Travelling to Sicily from Malta: a charming, nearby, and affordable destination

May 5, 2023

Travelling to Sicily from Malta. While Malta has plenty to offer all year round, there comes a time after many months on the island when we feel the urge to explore other lands. The country is very well connected to the whole of Europe, but concentrating on finding the cheapest Ryanair flights can lead us to forget the best destination to visit from Malta: Sicily. In addition to direct flights to Catania and Palermo, there are 2 ferry services to Sicily from Malta: Virtu Ferries is travelling from Valletta to Pozzallo, while Ponte Ferries connects Valletta with Augusta. On the ferry you can take bicycles (don't forget to book a place), motorbikes or cars. Both cities are located in the south of Sicily, and allow you to easily discover the whole south and east of this wonderful island. There are plenty of walks you can do, and in this article we highlight the main destinations.

The baroque circuit

If you arrive in Pozzallo, the nearest towns are baroque of Scicli (birthplace of the Scicluna family of Malta), Modica, Ragusa and Noto. These cities are representative of the baroque style in Sicily, characterised by a passion for architectural ornamentation. Noto is the city with the maximum expression of baroque architecture, with practically the entire city preserved in this artistic current. We recommend visiting Noto for at least a full day to take advantage of the magic of the palette of colours created by the sun on the limestone throughout the day. Ragusa is also noted for this type of architecture in much of the city, while Scicli is smaller, and less well known, although it is also a smaller scale baroque jewel. Modica, in addition to its architecture, is known for its ancestral tradition of chocolate preparation.

Noto

Syracuse

It is the most important city in the area, with a long history dating back over 2,700 years, when the Greeks displaced the locals to set up their colonies. The entire city centre (Ortygia) is a UNESCO heritage site, and from the moment you arrive in the city you can see its extensive history, with the ruins of the temple of Apollo marking the entrance to Syracuse. Ideally located in a natural bay and with a spring emerging within the city walls, it was occupied by many powers, and knew many sieges, which it always bravely resisted. We recommend simply wandering through the streets of Ortygia to discover the different neighbourhoods at your own pace, and not to miss the Archaeological Park of Neapolis, which is a magical experience, offering access to the ear of DionysusThe site is also home to a Greek theatre, as well as other ruins and a lush park.

Piazza Duomo, Syracuse

Travelling to Sicily from Malta for inlove of food

Food is undoubtedly one of the great attractions of travelling to Sicily from Malta. You can eat well everywhere, but on the way to Noto, we recommend stopping for lunch in Marzamemi, a small fishing village that offers many options for lunch by the sea or in a wonderful piazza. Of course, it's in the cities that you'll find the most dining options, such as Le Vin de L'Assassin in Syracuse, a restaurant that combines French and Italian cuisine. But you'll be able to eat well without looking too hard. A word of advice: look for places frequented by locals.

Going further

If you want to travel to Sicily from Malta, you need to think about how you're going to get around, especially in summer, when the high temperatures will make any walking a little more difficult. A car is always a good option, although it's challenging to drive in Italian cities, which are full of very agile drivers. You can take a car on the ferry or rent one there. Another option is to get around by public transport. In this case, getting to Augusta may be more interesting, as the city has train connections to all of Sicily. Another possibility is to go by bike, a fast, eco-friendly mode of transport that allows you to discover the countryside and stop wherever you want, even in villages where there are no public transport connections. The good news is that trains in Sicily accept bicycles, so you can always make a train journey if it's too long by bike. If you want to go further afield, like the Aeolian Islands in the north, or Palermo, taking a train from Syracuse, Augusta or Catania is a very good option: it may be longer than the plane, but you'll discover a lot on the way. Another option, if you're a nature lover, is to discover the Etna volcano, which is the largest and most active volcano in Europe. Without a doubt, Sicily has endless possibilities for sightseeing, so while you're in Malta, be sure to discover this other jewel of the Mediterranean.