Riding a bike in Sicily traffic

*** WATCH IN 4K ***: Ever think about bicycling in Italian traffic? Italy has a reputation for its drivers — fast, no rules, weaving in and out — and it's warranted! But they're also orderly in their own way. They don't yell or honk at each other, everyone seems to understand the (lack of) rules, and they actually respect pedestrians and bicyclists. And so bicyclists can and should just jump into traffic. To get through the coastal cities of Sicily, there isn't much choice. Bike lanes are few or meaningless, and you can forget about shoulders; some streets are barely wide enough for cars. You have to join the autos and motos on the streets. This video shows how I rode with the traffic in late May and early June 2026 through the center of a town and around bustling beaches and hotspots. Everyone weaves around each other, motos zip by, people themselves often have to walk on the street, and I must dodge sewers and potholes. All of it requires that bicyclists be most alert — and riding with that kind of concentration is kind of a flow state. 00:00 Riding amid the buildings of Giardini-Naxos 02:07 One lane on the Santa Teresa di Riva coast 04:03 The Mondello coast, off northwest Palermo's border 07:08 Continuing around the hopping edge of Mondello 08:08 Finishing through Mondello's hotspots See more of fantastic Sicily in the playlist here, and read more about riding in Sicily traffic at suburbanchicagobicycling.com.