Bike Rental in Palermo
Our bike hire in Palermo is the best option for your active holiday in Sicily’s capital. Sicily Cycling’s Bike Rental in Palermo offers delivery and collection service as well as high quality bikes from Trek and Specialized. We are riders and bicycle travellers ourselves and know what you need to fully enjoy cycling in Palermo and its surroundings.
Rent a Bike in Palermo
Why rent a bike in Palermo
Renting a bike in Palermo allows you to explore the city and its surroundings without having to rent a car or rely on the public transportation.Our bike hire in Palermo is the best option for active travellers who don’t want to miss out on their training. If you want to go further you can ride out along the coast towards Cefalù and return by train.
Is Palermo good for cycling?
The city is mostly flat, especially the vast area of the old town with its cobbled streets and large squares and big portion of the old town is car free so it’s very easy to move around by bike. While bike lanes and cycle paths are still not the state of the art, the city has a steadily growing network of bike lanes. If you are used to share the road with other vehicles, you will find cycling in Palermo easy.
Is cycling popular in Palermo?
There are many cycling clubs and you will easily see pelotons on their daily morning ride, especially on the winding road of Monte Pellegrino. There is also a growing community of commuters, especially on e-bikes. Mountain biking is very popular, too, and if you read further and check out the mountain bike routes in and near Palermo you will understand why. Gravel riding is becoming popular and many locals come by our bike rental in Palermo to try our gravel bikes before buying one.
How much does it cost to rent a bike in Palermo?
The rental prices for bikes in Palermo vary by type and rental duration. Typically, a road bike rental costs around 25 euro per day for an aluminium road bike or a gravel bike. A touring bike rental starts from 20 euro per day, but you may even pay less if you rent the bike for two weeks or longer.
Do you deliver bikes to Palermo airport?
Yes, we deliver bikes to Palermo airport at an extra fee that depends on the number of bikes.
Do you deliver bikes to Mondello?
Yes, we deliver bikes to Mondello Beach at an extra fee that depends on the number of bikes.
Tips from Locals for Cycling in Palermo
When to go and how to get there
Cycling is possible all year round in Palermo thanks to its mild climate. That said, you may consider going outside of the peak summer season. Firstly, because it is less expensive in terms of flights or accommodation. Secondly, because the temperatures are pretty high already in the late morning hours, so unless you travel from California or Florida, you may find it pretty hot out there. Palermo Airport is the closest international airport, but you can reach Palermo by ferry or by train, too.
Where to stay when cycling in Palermo
There are basically two options if you are looking for a good starting point for day tours in and around Palermo. One is the old town of Palermo which is great if you wish to explore the narrow streets, the ancient squares and its coastal districts by bike. The other option is the beach district of Mondello which is within a 30 minutes ride from the city centre and a great place for coastal riding.
Bike hotels in Palermo
We have selected a few B&Bs and hotels that welcome cyclists and have a safe bike deposit, like the Hotel Cortese or the Holiday Apartment Gebel Grin close to the climb to Monte Pellegrino. Check out our map of Bike Hotels in Sicily for more information about where to stay while cycling in Palermo.
The Best Cycling Routes in Palermo
The best road bike rides in Palermo
Find the most popular routes for road cycling in Palermo and learn where locals go for their daily training:
- Monte Pellegrino – Mondello Loop
- Giro degli 80 – the 80 K Loop
- Giro dei 100 – the 100 K Loop
Gravel bike routes in Palermo
See our recommendations for gravel bike routes in Palermo and long-distance routes that start from Sicily’s capital:
- La Favorita, gravel paths among orchards in one of Europe’s largest city parks
- Sicily Divide, a long-distance gravel bike route from Palermo to Catania that we launched in June 2020 with our sister-NGO Ciclabili Siciliane
Top mountain bike routes in Palermo
The most scenic mountain bike rides in Palermo for avid mountain bikers and cross-country lovers and trails only locals know about:
- Monte Pellegrino, click here for the route description
- Monte Catalfano, click here for the route description
- Pizzo Manolfo
- La Rufuliata (currently closed due to rockfall), for trail bikes and experienced riders only
- The Landolina trail (currently closed due to rockfall), a short but nice single track on Mount Pellegrino’s foothills
- Scala vecchia, the ancient cobbled road leading up to the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia on Mount Pellegrino. A tough climb and excellent training but we prefer the ride down on a full-sus
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