Mediterranean delights

Malta's capital, the minicity of Valletta, has ornate palaces and museums protected by massive fortifications of honey-color limestone. Houses along the narrow streets have overhanging wooden balconies for people-watching from indoors. Generations ago they gave housebound women a window on the world of the street. The main entrance to town is through the City Gate (where all bus routes end), which leads onto Triq Repubblika (Republic Street), the spine of the grid-pattern city and the main shopping street. Triq Mercante (Merchant Street) parallels Repubblika to the east and is also good for strolling. From these two streets, cross streets descend toward the water; some are stepped. Valletta's compactness makes it ideal to explore on foot. City Gate and the upper part of Valletta are experiencing vast redevelopment that includes a new Parliament Building and open-air performance venue. The complex, completed mid-2013, has numerous pedestrian detours in place along with building noise and dust. Before setting out along Republic Street, stop at the tourist information office on Merchant Street for maps and brochures.

Your unforgettable cruise begins in the island-nation of Malta and its tiny capital city, Valletta, which has been designated a World Heritage Site. Here, you’ll be transferred to your luxury Emerald yacht for the start of your marvellous voyage through the Mediterranean.

Please book your flight to arrive into Valletta prior to 07:00 PM.

Your first stop is Mgarr, a small harbour village on Gozo known for its ferry port, surrounding rural landscapes, and traditional Maltese character. The village has a quaint, traditional feel, with charming old stone houses and winding cobbled streets that offer a unique and authentic Maltese experience. 

Located on the southern coast of Sicily, Porto Empedocle is a charming port town named after the ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles, who is historically associated with the nearby region of Agrigento. Here, you’ll discover a picturesque town with a lively waterfront area filled with fishing boats and yachts, and a reputation for the freshest seafood and traditional Sicilian cuisine. Porto Empedocle  also makes a convenient base for exploring the surrounding area, including the striking Scala dei Turchi cliffs and historic sites of Agrigento. 

Translating as ‘castle’ or ‘port’ in Arabic, Mazara looks directly out across the Strait of Sicily. This position is the exact reason it developed as a strategic focal point and crossroads for cultures that successively arrived here over the centuries. Mazara proudly shows the world its splendid historic centre, the Casbah, where Islamic philosophers and men of letters, judges and merchants once walked. 

Cruise across the Mediterranean to the northwestern coast of Africa and the clifftop village of Sidi Bou Said overlooking the Gulf of Tunis. Perched on steep cliffs, it is acclaimed for its quaint, whitewashed buildings adorned with vivid blue doors and windows draped with tumbling fuchsia bougainvillea. A haven for artists, writers and musicians, Sidi Bou Said is often compared to Santorini because of its similar striking architectural style and beauty.

Trapani, the most important town on Sicily’s west coast, lies below the headland of Mount Erice and offers stunning views of the Egadi Islands on a clear day. Trapani’s Old District occupies a scimitarshaped promontory between the open sea on the north and the salt marshes to the south. The ancient industry of extracting salt from the marshes has recently been revived, and it is documented in the Museo delle Saline. In addition to the salt marshes,Trapani’s other interesting environs include the beautiful little hill town of Erice, the promontory of Capo San Vito stretching north beyond the splendid headland of Monte Cofano, the lovely island of Motya and the town of Marsala. Trips farther afield will take you to the magnificent site of Segesta or the Egadi Islands, reached by boat or hydrofoil from Trapani Port.

Blessed with one of the most enchanting coastlines in Italy, Trapani is a serene side of Sicily. Located on the island’s western coast, it has a storied history as a trading port with influences from Greek, Roman, Arabic and Norman civilisations. Trapani's scenic setting, nestled between the sea and the nearby hills, offers visitors breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes. The city centre is characterised by narrow winding streets, Baroque architecture, and lively markets selling fresh seafood and local produce. Notable historic landmarks here include the 14th-century Castello di Terra and 17th-century Palazzo della Giudecca. 

Once the intellectual capital of southern Europe, Palermo has always been at the crossroads of civilization. Favorably situated on a crescent-shaped bay at the foot of Monte Pellegrino, it has attracted almost every culture touching the Mediterranean world. To Palermo's credit, it has absorbed these diverse cultures into a unique personality that is at once Arab and Christian, Byzantine and Roman, Norman and Italian. The city's heritage encompasses all of Sicily's varied ages, but its distinctive aspect is its Arab-Norman identity, an improbable marriage that, mixed in with Byzantine and Jewish elements, created some resplendent works of art. No less noteworthy than the architecture is Palermo's chaotic vitality, on display at some of Italy's most vibrant outdoor markets, public squares, street bazaars, and food vendors, and above all in its grand climax of Italy's most spectacular passeggiata (the leisurely social stroll along the principal thoroughfare).

Welcome to Palermo, a vibrant and historic city located on the northern coast of Sicily, renowned for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant street markets. The island’s capital reveals a mix of cultures, including Italian, Arabic, and Norman influences, which is evident in its diverse architectural styles and cuisine. Palermo's historic centre is a World Heritage-listed Site, brimming with beautiful churches, palaces and bustling squares. Palermo is also popular for its street food scene, with markets like Mercato Ballarò and Mercato Vucciria serving up a wide range of local specialties, such as arancini, panelle, and sfincione. 

