Malta and Gozo Discovery + Classical Sicily

This 15-night escorted tour from Explore Worldwide begins in Gozo, Malta’s smaller sibling, where the itinerary moves at a pace that allows for dipping in secluded bays, climbing the Citadel in Victoria, and visiting Ggantija, a megalithic temple older than the Pyramids. From red sandy Ramla Bay to the limestone salt pans on Gozo’s rugged northern coast, it takes the time to settle into island life.

Crossing to Malta’s main island, the tour visits Valletta’s ramparts and St John's Co-Cathedral, the Three Cities where fortifications dominate the skyline, and the prehistoric temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra overlooking the sea. The latter days lead into Sicily, starting in Syracuse with its Greek theatre and baroque cathedral, then to off-the-tourist-track towns like Piazza Armerina and the mosaics of Villa Romana del Casale. The final stretch includes Erice, Palermo with its Norman cathedral, a swim stop in Cefalù, and ends near Mount Etna with a walk around volcanic craters and a Greek theatre that looks out to Europe’s most active volcano.

Travel here is firmly on land, with the occasional short ferry, and the chance to taste local wine and fresh fish along the way. The blend of ancient history, intricate streets and coastal scenery unfolds fairly gently, with time for the odd siesta or gelato if you find yourself in Sicily’s sunny south.

New to Malta? Our Malta guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.

These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.