Day 1: Welcome to Malta

Tour begins at 6:00pm

A transfer is included upon your arrival from Malta International Airport to the Marriott Malta Hotel & Spa or Westin Dragonara Malta, ideally located in the seaside town of St. Julian's where waterfront views await. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel tonight.

Day 2: Discover Valletta, Past and Present

Spend the day in Valletta, the tiny capital of the Mediterranean island nation of Malta. The walled city was established in the 1500s by the Knights of St. John and today is known for its museums, lavish palaces and grand churches. Enjoy a filmed introduction to this historic city during a visit to the Malta Experience, before a guided walking tour. Step inside the Baroque-style St. John's Co-Cathedral, whose opulent interior is home to the Caravaggio masterpiece The Beheading of Saint John, and meet a knight of Malta on a tour of his family's elegant private residence, Casa Rocca Piccola, built in the 16th century. The remainder of the day is free for you to experience the sights and dine as you like. Shuttles will be available to bring you back to your hotel, a 15-minute drive away.

Day 3: Medieval Mdina & Embark Your Ship

Enjoy a full day of sightseeing today, beginning with a locally guided walking tour of Malta's old capital of Mdina, richly preserved and chronicling a history that dates back some 4,000 years. Step back in time within its medieval walls as you view its stunning Baroque architecture, passing nobles' homes and palaces lining its narrow streets. Visit nearby Mosta Rotunda, topped by the fourth largest dome in the world, to learn more about the miracle that occurred here during World War II when a bomb pierced the dome, landed on the church floor and slid across the floor without exploding. The "Miracle Church" was crowded when the bomb hit and all inside were spared. Have lunch family style at a local restaurant, where traditional Maltese specialties offer an authentic taste of life here. Drive back to Valletta this afternoon and embark your Explorer class yacht for a seven-night cruise to Sicily.

Day 4: Gozo's Mysterious Archaeological Treasures & a Blue Lagoon

Steeped in myth and immersed in natural beauty,the island ofGozo is a hidden gem of the Mediterranean with historic towns and a striking coastline. Experience its treasures on a guided visit to the Ggantija Temples, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the world's oldest free-standing structures, they date back 5,000 years, predating the Egyptian pyramids and England's Stonehenge. Sightseeing continues with a choice of shore excursions that you let you explore the island's gems your way. Embark on a panoramic drive around the island, stopping to learn about the importance of the salt pans to the locals before a cruise aboard a small wooden motorboat through a sea cave and along the crystal blue waters of the coast, weather permitting, with lunch in a local restaurant. Or, venture to the nearby island of Comino aboard a two-masted sailboat to the Blue Lagoon, where brilliant turquoise waters invite you in for a swim and lunch is served onboard. Everyone enjoys time at leisure in the rural village of Mgarr before returning to the ship for the captain's welcome dinner.

Day 5: Siracusa, Sicily - As You Choose

Arrive in Siracusa this morning for a day of sightseeing choices that indulge your interests in history, palace life, wine tasting and more. With its rich Greek and Roman history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and renown as the birthplace and home of Archimedes, Siracusa is a delight to explore. Join an expert guide for a tour of the Archaeological Park. Visit the Greek Theatre and the Latomia del Paradiso before a walking tour in Ortigia to see the 6th-century Temple of Apollo and the Baroque-style Duomo. Or, drive through the countryside, passing villages and almond groves as you make your way to Noto, home to the best examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture on the island. This UNESCO designated World Heritage Site features handsome palaces, churches and other Baroque monuments which line the streets. Wine aficionados may want to take an excursion to Pupillo Winery near the town of Noto for a tour and tasting of locally produced wines. For a more active adventure, join a local guide for a sightseeing bicycle ride in and around Ortigia, seeing the Temple of Apollo, Palazzo Greco, Cathedral Square and more.

Day 6: Taormina, Mt. Etna or "The Godfather's" Villa

Tender ashore in Giardini Naxos for a choice of three excursions today. Choose to ride up to Taormina on a mini bus for a guided walk to the along its cobblestone streets to visit the courtyard of 15th-century Palazzo Corvaja and the 2nd-century Teatro Greco, built by the Greeks and remodeled by the Romans. Enjoy time to stroll along the famous Corso Umberto before driving to a family-owned winery on the slopes of volcanic Mt. Etna for lunch, wine tasting and breathtaking views. Alternately, experience a closer look at Mt. Etna on an adventurous excursion that passes through local villages near the slopes of the volcano to the Sapienza Refuge for a cable car ride, before boarding specially built UNIMOG vehicles driven by expert mountaineer guides up to the top of the volcano, 9,500 feet above sea level. Learn more about this hot-headed crater and its historic lava flows when you view them up close with guides who lead the way, before lunch at a local restaurant near the crater. Or, choose to visit Schiavi Castle, the private villa that was used as the setting for Michael Corleone's exile to Sicily in the epic film, The Godfather, and enjoy personal stories about the movie filming by the Baron himself. A boat ride follows for a scenic cruise along the coast to Isola Bella, with a prosecco and cannoli tasting onboard. Everyone returns to the ship for a presentation by a volcanologist and dinner onboard at leisure.

