Malta Cruise from Valletta to Villefranche-sur-Mer — 10 Days

9 nights · Malta · Departs Valletta (Malta) · Visiting Siracusa, Giardini Naxos-Taormina, Palermo, Stromboli Island, Lipari Island, Salerno, Gaeta, Portoferraio, Calvi, Villefranche-sur-Mer · Aboard Ponant Cruises on the Le Boreal

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Le Boreal
Valletta Cruise Port: Shore Excursions & Expert Guide Siracusa Cruise Port Guide: Ortigia & Expert Shore Excursions Giardini Naxos Cruise Port: Expert Guide to Taormina & Beyond Palermo Cruise Port: Shore Excursions & Expert Guide
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Image courtesy of Ponant Cruises ©

Cruise linePonant Cruises
ShipLe Boreal
Duration9 nights
Port calls11
Departures1 sailings
From fare$6,970 per person
Year built2010
Guests264
Cabins132
Crew140
Length142 m
Beam18 m
Cruising speed14.0 kn
  1. Day 1

    Valletta, Malta

    Valletta makes a powerful first impression, its honey-coloured walls rising above Grand Harbour. Founded by the Knights of St John in 1566, Malta’s compact capital rewards exploration on foot. Enter St John’s Co-Cathedral for Caravaggio’s monumental paintings, then follow Republic Street to cafés, palaces and the Upper Barrakka Gardens. From the terraces, watch ferries cross the harbour and look towards the Three Cities. Allow time for steep lanes and quiet side streets.

  2. Day 2

    Siracusa, Italy

    Siracusa rewards visitors who look beyond its handsome waterfront. On Ortigia, the old island heart, Greek temples, Baroque palaces and lively markets sit within an easy walk. Across the channel, Neapolis Archaeological Park preserves a Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre and the famed Ear of Dionysius. Pause for granita or fresh seafood, then watch the light soften over the Ionian Sea.

  3. Day 3

    Giardini Naxos-Taormina, Italy

    Giardini Naxos sits on Sicily’s Ionian coast, beneath Mount Etna and a short drive from Taormina. Its waterfront pairs pebble beaches with cafés, gelaterie and views across the bay. Sicily’s first Greek colony was founded here in 734 BC. A nearby archaeological park preserves traces of its ancient streets and walls. Come for a seaside day, or use the port as a gateway to Taormina. There, the Greek Theatre commands sweeping views of Etna and the coast.

  4. Day 4

    Palermo, Italy

    Palermo rewards curious travellers with a vivid mix of Arab-Norman architecture, lively markets and Sicilian cooking. Start at the cathedral, where Norman, Gothic and Baroque details reflect the city’s layered past. Then walk through the Capo market or visit the Palatine Chapel, famed for its Byzantine mosaics. Leave time for pasta con le sarde or arancini; Palermo’s strongest impressions often arrive at the table.

  5. Day 5

    Stromboli Island, Italy

    Stromboli rises from the Tyrrhenian Sea, its active volcano visible long before you reach the island. Whitewashed houses and bougainvillea line narrow lanes in the villages of San Vincenzo and Ginostra. From the water, look toward the Sciara del Fuoco, where glowing fragments sometimes descend toward the sea. For a closer encounter, follow local guidance: access to upper trails depends on volcanic conditions and regulations.

  6. Day 5

    Lipari Island, Italy

    Lipari is the largest of the Aeolian Islands, a volcanic chain off Sicily’s northern coast. The town rises around a citadel, home to the Aeolian Archaeological Museum and its collection of island finds. Walk the old lanes to Marina Corta, then choose a waterfront table for fresh seafood. Beyond town, pumice quarries and coastal viewpoints reveal a landscape shaped by fire and sea.

  7. Day 6

    Salerno, Italy

    Salerno puts southern Italy within easy reach, with ferries and roads leading toward the Amalfi Coast. Yet the city rewards a closer look: its old lanes gather around the handsome Duomo di San Matteo. Inside, bronze doors and a richly decorated crypt recall Salerno’s medieval importance as a center of learning. Climb to Arechi Castle for broad views across the Gulf, or venture inland to the Greek temples at Paestum.

  8. Day 7

    Gaeta, Italy

    Gaeta sits on a rocky headland between Rome and Naples, where the Tyrrhenian coast shifts from harbour to beach. Explore its medieval quarter, then climb Monte Orlando to the Roman mausoleum of Lucius Munatius Plancus. At the Sanctuary of Montagna Spaccata, a dramatic cleft in the rock draws pilgrims and visitors alike. Leave time for tiella, Gaeta’s savoury stuffed pie, and a swim in the clear coastal waters.

  9. Day 8

    Portoferraio, Italy

    Portoferraio rises above Elba’s deep-blue harbor, its honey-colored walls reflecting the ambition of Cosimo I de’ Medici. Walk the steep lanes between the Medici fortresses, then visit Villa dei Mulini, Napoleon’s residence during his 1814–15 exile. Beyond the old town, clear coves and pale beaches invite a swim. Vineyards and coastal roads reward a longer stay. This is Tuscany with salt air and a storied past.

  10. Day 9

    Calvi, France

    Calvi rewards a day ashore with a rare pairing: a fortified Genoese citadel and a broad, pale-sand beach. Climb its steep lanes to the ramparts, where the harbor and crescent-shaped bay open beneath the Corsican hills. Below, cafés and shops line the old town, while the waterfront leads towards several kilometres of sand. Come for the views, then linger over local seafood or explore Balagne’s villages and vineyards beyond town.

  11. Day 10

    Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

    Villefranche-sur-Mer makes an unusually graceful first impression: pastel houses rise above one of the Riviera’s deepest natural harbors. Wander the old town’s narrow lanes, then visit the 16th-century citadel and its museums. Jean Cocteau’s painted Chapel of Saint-Pierre adds a distinctive local detail. Nearby trains connect you with Nice; roads lead to Èze and the wider Côte d’Azur.

Le Boreal Cruises

Published August 26, 2026
Last updated October 3, 2026
Author: J. Richard

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