Italian language, baroque atmosphere!

Sicilian Biking Program

The BIKING PROGRAM is a combination of a STANDARD LANGUAGE COURSE with Four Bike Excursion to ride on a bike of nature of Val di Noto. We offer a several range of excursion for all the people who love biking and not necessarily had experience with ciclying. The excursion can be made with other italian bikers to complete your italian language immersion. The mountain bike is included in the price.
This program has been organised in conjunction with Hybla Bike and lasts for two weeks.

The Biking Program start on 1th june 2009; 13th july 2009; 7th september 2009. It's needed to book one month before. Minimum number of partecipants: 4. For groups (minimum 4 students): you can choose when attend this programs.

THE PROGRAM:
- STANDARD LANGUAGE COURSE: 2Weeks per 20hours – 10 hours per week – 2 hours per day
- BIKE EXCURSION -  “Ciccio Pecora”: is a wonderful bike route down a slight hill, among a thick wood, alongside the old railway track, named often “Ciccio Pecora” (Ciccio Pecora was the only toy-game seller in Ragusa in the early 1900’s. The name of the old train route derives from this, being a small, slow train it resembled a toy train, and so was nicknamed after Ciccio Pecora. The train was so small and slow that when it went uphill, passengers would jump off or would jump on. The old railway which linked Ragusa and Syracuse, went out of service in June, 1955). We’ll pass through the old railway tunnels and we’ll have a break at Calaforno nature reserve, in wich we’ll visit the hypogeo, a underground necropolis made up of a good 35 rooms linked to each other.(bronze age); finishing at St. Rosalia’s lake and the entrance to the dam.
- BIKE EXCURSION - “Calaforno nature reserve”: is a long down hill route alongside a deep valley, among a thick wood,in an unreal silence; finishing at the nature reserve with wild animals and a typical donkey breeding farm, near an old water mills.
- BIKE EXCURSION - “Baroque Hybla”: the ancient part of Ragusa built in baroque style, which has been proclaimed Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO, and is famous for the beauty and the uniqueness of its cultural and architectural landscapes and for its geographical position in the centre of the Hybla Plateau.
- BIKE EXCURSION - “Donnafugata”:  we’ll arrive and visit the old Donnafugata’s castle and its park, among quarries,”trazzere” (tipical mule tracks) and the unlimited “muri a secco” (typical local walls made of local white stone). Along the route we’ll visit the “Trabacche cave”, probably excavated in the ellenistic period, and the “hypogeo” of Donnafugata.

Both nature routes and touristic attractions routes will finish in a typical “masseria” (a local farm), where we can see how typical local cheese and soft cheese are made and then we’ll have the food tasting with typical dishes.

The Cost:
-Sicilian biking program: 630€

Note:
- The price include: Minibus Transfer from/to Ibla!, Mountain Bike rent + Helmet, Italia/englis Guide, Tecnical Aid, Ticket to te Castel of Donnafugata, Photo Report, Food tasting.
- All bike excursion are long about 25-35km and starts on the early afternoon.
- The Biking Program start on 1th june 2009; 13th july 2009; 7th september 2009. It's needed to book one month before. Minimum number of partecipants: 4. For groups (minimum 4 students): you can choose when attend this programs.
- If one month before of "start date" less than 6 person will book this program we will refund you the deposit.