10 DAYS MYSTICAL MALTA AND SICILY

Arrival in Malta

Upon arrival in Malta, you are met and transferred to Valletta, the elegant capital of this Mediterranean island. 

The afternoon is free to rest after your flight or stroll through Valletta at your leisure. 

Valletta & Mdina

Begin your day in Valletta, first to the Barraka Gardens which offer stunning views of the Grand Harbour and magnificent fortifications, then a walk down Triq Repubblika where you can admire numerous historical buildings built by the Knights of St. John including the Auberges, the Grand Masters Palace and St. John’s Co-Cathedral, home to Caravaggio’s masterpiece “Beheading of St. John” amongst other treasures.  
 
Proceed to Mdina, built on a plateau at the centre of the island, where its Baroque buildings, cathedral, and imposing bastion walls dominate the rural skyline. Once Malta’s capital, Mdina is now known as the Silent City for its enduring sense of tranquillity, day or night. Best explored on foot, wander through quaint alleys and narrow streets, discovering ancient buildings and far-reaching views from the lofty bastion walls. 
 
Later, we have a special private after-hours admission to St. Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina, where you can view its treasures all by ourselves. This is followed by a one Michelin-starred dinner.

Birgu, Wine and Temples

Start the day in Birgu, one of the historic Three Cities, often called the cradle of Maltese history. The first home of the Knights in 1530, Birgu boasts architectural treasures older than Valletta, including auberges, palaces, and churches. Highlights include the Church of St Lawrence by Lorenzo Gafà, the Inquisitor’s Palace, Fort St Angelo, and the Maritime Museum. 
 
Visit a boutique winery with limited production and exclusive wines. Here you will tour the vineyard and production area and enjoy tasting local platters as a light lunch and a glass of wine on the terrace (weather permitting).  
 
Afterwards, visit the Hagar Qim temple site, with the largest and heaviest megaliths out of all the temple sites around the Maltese Islands, dating back to 3,300 B.C. Continue to Mnajdra Temples, located on the edge of a hill by the sea and one of the best preserved and most evocative of the country’s prehistoric sites.

Malta-Sicily Channel

Today begins with an early start as you take a shared ferry across to Sicily (approx. 1hr 45min). Begin your Sicilian journey to Modica, renowned for its stunning Baroque churches, including the iconic Cathedral of San Giorgio. Then, visit Sicily’s oldest confectionery to savour the region’s distinctive Modica chocolate. 
 
Not to be missed is the wonderful town of Noto, a Baroque masterpiece, awarded as Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO. Stroll down Corso Vittorio Emanuele, an elegantly manicured walkway lined with huge palm trees and gorgeous reddish-gold Baroque palazzi and churches and discover many of the noteworthy buildings, such as Palazzo Ducezio, Palazzo Vescovile, Palazzo Lanolina, the Church of San Domenico, and of course, the town’s remarkable Cathedral. 
 
Continue onwards to Syracuse where you will check-in to your hotel.

Syracuse & Ortigia Odyssey

Enjoy a day of exploration beginning in Ortigia, the historic heart of Syracuse’s medieval centre. Stroll through its charming streets and visit the vast cathedral square, framed by the 17th-century Duomo and ornate Baroque palaces. 

Next, continue to the archaeological treasures of Syracuse at Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, where you will see the Teatro Greco, built in the 5th century B.C. and the most complete Greek theatre remaining from the ancient world. Explore the 2nd-century Anfiteatro Romano, the Ara di Ierone (Altar of Hieron), once used for animal sacrifices, and the Orecchio di Dionisio (Ear of Dionysius), a massive ear-shaped entrance carved into limestone. 

Later, enjoy a scenic 1.5-hour drive to Taormina, where a leisurely stroll through town rewards you with stunning sea and mountain vistas. 

Etna Lava Trails

Set out on an approximate 1.5-hour drive to discover Europe’s largest active volcano – Mount Etna. This is one of the greatest adventure tours in Sicily, not only for the volcanic phenomena but also for the vegetation variety among its 400 craters across the Catania County. Visit Valle del Bove, part of the protected area of the Etna Regional Park, walking through old lava flows to panoramic viewpoints to admire the majesty of the valley and Ionian Coast, visiting the craters of the Sartorius Mountains.  
 
Next, you will visit a local winery, whose vineyards grow over lava stone 700 meters above sea level on the northern slope of the volcano, showcasing the particularities of a unique and precious territory. Enjoy lunch with a wine tasting session, learning about the history of the local territory, followed by a tour of the wine cellar and vineyards.

Majestic Mosaics 

After breakfast, we travel approximately 2 hours to Piazza Armerina to visit the splendid UNESCO-listed Villa Romana del Casale. Enjoy a guided tour of this 15th century ‘casale’ or farmhouse with its 3,500sqm of mosaic flooring that is perfecting intact, featuring a hunt of ferocious animals in India and North Africa to be transported to Rome for the gladiator games.  
 
In the afternoon, we continue with a 1.5-hour drive to Agrigento and check into your hotel. 

Temples Valley Triumph

Today, you will learn that Sicily was once a thriving Greek colony, with English historian Douglas Sladen once saying, “If you want to understand ancient Greece, come to Sicily”. Thought to be some of the best Greek ruins in the world, the Valle dei Templi near Agrigento is an amazing sight, with most of the seven temples dating from the 5th century BC, which you will explore with your expert local guide while listening to the amazing stories of these ancient monuments.  
 
Later, we arrive in Palermo after a 2-hour drive and check in to a restored Art Nouveau villa, formerly the private residence of a noble family and now a celebrated landmark hotel of the Rocco Forte group.

Palermo Baroque Blitz

This morning, explore the city of Palermo and be enchanted by the city’s wide boulevards, traditional Sicilian Old Quarter, and baroque palaces. We will visit the city’s main sights, including the Norman section, Quattro Canti di Citta’ (the Four Corners of the City), Palermo’s extravagant baroque square and the 12th century Duomo.  
 
After lunch, continue to Monreale, which is best known for the spectacular mosaics in its Duomo (one of the best examples of Norman architecture in Italy), with an interior covered in 6,338sqm of glittering gold. We will also stop at the adjacent cloister, with panoramic views all the way to Palermo. 

Vibrant Markets of Palermo

Conclude your journey with a visit to Palermo’s vibrant historic Ballarò and Capo markets, before transferring to Palermo Airport for your departure flight.