Sella Mandrazzi’s SS185: From Giardini-Naxos to the Tyrrhenian Sea, through hairpin turns and Peloritani villages

State Road 185 through Sella Mandrazzi is one of Sicily’s most spectacular and beloved routes: approximately 70 km connecting the Ionian coast of Giardini-Naxos with the Tyrrhenian coast at Terme Vigliatore, passing through the heart of the Peloritani Mountains. The route climbs through twenty-two hairpin turns to the Portella Mandrazzi Pass (1,125 m above sea level), passing through medieval villages such as Novara di Sicilia (one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages) and Francavilla di Sicilia, skirting the spectacular Alcantara Gorges and offering panoramic views of Mount Etna, the Aeolian Islands, and both seas. A technical yet well-paved route, ideal for motorcycles and convertibles, best enjoyed in spring or fall.