Tour overview

This 11-day holiday sails from Athens to Malta aboard Star Flyer, a four-masted tall ship that combines the romance of a classic clipper with comfortable cabins and attentive service. The price includes flights to Athens and home from Malta from a choice of UK airports, plus transfers. You spend one night in a five-star hotel in Athens, eight nights on board in your choice of cabin or suite, and a final night in a hotel in Malta. On board, meals are full board, with a daily buffet lunch, afternoon tea and à la carte dinners, and guided visits at each port are included, with a tour director throughout.

After a night in Athens, you tour the city and climb to the Acropolis, the most complete ancient Greek monument complex still standing, before boarding the ship. Your first port is Nafplion, one of Greece's most romantic towns, with a visit to the great ancient theatre of Epidaurus. Monemvasia, the 'Gibraltar of the East', is a fortified town built between a rocky cliff and the sea, and in Pylos, once known as Navarino, you visit the Mycenaean ruins of Nestor's Palace among olive groves and pine forests.

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A full day at sea gives you the chance to enjoy life under sail, relaxing on deck as the sails fill above you. You then reach Sicily, where Taormina's elegant streets look down on the sea and Mount Etna, and Syracuse, once the rival of Athens and Carthage, with its ancient remains and the island quarter of Ortigia.

Crossing to the Maltese islands, you explore Gozo, the island of Calypso, before mooring in Valletta. A guided tour takes you through the bastion-walled capital and the medieval hilltop city of Mdina, before a last night ashore.

The physical rating is low, though some ports involve tender boats and uneven paths. This holiday suits travellers who want an elegant, unhurried way to see the ancient Mediterranean, with flights and excursions arranged. Star Flyer carries only around 170 passengers, giving it a relaxed, sociable atmosphere, with sunny decks for watching the sails and the coastline. Many ports are visited by tender, bringing you close to harbours that larger ships cannot reach.

Trip highlights

  • The Acropolis in Athens (Day 2)
  • Nafplion and the theatre of Epidaurus (Day 3)
  • Monemvasia, the Gibraltar of the East (Day 4)
  • A day under sail (Day 6)
  • Taormina and Syracuse in Sicily (Days 7–8)
  • Gozo, Valletta and Mdina (Days 9–10)

Your route

11 stops from Athens to Mdina

11-day route: Athens – Nafplion – Monemvasia – Pylos – Taormina – Syracuse – Gozo – Valletta
  1. Athens Day 1
  2. Piraeus Day 2
  3. Nafplion Day 3
  4. Epidaurus Day 3
  5. Monemvasia Day 4
  6. Pylos Days 5–6
  7. Taormina Day 7
  8. Syracuse Day 8
  9. Gozo Day 9
  10. Valletta Day 10
  11. Mdina Day 10

Why choose this tour

Three countries by tall ship, with flights, hotels and guided visits included. Small ports that larger cruise ships cannot reach.

Best suited to

  • Couples and friends looking for something different
  • History and archaeology lovers
  • Travellers who enjoy sailing
  • First-time cruisers who prefer small ships
The Parthenon on the Acropolis, Athens

Day-by-day itinerary

11 days from Athens, Greece to Valletta, Malta

  1. Day 1 · Athens Arrive in Athens

    Fly to Athens and transfer to your hotel.

    Hotel
    Five-star hotel
  2. Day 2 · Acropolis, Athens Acropolis and board Star Flyer

    A tour of Athens and the Acropolis, then board the ship.

    Hotel
    Star Flyer, full board
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  3. Day 3 · Nafplion, Epidaurus Nafplion and Epidaurus

    Explore Nafplion and the ancient theatre of Epidaurus.

    Hotel
    Star Flyer, full board
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Monemvasia Monemvasia

    Visit the fortified town between cliff and sea.

    Hotel
    Star Flyer, full board
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Pylos, Nestor's Palace Pylos

    Visit the Mycenaean ruins of Nestor's Palace.

    Hotel
    Star Flyer, full board
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  6. Day 6 · Ionian Sea At sea

    A full day under sail.

    Hotel
    Star Flyer, full board
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Taormina Taormina

    Explore Taormina above the Sicilian coast.

    Hotel
    Star Flyer, full board
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  8. Day 8 · Syracuse, Ortigia Syracuse

    Discover ancient Syracuse.

    Hotel
    Star Flyer, full board
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  9. Day 9 · Gozo Gozo

    Explore Malta's sister island.

    Hotel
    Star Flyer, full board
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  10. Day 10 · Valletta, Mdina Valletta and Mdina

    Leave the ship for a guided tour of Valletta and Mdina.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  11. Day 11 · Malta Fly home

    Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

    Meals
    Breakfast
The medieval town of Monemvasia below its rock

Where you stay

  • Athens (1 night) Five-star hotel
  • At sea (8 nights) Star Flyer, full board
  • Malta (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Flights to Athens and home from Malta, with transfers
  • Accommodation 2 hotel nights and 8 nights aboard Star Flyer
  • Full board on board, with lunch, afternoon tea and dinner
  • Guided visits in Athens, the Peloponnese, Sicily, Gozo, Valletta and Mdina
  • Tour director throughout

Not included

  • Additional drinks and meals ashore
  • Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
The ancient theatre at Taormina

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want a big ship with many facilities — Star Flyer is a sailing ship
  • You get seasick easily — sailing ships move with the sea
  • You want many departures — this voyage sails once
  • You want to arrange your own flights — flights are part of the price

Good to know

The Bourtzi castle in the harbour at Nafplio

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £3,149 per person, including flights. 1 upcoming departure.

Flights from UK airports.

16 Oct 2026 Twin share Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£3,149pp
Flights from UK airports

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

What is Star Flyer?

A four-masted clipper-style tall ship with cabins and suites, sailing under canvas wherever conditions allow.

Are flights included?

Yes, to Athens and home from Malta, from a choice of UK airports.

Are excursions included?

Yes. Guided visits at each port listed are included.

Which meals are included?

Full board on board, plus breakfast at the hotels.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age is 18.

When does it sail?

Once, on the date shown in the departures section.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary
From, incl. flights £3,149
See dates & prices