Day 7: Palermo, Past and Present

Dock in Palermo, the cultural capital of Sicily, for a choice of three excursions that provide in-depth insights into the anti-Mafia movement, its noble residences, cathedrals and historic squares. Our no-mafia themed walking tour is guided by locals who enlighten with expert knowledge about the notorious Sicilian mob beyond the "Godfather" myths. See the exterior of Teatro Massimo, the open-air market Il Capo, the Cathedral, City Hall and Piazza Pretoria. View shops and taste Sicilian specialties along the way. Your other walking excursion choices are culturally inspired with guided exploration of landmark sites along the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, splendid piazzas, the Cathedral and Capo Market, including special visits to either sumptuous Palazzo Gangi, made famous in 1963 by the Burt Lancaster / Alain Delon film, The Leopard, and still owned by the Valguarnera family, or lavish Palazzo Mazzarino, still inhabited by its aristocratic owners. Both palaces are privately owned, exquisitely decorated and opened exclusively for Tauck. Spend the remainder of the day at leisure. Your ship sets sail for Trapani after dinner tonight.

Day 8: A Taste of Sicily from Trapani

Dock in Trapani on the west coast of Sicily, where its historic old town, once an important trade center and today a fishing and ferry port, hugs the crescent-shaped shoreline with a maze of medieval streets and squares. Enjoy a choice of shore excursions today. You can embark on a guided tour of the archaeological ruins at nearby Segesta, a walking tour of medieval Erice with a taste of traditional almond pastries and lunch in the village and a cable car ride back to Trapani. Or, you may wish to take a cable car ride and tour of Erice, highlighted by a fish couscous cooking class to learn the secrets of Trapani's most famous dish. Choose to explore the region's salt pans and the town of Marsala, where salt and wine tastings celebrate local specialties, and natural wonders include beautiful birds and migrating flamingoes. Or, drive to Marsala for a guided walking tour, a museum visit to see an ancient Roman ship, a unique fish tasting lunch hosted by a fish monger and a Marsala wine tasting at a local winery. Return to your ship late afternoon and chart a course for the incomparable Amalfi Coast this evening.

Day 9: Mainland Italy & the Awe-Inspiring Amalfi Coast

Considered one of the most magnificent shorelines in the Mediterranean Sea, 34 miles along the Amalfi Coast have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a perfect example of a Mediterranean landscape with a scenery of great cultural and natural value. Ride a tender ashore as you choose the excursion that interests you most. Join a local guide for a walking tour of lemon-scented Amalfi, Italy's oldest maritime republic, that includes a visit to 9th-century St. Andrew's Cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo and a scenic cruise along the Amalfi Coast. Or, board a motorboat for a cruise along the coast to the seaside village of Cetara where a walking tour and tuna tasting offer a glimpse of daily life here. If you want to discover the views of sea and scenery from on high, drive up winding narrow roads on a minibus to Ravello, where a guided walking tour sees the Duomo and visits Villa Rufolo and the beautiful gardens that inspired composer Richard Wagner. Should an afternoon excursion be more to your liking, you may opt for a drive along the incomparable Amalfi Coast to the mountain town of Tramonti for a wine tasting at historic Apicella Winery.

Day 10: Disembark in Civitavecchia Bound for Rome

Disembark your ship in Civitavecchia this morning for a quick car ride to your next, and final, destination - Roma. A panoramic sightseeing tour upon your arrival in the Eternal City includes lunch at a typical trattoria, and visits the ancient Colosseum and the ruins of the Roman Forum. Spend the evening as you wish; your hotel is ideally located in the heart of the city, close to must-see sights, cafés and more.

Day 11: Walking Tour of Rome's Famed Squares & a Farewell Dinner in a Palace to Remember

Join a local guide this morning for a guided walking tour of Rome's famous squares, including 18th-century Trevi Fountain, erected on the site of an ancient Roman water source; the Pantheon, dating to 27 BC; and Piazza Navona, built on the site of the 1st century Stadium of Domitian, followed by lunch at a local restaurant. After time at leisure, join us for a very special farewell reception and dinner this evening at 18th-century Palazzo Brancaccio, where memorable scenes from the movie Roman Holiday were filmed.

Day 12: Journey Home

Tour ends in Rome

Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel and Sina Bernini Bristol hotel to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, an approximate one-hour ride. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.