Sicily and Malta
February 9 – March 3, 2025
March 2 – 24, 2025
Discover the ultimate Mediterranean adventure to the islands of Sicily and Malta this winter with Travac!
Your trip will begin at the crossroads of the Mediterranean: the gorgeous island of Sicily. With its rich cultural heritage, Sicily continues to seduce travellers from around the world with its dazzling diversity of landscapes, cuisine and historical treasures. Ruins from both the Greek and Roman periods in this region are said to be the best in Europe. Each day will be filled with unexpected riches that are sure to enhance your experience. Your taste of Sicily will take you around the island with stops and visits at its most important archeological treasures.
From Sicily, you will travel to Malta. Malta is a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean with a storied history and tranquil ambience that summons tourists from Europe and the world over. Its stunning natural beauty, vibrant culture, unique heritage, and warm hospitality make Malta the true gem of the Mediterranean and an unforgettable bucket list destination.
Your vacation includes roundtrip transfers via private motorcoach to and from the Montreal Airport from Westgate Mall in Ottawa; flights from Montreal to Palermo, Catania to Malta, and Malta to Montreal with connections; private motorcoach services throughout Sicily; round trip transfers from the airport in Malta to your hotel via private motorcoach; 3 nights accommodation in Palermo; 1 night accommodation in Agrigento; 3 nights accommodation in Catania; 14 nights accommodation in Malta in selected room type; breakfast daily; dinner in Agrigento; guided tours in Catania, Taormina, Syracuse, Palermo, Monreale, and Agrigento; and the services of a Travac Tours Director.
Space is limited on this tour- book early to avoid disappointment!
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Depart from Canada
This afternoon you will depart Westgate Mall with your Travac Tours Director to Montreal airport by private motorcoach. Your flight is with Swiss Air from Montreal to Palermo via Zurich. Travac office staff will be happy to give you more flight details.
Day 2
Arrival in Palermo
Expect to land into Palermo in the early evening and then be transferred to your hotel by private motorcoach. Your Travac Tours Director will assist with hotel check-in, then you will be on your own for dinner.
Hotel: Grand Piazza Borsa Palermo (or similar)
Day 3
Palermo
This morning we will depart for the tour of Palermo and Monreale. This city is at the edge of Europe and the centre of the ancient world. Your tour of Palermo will cover a lot of ground illuminating some of the city’s fabulous UNESCO sites and its history throughout the ages. Palermo is famous for its eateries. You will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the cuisine while falling in love with the setting. Our tour of Palermo will also include a visit to Monreale, famous for its Cathedral and incredible panoramic views of Palermo.
Hotel: Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa Palermo (or similar)
Day 4
Palermo
Today is a free day for you to explore the wonderful city of Palermo. Your Travac Tours Director will have ideas for things you can do today.
Hotel: Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa Palermo (or similar)
Day 5
Depart Palermo for Agrigento
This morning we will depart Palermo towards Agrigento. On route, you will explore the beautiful Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, famous for its golden stone Doric temples left by the Greeks. Learn about the myths of Hercules, Juno, Castor and Pollux. Relive the glories of the people who founded Sicily, colonizing its cities from the 8th century BC. The temples were constructed some 300 years later and remain the largest collection of early Greek architecture outside of Greece. The Temple of Concord and Temple of Zeus, believed to have been the 3rd largest temple the Greeks ever built. Once you arrive into Agrigento, your Travac Tours Director will assist with hotel check-in. Once you are settled, you will then jointhe group for an included dinner.
Hotel: Hotel Kore Agrigento (or similar)
Day 6
Depart Agrigento for Catania
After breakfast, we will be leaving Agrigento travelling to Catania. Our route will take us through Villa Romana del Casale. This Roman villa is famous for its ancient mosaics considered to be among the best in the world. After completing the tour, your tour director will assist with checking into your hotel where you will be for the next 3 nights. Once you arrive into Catania you will enjoy a city tour and some free time for lunch. Catania has its own magnetic pull and youthful energy. The city itself is over 2700 years old and is full of UNESCO listed sites. Today our tour will provide you with ample time to explore the historic sites of this city. Our tour will also visit the nearby picturesque villages of Acicastello and Acireale.
Hotel: NH Parco degli Aragonesi or similar (February 9 departure); NH Catania Centro or similar (March 2 departure)
Day 7
Taormina
This morning, we will depart on our journey to visit the town of Taormina where on the way you will have views of Mt. Etna from your window. This town is spectacularly perched on the side of a mountain and is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Sicily. Founded in the 4 th century BC, Taormina enjoyed great prosperity first under the Greeks and then the Romans. Their presence is still felt throughout the town, which adds to its charm.
Hotel: NH Parco degli Aragonesi (or similar)
Day 8
Syracuse
After breakfast we will make our way to Syracuse. More than any other city in Sicily, Syracuse captures the timeless beauty of this land. Today ancient Greek ruins rise out of lush citrus orchards. The city itself dates to 734 BC and at one point it was the most important city in the ancient world. Syracuse is filled with medieval piazzas and small cafes.
Hotel: NH Parco degli Aragonesi (or similar)
Day 9
Depart Catania for Malta
This morning, you will have an early morning transfer from your hotel to the Catania airport in preparation for your flight to Malta. Upon arrival in Malta, you will be transferred to your hotel in St Paul’s Bay by private chartered coach. Your Travac Tours Director will assist you with check-in at the hotel and advise you of the meeting time for your information session on optional tours. Breakfast daily is included with your hotel stay.
