Sicily & Malta Getaway

Itinerary

• Day 1: Overnight flight

  Board your overnight flight to Sicily, cozy up, and put the season two intro of White Lotus on loop. Some might call that a weird flex—we call it setting the mood.

• Day 2: Arrive in Palermo + Welcome Dinner

  Bon vinuti! The island is the largest in the Mediterranean and has its own language—most locals speak Italian, too—but more importantly, its own style of pizza. Drop your bags, grab a slice, and repeat “Bedda Matri, I’m in Sicily!”

  Today's highlights:

  • Meet an EF representative and fellow travelers as they arrive at the airport.
  • Transfer to your hotel to check in and check out your room.
  • Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with fellow travelers at an authentic local spot.
• Day 3: Palermo history & street food tour + optional farm visit

  Fun fact: cannoli originated in Palermo. Even funner fact: you get to eat some. This morning you’ll learn all about the city’s rich past while sampling some local treats. And make sure you’re looking both ways—traffic is kind of a free-for-all.

  Today's highlights:

  • Join a local guide in the AM to walk through Sicily’s capital city.
  • Stroll by the largest opera house in Italy and third largest in Europe, Teatro Massimo.
  • See where four historic neighborhoods meet at Quattro Canti, the Four Corners.
  • Try local bites like cannoli (duh), sfincione aka Sicilian pizza, and crocche—FRIED MASHED POTATOES.

  Free time suggestions

  Monreale Cathedral: Just outside Palermo, this medieval church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known worldwide for its huge mosaics containing almost 5,000 pounds of gold.

  Capuchin Catacombs: Under a normal-looking monastery you'll find nearly 8,000 skeletons and mummies on full display, the oldest belonging to a friar who died in 1599. Spooky.

  Farm visit, wine tasting, and picnic lunch (extra cost)

  Wander vineyards and olive groves, chill with the animals, and enjoy a picnic lunch and wine tasting.
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 4: Travel to Catania via Cefalù

  Catania is located on Sicily’s east coast and tucked into the base of Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. Oh, and she’s active. In the 1600s Catania was leveled by lava and earthquakes and then rebuilt using volcanic stone, so...in your face, Mount Etna.

  Today's highlights:

  • Watch the countryside go by—or snooze, who are we kidding—on a bus to Sicily’s east coast.
  • Stop in charming Cefalù to grab lunch, pop into tiny shops, and catch some rays at one of the island's finest beaches.
  • Continue to the Catania region and enjoy a free evening to yourself.
• Day 5: Free day + optional Mount Etna excursion

  Enjoy your free time and inhale all the taste-bud-tingling Sicilian food you can handle—we have faith in you. You can also head to Mount Etna where the volcanic soil, altitude, and Mediterranean Sea air produce some super sippable wines.

  Free time suggestions

  Baroque architecture: Catania’s historic center, UNESCO World Heritage Site, is characterized by ornate dual-colored buildings thanks to a combo of basalt and marble.

  Pasta alla Norma: You absolutely cannot leave Sicily without trying its most famous pasta dish made with tomatoes, eggplant, and salty ricotta cheese.

  Mt. Etna: Volcanos and Vineyards (extra cost)

  See and explore the craters of Europe's tallest active volcano, then relax with some Sicilian wine.
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 6: Explore Taormina + Sicilian cooking class

  Today you’ll explore Taormina, a boujee town built on the side of a mountain (and site of the IRL White Lotus hotel). Once you stand in the ruins of an amphitheater overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, you’ll get why more people are flocking here every year.

  Today's highlights:

  • Explore the Taormina Greek Theater, built in the 3rd century BCE and still used today.
  • Take in the Baroque architecture and quaint, pedestrian-friendly cobblestone streets.
  • Hop on a cable car down to the beach for the afternoon.
  • Learn to make a classic dish during a cooking class led by a pro Sicilian chef.
• Day 7: Travel to Malta via Syracuse

  Ciau Sicily and ħello Malta! It's actually just pronounced “hello” in Maltese—easy! This independent island nation is an 8,000-year-old crossroads between Europe and Africa, and you’re about to dive into its melting-pot culture, rich history, and dreamy scenery.

  Today's highlights:

  • Admire the Sicilian coast as you head south on an early-morning bus ride.
  • Stop for free time in Syracuse, famous for old af (8th century BCE) Greek ruins.
  • Continue to the port city of Pozzallo to board your ferry Valletta, Malta’s capital city.
  • Check into your accommodations in St. Julian’s, known for its nightlife and bay views, just outside Valletta.
• Day 8: Mdina & Valletta

  Today you'll visit two important Maltese cities—Mdina, a medieval walled town that served as the capital until the late 1500s, and Valletta, the Baroque younger sibling who got bigger and yoinked the title away. Rude.

  Today's highlights:

  • Bus to Mdina and join a local guide on a spin through quaint medieval streets.
  • Marvel at the Mdina Gate, Vilhena Palace, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
  • Skedaddle back to Valletta for another guided walking tour of the capital.
  • See highlights like Parliament and the reconstructed ruins of the Royal Opera House.
  • Spend some free time in Valletta before returning to St. Julian’s.

  Free time suggestions

  Fort St. Elmo: A key stronghold during the 1565 Great Siege by the Ottomans, this iconic fort boasts gorgeous Grand Harbor views and also houses the National War Museum.

  Street food: Sea air plus sightseeing equals one thing—snacks! Try some local Maltese bites, especially the pastries, like ricotta-stuffed pastizzi or date-stuffed imqaret.

• Day 9: Optional boat and beach day + Farewell Dinner

  What’s up today? Bopping around Valletta? A beach reset? A *pastizzi-*eating contest against yourself? All correct answers. In the evening, share some laughs (and maybe shed some tears) at an included Farewell Dinner in St. Julian’s with your group.

  Free time suggestions

  Three Cities: A frequent ferry crosses the Grand Harbor to Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua, three walled cities known for their maritime history and picturesque waterfronts.

  Barrakka Gardens: Peep Malta’s best harbor views as you wind your way through the paths, gardens, and fountains of these once private upper and lower gardens.

  Boat and beach day (extra cost)

  Sail via private boat to the famous Blue and Crystal Lagoons for swimming, snorkeling, and lunch.
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 10: Fly home

  Addio, ħbieb! 
  Translation: Goodbye, friends. Your next destination awaits—home. But this isn’t goodbye. It’s “See you later.” The only question is, where?