Belice Valley ATV Tour: 50 km Off-Road Through History and Nature
Ride through ghost towns, land art, and ancient forests in the heart of western Sicily.
This Belice Valley ATV tour covers 50 km of off-road terrain across one of Sicily's most historically layered and scenically varied valleys. Starting in Partanna, the route combines rugged tracks, tunnel crossings, and cultural landmarks into a single coherent journey.
The Valle del Belice carries a dual identity: a working agricultural landscape of vineyards and olive groves, and a place fundamentally shaped by the 1968 earthquake that destroyed several of its towns. The tour moves through both layers, giving riders a rare ground-level encounter with the aftermath and the renewal that followed.
The 3-hour format is structured around movement and discovery rather than prolonged stops. Each destination is given enough time to absorb, with roughly 15 to 20 minutes at each point before the group continues along the route.
Riders do not need prior off-road experience to participate, though the terrain is classified as moderate. The ATV accommodates up to two people, making it accessible to pairs who want to share the experience.
Tour Highlights
Ride along a decommissioned railway line converted into a scenic off-road path, crossing two historic tunnels that pass through the hillside terrain.
Visit the Cretto di Burri, a monumental land art work by Alberto Burri that encases the ruins of Gibellina beneath a vast white concrete grid.
Explore Poggioreale Vecchio, a ghost town left standing since the 1968 earthquake, its stone facades and broken streets preserved as a silent historical record.
Take a short rest stop in the new town of Poggioreale, with the opportunity to visit a local bar before completing the second half of the route.
Pass through the Sinapa forest, a stretch of dense Mediterranean vegetation that provides a quieter, shaded contrast to the open valley terrain.
Cover a full 50 km loop through agricultural land, forest, and heritage sites across one of western Sicily's least-visited inland valleys.
Tour Itinerary
The tour begins in Partanna, where riders receive their ATV and a briefing on the route and vehicle handling. The first section heads onto the old railway line, a converted track that runs through open fields and into two atmospheric tunnels.
The route arrives at the Cretto di Burri, Alberto Burri's large-scale concrete artwork that covers the footprint of the destroyed town of Gibellina. The installation is one of the largest land art pieces in the world and serves as both a memorial and an artistic statement about loss and reconstruction.
Continuing along the valley, riders reach the ruins of Poggioreale Vecchio, abandoned after the 1968 earthquake. The preserved ruins of the old town offer a direct encounter with the scale of the disaster and the way the landscape has held its memory.
The group pauses in the rebuilt town of Poggioreale, where a local bar provides a place to rest and take on refreshments. This marks the midpoint of the tour before the return leg begins.
The return route passes through the Sinapa forest, an area of dense Mediterranean flora including scrub oak, wild herbs, and seasonal wildflowers. The forest provides a quieter, cooler section of the ride before the final approach to Partanna.
The tour concludes back at the starting point in Partanna, completing the 50 km loop. Riders return their ATVs and depart at their own leisure.
What Is Included
Included
- ATV rental for the duration of the tour
- Route guidance and pre-departure briefing
- Access to all sites along the itinerary
- Stops at Cretto di Burri and Poggioreale Vecchio
Not Included
- Food and beverages during the rest stop
- Personal travel insurance
- Gratuities for the guide
- Transport to and from Partanna
Important Information
Book Your Belice Valley ATV Experience
The tour runs on weekends and weekdays. Availability is limited per session, so advance booking is recommended to secure your preferred date and time.
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