Old World Sicily & Malta — Self-Launched
12 days · Malta & Sicily
Collette charges £3,250
No-markup version: ~£775 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Collette's 12-day Malta-and-Sicily circuit: four nights in Sliema exploring Valletta's Grand Harbour by dghajsa, a retro-bus ride to a Maltese village, then the ferry to Pozzallo and on to baroque Ragusa-Ibla, Modica and Scicli, Siracusa's Ortigia, Etna's lunar slopes and finally Taormina. Same UNESCO towns and local-food moments, but you book hostels and guesthouses, use Malta's public bus network, the Virtu Ferries crossing and Sicilian trains and buses — for roughly a third of the group-tour price. Costs are approximate per person, assuming a mix of dorm and private budget rooms, self-catering breakfasts and one restaurant meal a day.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Malta — Sliema
Sliema, Malta
Fly into Malta International Airport (MLA) and take the public X2 or X3 bus to Sliema (~€1.50 with a tallinja card, or €2.50 cash) — no need for a €60 taxi. Check into a Sliema guesthouse or hostel a few streets back from the waterfront. Spend the late afternoon walking the Sliema promenade towards Tigné Point, with views across Marsamxett Harbour to Manoel Island's Fort Manoel. Grab a pastizza and a Kinnie from a corner shop for a cheap first dinner.
🚌Public bus X2/X3 from airport to Sliema, ~£1.30-2
🛏Sliema hostel/guesthouse dorm or budget twin (~£25-30/night)
- →Sliema waterfront promenade walk
- →Marsamxett Harbour and Manoel Island viewpoints
- →Tigné Point sunset
Valletta by dghajsa and on foot
Valletta, Malta
Take the local ferry from Sliema Ferries to Valletta (~€1.50, 10 mins) — the same crossing the tour uses. Join a small-group walking tour of Valletta booked on GetYourGuide or via the Malta Tourism Authority's free guided walks (~£15-25), covering Upper Barrakka Gardens, the Grand Master's Palace exterior and the grid of baroque streets. In the afternoon ride a traditional dghajsa boat around the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities creeks — negotiate directly at the Valletta waterfront or book a shared harbour cruise (~£12-18). Finish with a cheap ftira lunch in Valletta and ferry back to Sliema.
🚌Sliema–Valletta ferry ~£2.50 return; local buses
🛏Sliema hostel/guesthouse (~£25-30/night)
- →Valletta walking tour (GetYourGuide)
- →Dghajsa boat ride in Grand Harbour
- →Upper Barrakka Gardens and Saluting Battery viewpoint
- →Three Cities skyline
Retro bus to a Maltese village and band club dinner
Central Malta
Use Malta's public bus network (a day ticket is ~€2.50, or €1.50 per trip with a tallinja card) to reach one of the hill villages — Attard, Siġġiewi or Rabat all work well. Malta's classic yellow-and-white buses are as characterful as the tour's retro bus. Wander the parish church square, find a village band club (każin tal-banda) for a cheap beer and a plate of rabbit stew or pastizzi, and catch the bus back to Sliema in the evening. Buses run late and are safe for solo travellers.
🚌Malta public bus day ticket ~£2.20
🛏Sliema hostel/guesthouse (~£25-30/night)
- →Public bus to Attard/Siġġiewi/Rabat
- →Village band club (każin) visit
- →Parish church and village square stroll
Mdina, the Silent City
Mdina & Rabat, Malta
Take bus 51/52/53 from Valletta or the direct Sliema–Mdina service to the walled Silent City — the tour's optional half-day, but easy to do yourself. Walk the ramparts, visit St Paul's Cathedral (small entry fee ~£5) and stop at Fontanella Tea Garden for the famous chocolate cake with a view. On the way back, detour to Rabat's St Paul's Catacombs (~£5) and St Agatha's Crypt. Evening back in Sliema: swim off Qui-Si-Sana or Balluta Bay rock platforms.
