Arrive in Malta on suggested flights and make your way to the hotel. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including travel insurance (a condition of travel), accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 18:00, join your tour leader Mark Dickenson and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing at the hotel, followed by dinner.

(D)

After breakfast, visit Argotti Botanical Gardens, one of Malta’s oldest botanical collections, established in the 18th century by the Knights of St John. Explore the terraced gardens, home to Mediterranean and exotic plant species, before lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, enjoy a private, guided tour to St John’s Co-Cathedral, renowned for its richly decorated Baroque interior and Caravaggio masterpieces. Continue to the Upper Barrakka Gardens, set high above the Grand Harbour and offering sweeping views across Valletta’s fortified waterfront.

Return to the hotel in the late afternoon and enjoy the evening at leisure.

(BL)

This morning, visit the restored Msida Bastion Historic Garden, a terraced 17th-century garden overlooking Marsamxett Harbour, planted with citrus trees and other Mediterranean plant species. Continue to the historic town of Mdina for a guided walking tour through Malta’s ancient former capital and its surrounding streets and squares.

After some free time for lunch, continue to Palazzo Parisio, an opulent Baroque palace renowned for its elegant Italianate gardens, ornamental fountains and richly decorated interiors. Conclude the afternoon with tea at the palace before returning to the hotel.

The evening is at leisure.

(B)

Today, enjoy a full-day excursion to the island of Gozo, long associated with fertile valleys, terraced hillsides and a slower, more rural rhythm of life, distinct from mainland Malta. Known in classical mythology as the island of Calypso from Homer’s Odyssey, Gozo has historically supported a rich agricultural tradition thanks to its greener landscapes and natural springs.

Discover gardens, historic villages and scenic coastal landscapes while gaining insight into the island’s distinctive cultural character and centuries-old farming practices.

Return to Valletta in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure.

(BL)

After breakfast, visit San Anton Gardens, originally laid out in the 17th century around the Presidential Palace. Wander through avenues of mature trees, ornamental ponds and formal Baroque landscaping.

After lunch at the villa’s restaurant, continue to nearby Villa Bologna, one of Malta’s most celebrated historic gardens. Surrounding an 18th-century noble villa, the elegant, terraced gardens feature citrus groves, fountains, sculptures and a striking nymphaeum.

This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

(BLD)

After checking out of the hotel, explore Malta’s historic ‘Three Cities’: Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua, a trio of fortified harbour settlements. Set around the Grand Harbour opposite Valletta, these atmospheric towns are distinguished by winding lanes, elegant limestone architecture, historic churches and picturesque waterfronts. Enjoy lunch in Vittoriosa before continuing to the port later in the afternoon to board the ferry to Sicily.

On arrival in Pozzallo in Sicily, continue to Syracuse, one of the great cities of the ancient Greek world and a place long associated with rich cultural and artistic traditions. After checking in to the hotel, enjoy the evening at leisure.

(BL)

This morning, embark on a walking tour of Ortigia, the island which forms the historic centre of Syracuse. Visit the Fountain of Arethusa, the main square and the cathedral, a magnificent example of High Sicilian Baroque. In the nearby church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, see Caravaggio’s altarpiece, The Burial of Saint Lucy, which he painted during his refuge in Sicily after escaping from prison in Malta.

After time at leisure for lunch, continue to the gardens of Villa Reimann, a historic villa created by Danish noblewoman Christiane Reimann and surrounded by terraced Mediterranean planting, citrus trees and secluded garden spaces overlooking Syracuse. Long associated with artists, writers and intellectuals drawn to Sicily’s light and landscape, the villa reflects the cosmopolitan cultural life of early 20th-century Sicily.

Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

(BD)

Today, check out of the hotel and travel towards the foothills of Mount Etna. Visit the Giardino di San Giuliano, a private estate garden set amongst historic orange groves, combining tropical planting with Arab-inspired water channels and Mediterranean landscaping.

