onion with jealousy. All of the roads (SP8, SP10, and SS194) are in good condition, although there is little motor vehicle traffic. However, you should be aware of the traffic near the city of Ragusa.

Stage

Giarratana - Monterosso Almo

Easy

Distance

7.90Km

(128.90Km/tot.)

Height difference

209m+

Easy climb because of its shortness in spite of always being uphill. You cycle along the SS194, the secondary road of the valley, and the SP62 until you reach Monterosso Almo, which POINT is located in piazza San Giovanni. The motor vehicle traffic is light and the
roads are in good condition. The old railway and the former Giarratana station are not far. Monterosso Almo, the "Piccolo Eden Verde" welcomes cyclists in the authentic atmosphere of old Sicily, captured by Giuseppe Tornatore with the famous film "L'Uomo
delle Stelle".

Stage

Monterosso Almo - Vizzini

Easy

Distance

17.40Km

(143.30Km/tot.)

Height difference

314m+

Relatively easy climb, you climb up, you climb down, and then you climb back up towards Vizzini with inclines that are never challenging. Monte Lauro is on the right in the first part of the route towards the Grotta dei Santi. You travel along the SS194 with good road conditions and limited amounts of vehicle traffic. The GATE is located in Vizzini in piazza Umberto, right in front of the beautiful tiled staircase. We recommend a detour to visit Cunziria, the old Conceria di Vizzini, setting for the duel between Turiddu and Alfio in the Cavalleria Rusticana. As an iconic location, Cunziria was also chosen by Gabriele Lavia as a set for the film "La Lupa."

Stage

Vizzini - Buccheri

Easy

Distance

14.30Km

(160.60Km/tot.)

Height difference

311m+

Another easy stage because of its brevity, even though you climb up the SS124 to the 831 meters at Buccheri, with inclines never prohibitive. The POINT is situated near the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate. Considered the capital of virgin extra olive oil and the world's best culinary destination, Buccheri deserves a stop to enjoy its delicacies. A MTB excursion in one of Buccheri's four woods (Bosco della Contessa, Bosco di S. Maria, Bosco Pisano e Bosco Frassino) can be an excellent alternative to the journey. Good roads with light vehicle traffic.

Stage

Buccheri - Francofonte

Easy

Distance

22.10Km

(182.70Km/tot.)

Height difference

183m+

From Buccheri you always climb down until km 179, where the easy climb that leads to Francofonte begins (POINT in Villa Idria). The roads (SP5, SP33, and SS194) are good, with little motor vehicle traffic. However, cyclists should be aware of the common phenomenon of "climbing downhill," an optical illusion caused by the geographical features surrounding the roads in the area.

Stage

Francofonte - Carlentini

Medium

Distance

24.70Km

(207.40Km/tot.)

Height difference

381m+

The stage is considered of medium difficulty, in particular for a 500-meter "wall" along the road that leads to Pedagaggi. This "Strada di Bonifica," about 5 km long, although free of vehicle traffic, is not in good condition. The rest of the roads are in good condition and safe (SS194, SP33, and SP5), with a few more motorized vehicles as one approaches Carlentini, where the POINT is located at the Chiesa di San Sebastiano.

Stage

Carlentini - Lentini

Easy

Distance

4.20Km

(211.60Km/tot.)

Height difference

0m+

Brief and easy stroll inside the two populated areas: Carlentini and Lentini with the GATE located near the train station. The journey of discovering the Iblei lakes has now ended.

Gradient:

3329mt.

Slope max

11.00%

Surfaces:

Asphalt

Bicycle type:

All

The three lakes that are part of the tour, called "La Via dei Laghi" are: Lake Lentini or Biviere, Lake of Licodia or Dirillo, and, further south, the Lake of Santa Rosalia. They all were created by damming rivers and have important natural values, creating habitats for birds, animals, and lake fish species.

To cover the 11 stages of a total of 212 km with a difference in height of 3,329 m in just one day is certainly very demanding and does not allow you to savor the beauty and flavors present along the route. It is therefore advisable to organize yourself over at least three days, with breaks to be decided on the spot.

A possibility could be the one to use the first day to cycle from Lentini to Licodia Eubea. It is 51.8 km with 843 meters of difference in height. In one go you can get to know two lakes: Lentini and Licodia. Both can invite the cyclist to some “off-road tracks” with very pleasant hikes that can add up around ten kilometers to those scheduled.

During the first part of the journey oranges are the protagonists, before making way for the historic centers of Scordia, Militello in Val di Catania, and a brief stop at the Vizzini-Licodia railway station that has now been abandoned. Spending the night in one of the farmhouses, B&Bs, or hotels in Licodia Eubea and enjoying a plate of patacò, a Slow Food specialty with remarkable nutritional properties, could be a good idea.

The second day can not end anywhere but in Giarratana, after a stop in Chiaramonte Gulfi and a visit to Ragusa. Before arriving at Giarratana, an excursion to the Santa Barbara lake is an obligation. The journey covers 69.2 kilometers with 1,088 meters difference in height. The climb never stops until Chiaramonte Gulfi, reaching 850 meters. Ragusa Ibla, the "City of Bridges", a pearl of baroque not far from the sea: "It takes intelligence to come to Ibla, a certain quality of the soul, the taste for silent and flaming cliffs, blind alleys, useless twists, shutters sealed on a black gaze that spies." Perhaps Gesualdo Bufalino was right to refer to the intelligence of Ragusa’s visitors, who can verify this uncommon quality easily today if they are equipped with a bike.
In the stop of Giarratana do not forget a meal with its famous onion, and then sleep.

The third part of the journey takes you to Lentini through stops in valuable towns such as Monterosso Almo, Vizzini, Buccheri, Francofonte and Carlentini. There are 90.6 km to cover with 1,398 meters of difference in height. The road is challenging until Buccheri, where you reach the 830 meters of Monte Lauro, the highest peak of the Iblei with its 986 meters.

The 18th century village of Cunziria, where the arias of the Cavalleria Rusticana, the Baroque of Monterosso Almo, the many archaeological areas echo, where the waters and forests guarantee a discreet and constant presence before the fragrance of red oranges returns to remind us that the journey is over and it's time to rest peacefully in the memory of a beauty that will never leave the cyclist's mind. The condition of the roads is generally good with limited traffic, except for some stretches near residential areas. An interesting travelability index with a rating of 7.9/10.

Tracciato itinerario