Tour guide · 15 October 2026

Christmas in Rome, New Year in Sicily: what our e-bike tour is really like

Eleven days that start with Christmas Eve in the Eternal City and end with the first sunrise of 2027 on Sicily’s coast. Here’s what the trip feels like, day to day.

Why Rome at Christmas

Rome in late December is festive, without the summer heat or the summer crowds. The Christmas market fills Piazza Navona, the churches are decorated, and the city has a slower, local feel. We spend three days here: the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on the first day, the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day free to soak it in. Dinners on the first night and on Christmas Eve are with the whole group.

Why we then head to Sicily

On Christmas night an overnight coach takes us south to Catania, and the trip changes pace completely. South-east Sicily is one of Europe’s quietest winter corners: olive groves, dry-stone walls, small hill towns and a coastline with almost no tourists in December. It’s also milder than Rome, especially near the sea.

The baroque towns

After a huge earthquake in 1693, the towns of the Val di Noto were rebuilt in the same golden-stone baroque style. Eight of them are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and our route links several: Palazzolo Acreide, where we pick up the e-bikes, Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Scicli and Noto. Each one is a short day’s ride from the next, which is exactly what makes this region so good for cycling.

• Ragusa Ibla sits on a ridge, with stairways and domes you see long before you arrive.
• Modica is known for its chocolate, still made with an old cold-working method that gives it a grainy texture.
• Scicli is small and calm, tucked into a valley of limestone cliffs.
• Noto is the showpiece: a wide main street, the cathedral steps and palaces with carved balconies.

Riding e-bikes in a Sicilian winter

There are five main riding days of about 35–60 km, plus an optional warm-up ride, for roughly 230–250 km in total. The hilliest day is Palazzolo to Ragusa and Modica. That’s where the e-bike earns its place: you still pedal, but the motor flattens the climbs so you arrive with energy left for the town.

Typical December weather is around 10–14°C by day in the hill towns and 15–17°C on the coast, with cooler evenings and the chance of rain or wind. Daylight is short, so we start riding at a sensible hour and plan each day to finish well before sunset. Bring layers, a windproof jacket, gloves and a light rain jacket.

New Year’s Eve in Noto

On 31 December we ride through the Vendicari Nature Reserve to Noto and celebrate the arrival of 2027 with a New Year’s Eve dinner in one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. New Year’s Day is an easy ride to Siracusa and the island of Ortigia, with its cathedral, waterfront and the Fountain of Arethusa, followed by a farewell dinner.

Who this tour suits

The tour is rated moderate. It suits people who ride a bicycle comfortably and can spend a few hours in the saddle on several days in a row. You don’t need to be an athlete, and the e-bike does a lot of the hard work on hills. If you’re unsure, message us and we’ll talk it through honestly.