Route by cyclists

The Way of the Sun

Tours of the Sicilian hinterland to discover the most authentic Sicily.

Difficulty: High | Km: 99.42 | Time: 3:58:37

In brief
This tour is dedicated to bikers more experienced with excellent training and good staying power! It crosses a territory which has traces of a vanished past, history, legends. Where the sparse vegetation reminds lunar landscapes that will test your passion. It starts to San Cataldo, swooping down towards the valley of Marianopoli and then up a steep 7 km (with climbs from champion ). After top of the hill down towards Vallelunga and then point out Villalba, historic village in the recent war after its vicissitudes related to the world Mafioso. The tour continues along Mussomeli where you can admire the castle Manfredonico. The long descent to the valley show your eyes a landscape visibly changed by man, with the presence of farms, which, however, has maintained its characteristics thanks to a varied wildlife, rabbits, hares, foxes, and where in summer the cicadas' only shelter from the heat of the sun is represented by solitary and majestic olive trees or fig.

Tenuta Regaleali è una delle cinque tenute del Conte Tasca d'Almerita. Un feudo nella Sicilia centrale, famoso per la fertilità dei suoli e la bontà dei suoi prodotti. Una classica azienda cerealicolo-zootecnica dove convivevano grano, olivi, pascolo, vite.

Stage 1:
Regaleali Estate is one of the five estates of Count Tasca d'Almerita's. A feud in central Sicily, famous for the fertility of the soil and the quality of its products. A classic cereal-livestock farm where wheat, olive trees, pasture and vines coexisted all together.

Villalba, paesino in provincia di Caltanissetta, diede i natali a Calogero Vizzini detto Don Calò, legato a Cosa Nostra e considerato il

Stage 2: Villalba and "Don Calò"
Villalba is a little village in the province of Caltanissetta, and is the birthplace of Don Calogero Vizzini, said Don Calò, bound to Cosa Nostra and considered to be the "boss of bosses" in the period of the Second World War. Some rumors say that Vizzini was drafted along with his associate Giuseppe Genco Russo, boss of Mussomeli, to facilitate the Allied landing in Sicily (1943). After the Allied landing, was imposed as the mayor of Villalba dall'AMGOT, the U.S. military government in the occupied territories, which was looking for anti-fascists to replace local authorities fascist.

Splendido maniero medievale di Mussomeli, il Castello Manfredonico che si trova a circa due chilometri dal centro abitato si erge su un costone calcareo alto 80 metri. Le sue possenti mura quasi si fondono alle rocce cui è aggrappato, formando un tutt'uno che conferisce ai luoghi un aspetto inconsueto, quasi fiabesco e senza tempo. Si tratta di un magnifico manufatto costruito nel 1370, probabilmente sui resti di una fortezza araba, da Manfredi III di Chiaramonte, discendente di Carlo Magno. Il castello è stato messo al centro di diversi misteri e leggende per via delle molteplici vicende storiche avvenute fra le sue mura. Si racconta di strani rumori e fruscii di vestiti di seta, di sospiri e cigolii che danno l'impressione di essere attorniati da strane presenze.

Stage 3: Castle Manfredonico - Mussomeli (CL)
Beautiful medieval castle of Mussomeli, Manfredonico Castle which is located about two kilometres from the town centre stands on a limestone Ridge 80 metres high. Its walls nearly melt the rocks which is clinging, forming a whole which gives an aspect unusual places, almost magical and timeless. It is a magnificent building built in 1370, probably on the remains of an Arab fortress, from Manfredi III Chiaramonte, a descendant of Charlemagne. The castle was placed at the Centre of several mysteries and legends because of the many historical events that took place between its walls. It tells of strange noises and rustling of silk clothes, sighs and squeaks that give the impression of being surrounded by strange presences.

Challenging road, requires specific athletic preparation.

Altimetry

Road map

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