Continue to Il Giardino del Biviere for a guided visit and lunch. This romantic 19th-century garden surrounds a historic lakeside estate and was created by Principessa Maria Carla Borghese, who transformed the dry, rocky bed of a drained lake into a lush garden filled with plants collected during her travels throughout the Mediterranean and gifted by visitors from abroad. Today, the garden features rare botanical specimens, water features and sweeping views across the surrounding landscape.

Arrive in Catania in the mid-afternoon, check in to the hotel and enjoy some time at leisure before dinner at a nearby restaurant.

(BLD)

Today, explore the historic centre of Catania and enjoy external views of the Roman Amphitheatre and the Teatro Massimo Bellini, before visiting Palazzo Biscari, one of Sicily’s finest Baroque palaces, still privately owned by descendants of the original aristocratic family.

After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Catania’s Orto Botanico, the historic university botanical garden of the University of Catania founded in the 19th century. Divided between the Hortus Generalis, dedicated to plant species from around the world, and the Hortus Siculus, focused on native Sicilian flora, the garden offers insight into the island’s diverse botanical heritage.

Return to the hotel in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure.

(BL)

This morning, walk to Villa Bellini, Catania’s oldest and most elegant public garden. Enjoy a private, guided visit through its tree-lined avenues, terraces, fountains and panoramic viewpoints overlooking both the city and Mount Etna.

The afternoon is at leisure to relax or to further explore Catania at your own pace.

This evening, dinner is at a local restaurant.

(BD)

After breakfast, depart Catania and visit the private Giardino di Villa Trinità, a contemporary three-hectare Mediterranean garden where citrus trees, palms, succulents and irises are set amongst traditional saje irrigation channels and dramatic natural lava outcrops.

Continue to Parco Paternò del Toscano, a recently restored historic estate whose gardens follow the course of an ancient lava flow. The estate is divided between an Etnean forest, characterised by traditional lava terracing, and a subtropical garden renowned for its monumental plantings and exotic tree species. Protected as part of Sicily’s environmental heritage, the grounds offer an example of how cultivation and landscape design have adapted to the volcanic terrain surrounding Mount Etna.

Enjoy a picnic lunch on the estate before continuing to the hilltop town of Taormina, long celebrated for its dramatic coastal setting and artistic atmosphere.

After checking in to the hotel, enjoy some time at leisure before dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

(BLD)

This morning, visit the Giardino della Villa Comunale, the celebrated public garden created by Lady Florence Trevelyan in the late 19th century. Filled with exotic planting, ornamental structures and spectacular coastal views, the garden played an important role in establishing Taormina as a Mediterranean garden destination.

Continue to Casa Cuseni, the historic villa and garden created by English artist Robert Hawthorn Kitson. The terraced Mediterranean garden became a gathering place for writers, artists and intellectuals during the early 20th century.

After some time for lunch at leisure, visit a private garden in Taormina.

Dinner this evening is at a local restaurant. 

(BD)

Today, visit the Radicepura Gardens, located on the slopes of Mt Etna and created by the Faro family as a showcase of Mediterranean horticulture. Combining innovative landscape design with a remarkable botanical collection, the gardens extend across five hectares and feature more than 3,000 plant species alongside contemporary art installations. Explore four distinct terraces planted with rare and unusual species, including aloes, succulents and palms.

Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to relax or to explore Taormina at your own pace.

This evening, celebrate the conclusion of the tour with a special farewell dinner with Mark and fellow travellers.

(BD)

Tour arrangements conclude with an included group transfer from the hotel to Catania Airport for suggested flights to Australia or New Zealand.

Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your international flights and other travel arrangements, including private airport transfers, additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)

Note: At time of publication (June 2026), most but not all garden visits were confirmed. Private owners are reluctant to commit more than two to three months prior to the visit. Therefore, while we undertake to operate the tour as published, there may be some changes to the itinerary.