🚌Local buses to Mdina/Rabat, ~£2.20 day ticket
🛏Sliema hostel/guesthouse (~£25-30/night)
- →Mdina ramparts and Silent City walk
- →St Paul's Cathedral entry
- →Rabat catacombs
- →Swim at Balluta Bay
Gozo day trip or Valletta's Caravaggio
Gozo / Valletta, Malta
Pick one: a full day on Gozo (ferry from Ċirkewwa is free for foot passengers, and the 301 bus connects Sliema/Valletta to the ferry terminal) taking in the Ġgantija temples (UNESCO, ~£9 entry), Victoria's Citadel and Ramla Bay; or stay on Malta to see Caravaggio's 'Beheading of St John' in St John's Co-Cathedral (~£13, book a timed slot online). Either way, buy a Gozo bus day ticket (~£2.20) and pack a picnic — Gozo's Xlendi and Marsalforn are good swimming stops.
🚌Bus to Ċirkewwa + Gozo Channel ferry (foot passengers free) + Gozo buses ~£5 total
🛏Sliema hostel/guesthouse (~£25-30/night)
- →Ġgantija temples (UNESCO)
- →Victoria Citadel, Gozo
- →Ramla Bay swim
- →St John's Co-Cathedral & Caravaggio (alternative)
Ferry to Pozzallo, then Ragusa
Pozzallo → Ragusa, Sicily
Book a Virtu Ferries catamaran from Valletta to Pozzallo (~£50-60 one way, 1h45m; book online a few weeks ahead in low season, further out in summer). Arrive in Pozzallo and do the tour's Sicilian breakfast — a granita and brioche or a cappuccino and cornetto at a harbour-side bar (~£4). Then take the local bus or a shared transfer up to Ragusa (~£8-12, or the AST bus via Modica). Check into a guesthouse in Ragusa Ibla rather than the modern upper town the tour was criticised for — Ibla is walkable, atmospheric and has cheap trattorias.
🚌Virtu Ferries Valletta–Pozzallo ~£55; bus Pozzallo–Ragusa ~£10
🛏Ragusa Ibla guesthouse/budget hotel (~£30-35/night)
- →Virtu Ferries catamaran crossing
- →Sicilian granita-and-brioche breakfast in Pozzallo
- →Evening stroll in Ragusa Ibla
Ragusa Ibla walking tour and ragusano cheese
Ragusa, Sicily
Join a small-group walking tour of Ragusa Ibla (book on GetYourGuide or AirBnB Experiences, ~£20-30) covering the Duomo di San Giorgio, the Giardino Ibleo and the steep stairways of the old town. Later, hunt down a caseificio for fresh ragusano cheese and a countryside agriturismo lunch of ricotta, caciocavallo and local wine (~£25). Spend the afternoon on Ibla's piazzas with a granita, or hike down (and back up) the Santa Maria delle Scale steps for the classic panorama.
🚌On foot; local bus between Ibla and upper Ragusa ~£1
🛏Ragusa Ibla guesthouse (~£30-35/night)
- →Ragusa Ibla guided walk
- →Duomo di San Giorgio and Giardino Ibleo
- →Caseificio cheese tasting
- →Santa Maria delle Scale viewpoints
Modica and Scicli — UNESCO baroque and chocolate
Modica & Scicli, Sicily
Take the local AST bus or the small train from Ragusa to Modica (~£2-3, 20 mins). Follow the chocolate trail: Antica Dolceria Bonajuto for Modica's grainy, cold-worked chocolate, plus the Duomo di San Giorgio and the winding Corso Umberto. Continue by bus to Scicli (~£2), the baroque set of 'Inspector Montalbano', with a picnic or sandwich lunch on Via Mormina Penna. Return to Ragusa by bus in the evening — total transport cost is a fraction of the tour's optional coach day.
