CYCLING AND SUMPTUOUS SICILY CARBS IN...

WHAT? A Taste Of Sicily cycling tour

WHERE? Sicily (obvs), Italy WHY? To upgrade your pedal power and pasta quota HOW MUCH? From £1,799 per person; headwater.com

A cycling tour? Isn’t that for, well, you know, old people? Oh, get over yourself. Okay, we’re not saying it’s an impossibility that you’ll happen across a few silver foxes as you ride along the breathtaking south-east coast of Sicily, but the burn you’ll feel in your thighs as you climb into bed each night will prove much more distracting. Pedalling around 75 miles in 10 days, through beautiful old towns and cities via the stunning unspoilt coastline of the Mediterranean’s largest island, this self-guided route is categorised as activity level 2 by Headwater, which essentially means it’ll be a gratifying challenge for both those more used to meandering weekend bike rides in the countryside and the more saddle-seasoned cycling commuters. Pushing through the (good, sort of…) pain in your legs is a must, though. Not only will you pass by endless charming fishing villages and lush valleys bursting with olive trees and lemon orchards, but it’s when you pull up at a new hotel every evening that the dangling carrot you’ve been following all day is finally chopped, steamed and served up alongside world-famous Sicilian dishes. Feast on tomato and mozzarella arancini, spaghetti served with sardines, white fennel, sultanas and pine nuts (pasta con le sarde, to the locals) and sfincione – a thick doughy pizza base topped with anchovies, onion and cheese. And obviously it would be rude not to pick up a few bottles of red as you cycle through the Nero D’avola wine country, which happily takes care of your evening tipple. Just the one, yeah? Refuelling never tasted so good.