The largest and most developed of the Aeolians, Lipari welcomes you with distinctive pastel-color houses. Fields of spiky agaves dot the northernmost tip of the island, Acquacalda, indented with pumice and obsidian quarries. In the west is San Calogero, where you can explore hot springs and mud baths. From the red-lava base of the island rises a plateau crowned with a 16th-century castle and a 17th-century cathedral.

Lipari is the largest and most populated of the Aeolian Islands, a volcanic archipelago off the coast of Sicily amid the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea. The stunning landscape is characterised by a rugged coastline, beautiful beaches lapped by crystal-clear waters, and lush vegetation. In the charming Old Town, explore the winding, narrow streets and alleys, a contrasting blend of pastel-hued, elegant townhouses and simple dwellings, as well as the 16th-century castle, which presents panoramic views of the surrounding area.  

Set on Sicily’s eastern shores, the picturesque town of Giardini Naxos offers stunning views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna – the fabled active volcano. This seaside town is known for its beautiful sandy beaches, clear blue waters, and vibrant waterfront promenade lined with restaurants, shops, and cafés. Giardini Naxos also harbours a rich history, with archaeological sites dating back to ancient times. Explore the remnants of Sicily’s earliest Greek settlement nearby and access to the Taormina Archaeological Park, which is nearby. It is also the gateway to the exclusive resort of Taormina, perched on the side of the mountain above. One of Italy’s most popular summer destinations, it draws the rich and famous from around the world to its luxury hotels and fine dining restaurants. 

Siracusa, known to English speakers as Syracuse, is a wonder to behold. One of the great ancient capitals of Western civilization, the city was founded in 734 BC by Greek colonists from Corinth and soon grew to rival, and even surpass, Athens in splendor and power. It became the largest, wealthiest city-state in the West and a bulwark of Greek civilization. Although Siracusa lived under tyranny, rulers such as Dionysius filled their courts with Greeks of the highest cultural stature—among them the playwrights Aeschylus and Euripides, and the philosopher Plato. The Athenians, who didn't welcome Siracusa's rise, set out to conquer Sicily, but the natives outsmarted them in what was one of the greatest military campaigns in ancient history (413 BC). The city continued to prosper until it was conquered two centuries later by the Romans.Present-day Siracusa still has some of the finest examples of Baroque art and architecture; dramatic Greek and Roman ruins; and a Duomo that's the stuff of legend—a microcosm of the city's entire history in one building. The modern city also has a wonderful, lively, Baroque old town worthy of extensive exploration, as well as pleasant piazzas, outdoor cafés and bars, and a wide assortment of excellent seafood. There are essentially two areas to explore in Siracusa: the Parco Archeologico (Archaeological Zone), on the mainland; and the island of Ortygia, the ancient city first inhabited by the Greeks, which juts out into the Ionian Sea and is connected to the mainland by two small bridges. Ortygia is becoming increasingly popular with tourists, and is starting to lose its old-fashioned charm in favor of modern boutiques.Siracusa's old nucleus of Ortygia, a compact area, is a pleasure to amble around without getting unduly tired. In contrast, mainland Siracusa is a grid of wider avenues. At the northern end of Corso Gelone, above Viale Paolo Orsi, the orderly grid gives way to the ancient quarter of Neapolis, where the sprawling Parco Archeologico is accessible from Viale Teracati (an extension of Corso Gelone). East of Viale Teracati, about a 10-minute walk from the Parco Archeologico, the district of Tyche holds the archaeological museum and the church and catacombs of San Giovanni, both off Viale Teocrito (drive or take a taxi or city bus from Ortygia). Coming from the train station, it's a 15-minute trudge to Ortygia along Via Francesco Crispi and Corso Umberto. If you're not up for that, take one of the free electric buses leaving every 10 minutes from the bus station around the corner.

Syracuse is an historic city nestled along the southeastern shores of Sicily, renowned for its ancient ruins, picturesque architecture and stunning waterfront views. Syracuse's historical centre, Ortygia, is a charming island connected to the mainland by a series of bridges. Stroll through meandering narrow streets lined with Baroque-era buildings, visit the stunning Cathedral of Syracuse, and enjoy fresh seafood at one of the delightful waterfront restaurants.

Malta's capital, the minicity of Valletta, has ornate palaces and museums protected by massive fortifications of honey-color limestone. Houses along the narrow streets have overhanging wooden balconies for people-watching from indoors. Generations ago they gave housebound women a window on the world of the street. The main entrance to town is through the City Gate (where all bus routes end), which leads onto Triq Repubblika (Republic Street), the spine of the grid-pattern city and the main shopping street. Triq Mercante (Merchant Street) parallels Repubblika to the east and is also good for strolling. From these two streets, cross streets descend toward the water; some are stepped. Valletta's compactness makes it ideal to explore on foot. City Gate and the upper part of Valletta are experiencing vast redevelopment that includes a new Parliament Building and open-air performance venue. The complex, completed mid-2013, has numerous pedestrian detours in place along with building noise and dust. Before setting out along Republic Street, stop at the tourist information office on Merchant Street for maps and brochures.

Your luxurious yacht cruise concludes back in Malta and its compact yet charming capital city, Valletta. You’ll be transferred to the airport for your return flight home or to continue your holiday.

Please book your flight to depart out of Valletta after 12:00 PM.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such, Emerald Cruises cannot guarantee the cruise will be operated unaltered from the itinerary stated above.