🚌AST buses Ragusa–Modica–Scicli return, ~£6
🛏Ragusa Ibla guesthouse (~£30-35/night)
- →Bonajuto chocolate shop, Modica
- →Modica baroque churches
- →Scicli old town walk
- →San Giorgio and San Michele churches
Siracusa and Ortigia, then on to Taormina
Siracusa → Taormina, Sicily
Bus from Ragusa to Siracusa (~£8, 2h). Spend the afternoon on Ortigia: a self-guided walk of the Duomo (a temple-turned-church), Piazza Duomo, the Fonte Aretusa and the Castello Maniace waterfront. Book a small-boat tour of Ortigia's sea caves and the Great Harbour on GetYourGuide (~£20-25) — the independent equivalent of the tour's boat ride. In the late afternoon take the train from Siracusa to Taormina-Giardini (~£8-10, 1h45m), then the local bus or Interbus up to Taormina town and check into a guesthouse.
🚌Bus Ragusa–Siracusa ~£8; train Siracusa–Taormina ~£9; local bus up to Taormina ~£2
🛏Taormina or Giardini Naxos guesthouse/hostel (~£30-35/night)
- →Ortigia self-guided walk and Duomo
- →Fonte Aretusa and Castello Maniace
- →Ortigia boat tour
- →Train ride along the Sicilian coast
Mount Etna summit
Mount Etna, Sicily
Join a guided Etna excursion booked directly with a local operator or via GetYourGuide (~£60-85 including transport from Taormina, off-road 4x4 and an alpine/volcanological guide to ~2,900m — the same experience as the tour's off-road adventure). Alternatives: the public AST bus from Catania to Rifugio Sapienza (~£6 each way) plus a cable car and 4x4 there for a cheaper, DIY route. Bring a windproof jacket and proper shoes; it is genuinely cold up top. Back in the evening, eat at a local trattoria or, as the tour does, seek out a home-cooking or cooking-class dinner (~£25).
🚌Etna tour transport included in excursion, or AST bus from Catania
🛏Taormina or Giardini Naxos guesthouse (~£30-35/night)
- →Etna 4x4 and crater walk with volcanological guide
- →Rifugio Sapienza and Silvestri craters
- →Cable car ride
Taormina: Greek theatre and a Sicilian dinner
Taormina, Sicily
Morning: the Ancient Greek Theatre (Teatro Antico, ~£12, book online — often with concerts in summer, so check), the Duomo and the Villa Comunale gardens, which are free. Walk up to Castelmola for the best views over Taormina and the coast (~1h uphill, or the local bus ~£2). Afternoon: swim at Isola Bella (free public beach; the cable car down from Taormina is ~£3 each way). Evening: dinner at a trattoria with live music or a small Sicilian folk evening — many Taormina restaurants have musicians in season — or a cheap arancini and wine at a side-street bar.
🚌Taormina cable car ~£3 each way; local bus to Castelmola ~£2
🛏Taormina or Giardini Naxos guesthouse (~£30-35/night)
- →Teatro Antico di Taormina
- →Villa Comunale gardens
- →Castelmola hike or bus
- →Isola Bella swim
- →Sicilian dinner with musicians
Depart from Catania
Taormina → Catania, Sicily
Take the local train from Taormina-Giardini to Catania Centrale (~£5, 50 mins) or the Interbus from Taormina to Catania airport (~£6). If your flight is late, spend a couple of hours in Catania's fish market and Piazza del Duomo before flying out. Book your return flight from Catania (CTA) — or, if you'd rather loop back to Malta, a short flight to Malta from Catania is often around £30-50 on Ryanair.
🚌Train Taormina–Catania ~£5, or bus to Catania airport ~£6
🛏None (departure day)
- →Train to Catania
- →Catania fish market and Duomo square (if time allows)
Self-launched vs. Collette
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Collette | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£775 | £3,250 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,475 per person (76%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Collette-style trips? Check them out here.~£775
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Old World Sicily & Malta — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £775 per person for 12 days in Malta & Sicily. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Collette?+
Yes — Collette charges around £3,250 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £775 — a saving of roughly £2,475 (76%) per person.
How long is the Malta & Sicily trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Malta & Sicily.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, budget trip through Malta & Sicily, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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