Sicily & Malta Aboard the Sea Cloud

Sea Cloud © Sea Cloud Cruises

An enchanting voyage from Malta to Sicily combines rich Mediterranean history and culture with opportunities for birding, botany, and other natural history.

PLEASE NOTE: SEA CLOUD CRUISES HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE SEA CLOUD WILL UNDERGO AN EXTENSIVE OVERHAUL STARTING IN THE LATE FALL OF 2025. THE MASTER PLAN INCLUDES A MAJOR REDUCTION OF THE PASSENGER CAPACITY. THIS DEPARTURE REPRESENTS THE FINAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TRAVELERS TO SAIL ABOARD THE FAMOUS VESSEL. IT WILL BECOME PERMANENTLY UNAVAILABLE TO VENT UPON CONCLUSION OF THIS VOYAGE. 

Stationed at an ancient crossroads of Mediterranean civilization, lovely Sicily and Malta offer a marvelous travel experience. Picturesque landscapes, vibrant cities, ancient ruins, and hills and plains of olive trees and grass bring to life classical images of southernmost Europe.

This fall, VENT will return to the Mediterranean for a cruise to Sicily and Malta, two of Europe’s most fascinating and historic locations. For one final time, we have chartered the peerless Sea Cloud, a four-masted barque widely regarded as the world’s most beautiful sailing vessel, for a voyage that combines the rich history of Sicily and Malta with emphasis on the region’s natural history highlights, particularly birds and botany.

An exciting itinerary includes a day on Malta and a full circumnavigation of Sicily. Our voyage begins in beautiful Valletta, the mainly Baroque capital of Malta and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Valletta, we’ll cruise to the southern edge of Sicily before tracing a route clockwise around the entire island. We’ll call at many important ports including Porto Empedocle, Trapani, brilliant Palermo, and Syracuse. Land excursions to some of the finest Greco-Roman archaeological sites surviving from antiquity include Agrigento and its golden-brown temples of Juno and Concordia; Segesta, home to a remarkably well-preserved Doric temple and Greek theater; and Syracuse, featuring the Temple of Apollo and the famed Greco-Roman theater. We’ve dedicated a full day to experiencing the Sicilian capital, Palermo, and its architectural wonders that reflect Christian and Muslim influences, including the incredible Capella Palatina, Martorana church, and the breathtaking Cathedral of Monreale.

Our program includes excursion options to suit the varied interests of our travelers, with activities ranging from a visit to the medieval village of Erice, to a walking and tasting tour of the market at Ortygia, to a visit to an olive oil farm near Syracuse.  

Those more interested in birding will have the opportunity to visit two important nature preserves, each promising an array of waterbirds and landbirds.

Autumn is a lovely time of the year to travel in Sicily and Malta, with shorter days, milder temperatures, and birds on the move. Among the species we’ll seek are a range of regional specialties and passage migrants including Common Shelduck, Greater Flamingo, Yelkouan Shearwater, Pied Avocet, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit, Audouin’s and Slender-billed gulls, Sardinian Warbler, Spotless Starling, Corn Bunting, and Italian Sparrow. 

Highlighting the allure is the opportunity to travel aboard Sea Cloud. Ornate in her all-wood construction, resplendent under sail, and owner of a vivid history, this majestic ship sets a standard by which all other ships are measured.

With historical and natural history interpretation throughout the trip, there simply is no better way to experience the charm of Sicily and Malta. Joining VENT leaders Barry Lyon and Rafael Galvez for this special departure are Larry Wolff, the Silver Professor of European History at New York University; his wife, Perri Klass, professor of pediatrics at NYU; and Peter Zika, a superb field biologist and botanist at the herbarium of the University of Washington.

Those who want to maximize their time in Europe are encouraged to join either of our two Malta Pre-trips, one of which is a highlights-style trip focused exclusively on history and culture, while the other is similar but with the addition of birding as a theme. 

A multi-themed program features one night in Valletta, Malta and eight nights aboard the Sea Cloud; excellent accommodations and cuisine; shore excursions to ruins and birding and nature sites will involve short, easy walks; mild to warm temperatures expected but rain is possible.

Greater Flamingos © Wolfgang Kruck/Shutterstock