Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Malta - Valletta - Sicily - Syracuse - Riposto
100% customisable for you
After your flight from London, which takes a little over three hours, land at Malta’s International Airport and transfer to Valletta. Your centrally-located hotel will be your home for the next four nights as you explore the island’s compact capital city, so make yourself comfy. Stretch your legs with a leisurely stroll to get your bearings, or relax at the hotel before dinner. Rest assured we can recommend a selection of great restaurants for your first night in Malta.
Wake up refreshed and ready to explore, with a hearty breakfast at the hotel to fuel you for a day of sightseeing. Today, a driver will collect you and take you to the heart of the island to join your private guide in Mdina; a fortified city that was once Malta’s capital. Discover a beguiling blend of medieval and Baroque architecture, before visiting neighbouring Rabat to see the catacombs of Saint-Paul and Sainte-Agathe.
Your day continues back in Valletta, where you’ll tick off local sights like the St. John’s Co-Cathedral, the lush Upper Barrakka Gardens, the Palazzo Malta and Casa Rocca Piccola, a splendid example of a Maltese palace. A busy first day, but a memorable one too.
Spend the next two days savouring local life in Valletta at your own pace. Enjoy a scenic city stroll, pausing for a pastizzi in a charming cafe and discovering hidden corners of the historic old town.
If you prefer, you could instead arrange a day trip to Gozo; Malta’s smaller, greener and quieter little sister. There you can explore the UNESCO-listed Ggantija Archaeological Park, or relax on Ramla, the island’s best beach.
Whatever you’re in the mood for, two idyllic island days await, before you begin your journey onwards to Sicily.
After a leisurely breakfast, head to the airport for the short 45-minute flight to Catania, in Sicily. If you’d rather not fly, the ferry to Pozzallo takes one hour and forty-five minutes. At the airport or ferry terminal, collect your hire car and enjoy a scenic drive to Syracuse.
There are plenty of hotel options here, from chic city centre boutiques to countryside boltholes complete with sunny swimming pools, so we will have chosen the perfect match for you. Wherever you stay, expect to enjoy exceptional local cuisine as you toast your first evening in Sicily.
After your first breakfast in Syracuse, it’s time to explore. Once the largest city in the ancient world, today it’s a vibrant melting pot of age-old ruins, Baroque piazzas and medieval streets. Spend this morning getting to know it better on a half-day private tour, accompanied by a local guide. During your tour, visit the Neapolis Archaeological Park, where a Greek theatre and Roman amphitheatre are among the many monuments you’ll see. Other highlights include the Baroque Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco and the 13th-century Castello Maniace, which overlooks the city’s sheltered bay.
The rest of today and tomorrow are yours to spend as you wish, whether with a trip to Ortigia market to soak up the colourful sights and fragrant smells of local specialities, or a day trip to Noto. However you spend your time here, look forward to ending each day with a memorable meal, before relaxing in comfort back at your hotel.
Today, after a tasty breakfast, load your luggage into your hire car for the drive to Riposto. The journey takes around an hour and ten minutes, heading north up the coast until you reach this small town in the shadow of Mount Etna. When you arrive, make yourself comfortable at your hotel, where you’ll be staying for two nights, before heading out for a stroll to get your bearings. The town has some excellent eateries to choose from too, so enjoy the local cuisine before retiring for the night.
Riposto is perfectly positioned between the sea, Mount Etna and the scenic town of Taormina, so take your pick of excursions today. It’s impossible to overlook the vast volcanic beauty that towers over the town, and a tour of Etna gets you up close and personal with the largest active volcano in Europe. If you opt for a guided tour, you’ll be lead to extinct craters and panoramic viewpoints, before ending with a taste of Sicilian specialities.
If you prefer, there’s plenty to do during a trip to Taormina too, with its Ancient Greek theatre, Isola Bella nature reserve, and scenic cable car linking the town to the beach. Or you could visit nearby Noto, a Baroque beauty and UNESCO World Heritage site, where you can enjoy some particularly scenic sightseeing. Wherever you spend your last full day in Sicily, it’s sure to be a delight.
After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, it’s time to make your way to Catania for the flight home. Depending on your departure time, you might be able to plan in a pit stop on the way back to the airport, and we can recommend something suitable if your schedule allows. You’ll arrive back in the UK later today.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
ENQUIRE NOW
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
ENQUIRE NOW
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