Hotel: Doubletree by Hilton Malta (or similar)
Day 9-23
St. Paul’s Bay, Malta
Malta is a very diverse country where their history is still evident today and dates back as far as the Neolithic period. Many temples are scattered around the island and “Ggantija” is said to be one of the oldest surviving, free-standing monuments in the world, predating Stonehenge by around 1,000 years! With their strategic position in the Med, the Maltese islands have played a crucial role historically and have set the scenes for the wars between Rome and Carthage, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the period of the Crusades which left the biggest impression. When the Knights Hospitaller of St John were driven out of Rhodes and handed Malta by Charles V, they bequeathed palaces, forts, cathedrals, an abundance of art and, of course, the Maltese Cross. Malta is also a very exciting destination where you can enjoy boat rentals and plenty of beach activities. For the movie buffs, “The Da Vinci Code” and “Troy” along with many other movies were filmed here. It was also the location for the series “Game of Thrones”. Although your time is free to discover Malta on your own, your Travac Tours Director will assist you with booking optional tours and activities throughout your stay.
Hotel: Doubletree by Hilton Malta (or similar)
Day 23
Return to Canada
This morning, your Travac Tours Director will assist with check-out, and you will transfer from the hotel to the airport via private coach for your flight to Montreal via Munich with Lufthansa. Upon arrival in Montreal, you will return to Ottawa by private coach.
Itinerary subject to change.
Hotel Information
Palermo: Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa or similar
Hotel Address
Via dei Cartari, 18, 90133Palermo PA, Italy
+39 091 320075
Agrigento: Hotel Kore or similar
Hotel Address
Viale Leonardo Sciascia, 210, 92100Agrigento AG, Italy
+39 0922 607663
Catania: NH Catania Centro or similar (February 9 departure)
Hotel Address
Piazza Trento, 13, 95129Catania CT, Italy
+39 095 316933
Catania: NH Parco degli Aragonesi or similar (March 2 departure)
Hotel Address
Viale Presidente Kennedy, 95121Catania CT, Italy
+39 095 723 4073
Malta: Doubletree by Hilton Malta or similar
Hotel Address
St Paul's BaySPB 2402, Malta
+356 2355 2355
Quebec- Louise Penny Book Launch
Abbaye de Saint-Benoit du Lac
October 25-27, 2024
Award-winning Canadian author Louise Penny will be releasing her latest novel, The Grey Wolf, this fall. To celebrate this exciting event, Travac has arranged to attend a special book launch with Louise Penny in the Eastern Townships. As one of the mystery genre’s all-time greats, tickets to Penny’s book signings are highly coveted and difficult to obtain. Travac has secured a limited number of seats for this special event which includes a signed copy of the new book. Also included are some of the attractions from our exceptionally popular “On the Trail of Louise Penny” tour: a lunch at Sapin Bistro; a visit to the Abbaye de St Benoit; a visit to the Louise Penny corner at Brome Lake Books; a wine tasting; and a visit to Sutton. Demand for places on this tour will be very high- early booking is your only guarantee. Travac cannot obtain more seats for this event.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
This morning, we will leave Ottawa and make our way towards the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Our first stop will be at Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre where you will enjoy a full high tea experience. This is a tradition Louise and Armand would no doubt appreciate. Housed in a Neo-Georgian residence built in 1862, Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre is a non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, the support, and diffusion of the cultural and heritage traditions of the Eastern Townships. This beautiful centre is a favourite of many in the region. After tea, we will depart Uplands and head towards Magog where we will visit an award-winning winery known for its sparkling wines.
Day 2
We will begin our day in Sherbrooke with a guided tour of the town and its famous murals. We will then depart Uplands and head to Knowlton, a town known to Penny for its pastoral beauty and the inspiration for Three Pines in her books. We will stop by the Brome County Historical Society Museum where you will see “Jane’s Painting” from Still Life. We will then enjoy a fabulous lunch before heading to Knowlton for the special Louise Penny book launch event. During this event you will have the opportunity to hear from Louise Penny herself and even receive a copy of her new book.
Day 3
Our final day begins with a journey to Sutton. On our way, we will stop at Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac. This abbey was the inspiration for Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups Abbey in A Beautiful Mystery. The abbey itself has a history that dates back to 1912. At the time of its construction, it was rather isolated, but in an incredibly beautiful locale. The Benedictine monks of the Saint-Benoit-du-Lac abbey are famous for and have been making cheeses since 1943. You will have the chance to tour the abbey and to purchase some of this incredible cheese. Leaving the abbey, we will continue on to Sutton. Before we bid farewell to the world of Three Pines, you will also have a chance to visit the delicatessen (La Rumeur Affamée) on which Sarah’s Boulangerie was based.
We hope you will enjoy this tour into the world created by Louise Penny in her many Three Pines novels.
Itinerary subject to change.
Spain- Costa del Sol- Breakfast & Dinner Included
The Costa del Sol region of southern Spain is remarkable for its diverse landscapes, fabulous beaches and coastal sites as well as a wealth of small villages that dot the shore line. This Mediterranean coastline is one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations, hosting millions of tourists on an annual basis. Villages have grown into robust towns with great restaurants, shopping and nightlife. The area’s history dates back thousands of years and it has developed a unique and warm culture that defines the region.
Travac is pleased to be offering exceptional new 3 week packages to the Costa del Sol region of Spain that include 2 meals per day, perfectly located deluxe accommodations in Benalmádena, and the services of a local guide while at your destination.
Attractively priced, space is sure to sell out quickly- early booking is your best guarantee of enjoying this fabulous holiday.
Hotel Information
Hotel Best Triton
Hotel Address
Av. Antonio Machado, 29, 29630Benalmádena, Málaga, Spain
+34 952 44 32 40