Journey through 9,000 years of Mediterranean history on this unique archaeological exploration of Cyprus and Malta – two island crossroads that shaped the ancient world through their strategic locations and rich cultural heritage. From Neolithic temples to Crusader castles, Byzantine churches to Roman villas, this carefully crafted tour reveals the fascinating interconnections between these Mediterranean island civilizations.
This exclusive 18-day tour combines two of the Mediterranean’s most historically significant islands, each offering an incredible density of world-class archaeological sites in a remarkably compact area. While Malta showcases the world’s oldest freestanding stone temples and medieval maritime fortresses, Cyprus reveals through sites like Choirokoitia the crucial first movements of Neolithic peoples from the Near East into the Mediterranean, later becoming a remarkable fusion where Phoenician, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine influences converged. Mainland Greece offers the foundational sites of classical antiquity.
Together, these islands tell the story of how control of the Mediterranean sea routes shaped the ancient world. Led by expert archaeologists and historians, we’ll explore how these strategic islands developed distinct yet interconnected cultural identities while serving as vital stepping stones between continents and civilizations.
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During the long, warm season in the Mediterranean, we take advantage of the sunshine to spend time on the water and relaxing by the pool, go walking in villages, and explore mountains and coastal trails. We design our tours to avoid the crowds and give you time to get lost in the moment.
With a maximum of only 12 guests, we’re a happy little company of explorers who relish each day’s historical discoveries and socializing over delectable wine and food. At night, we come home to boutique accommodation that shows off the very best of Cyprus and Malta.
The experiences you have on tour with us create memories of a lifetime. The history of the Mediterranean comes alive through its rich storied history, and its continuation of ancient ways into the present is clear in the ways of life and food and wine traditions that provide us with such sensational, regionally-specific dishes and local wines.
Our thrilling Malta and Cyprus trip begins in Larnaca, the major international gateway to Cyprus.
We meet this evening at our luxury hotel for a welcome drink and head out to a wonderful Cypriot feast with local wines. Enjoy a restful night’s sleep in preparation for the upcoming week of adventure…
Meals: D
Overnight: Larnaca
After breakfast at our hotel, we head out with our tour leader on a walking tour of Old Larnaca and visit the Church that holds the remains of Saint Lazarus. Lazurus came to Cyprus after returning from the dead and lived the remainder of his life in Larnaca.
Then we head across the UN Buffer Zone into Northern Cyprus to meet our archaeologist for a private tour of the ancient Greek city-state of Salamis on the coast of eastern Cyprus. There is evidence that the site was first occupied in the 11th Century BC.
We travel just a few miles further to ancient and stately Famagusta, which was founded in 274 BC after an earthquake toppled much of Salamis. Here we try local cuisine and wines over lunch and tour this remarkable city, marvelling at its churches, mosques, and medieval buildings and mighty walls.
Next, it’s on to 1974. We tour the abandoned Famagusta coastal resort of Varosha that was abandoned in terror of the advancing Turkish tanks and troops on 14 August 1974. You have the choice of walking or cycling this eerie open-air museum.
Returning to Larnaca, we end our day with a farm‑to‑table dinner, featuring time‑honored local recipes, as the sun sets on our first full day of adventuring in Cyprus!
Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Larnaca
After breakfast at our hotel, we travel north to the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia. We begin with a tour of the UN Buffer Zone, the Green Line that marks the northern part of the city as under the occupation of Turkey.
We then cross the border zone into North Nicosia, where lunch options range from contemporary cafes on ancient sites, to the cafe of the Great Inn, to the many cafes lining Northern Nicosia’s Old Town squares.
Meeting again after lunch, we take a private guided tour of the astonishing Old Town of North Nicosia, before crossing the Green Line again and checking into our luxury boutique hotel just outside the city walls of Old Nicosia.
Dinner tonight is an old, atmospheric, high-quality traditional Nicosian restaurant with an elegant twist on traditional Cypriot and Greek specialties.
Meals: B, D
Overnight: Nicosia
After an early breakfast at our hotel, we take a tour of the Cyprus Museum, the oldest and largest archaeological museum in Cyprus.
We then cross the Green Line to visit St. Hilarion Castle, high on the Kyrenia mountain range. Named after an obscure monk who lived on the hilltop, the Byzantines fortified the hillside in the 11th century and it is the best preserved of the three castles that defended the island against Arab raids. Built in three separate self-contained levels, the third level is for the very active (and mountain goats!)
We travel from the heights of the Kyrenia Range to Kyrenia Harbor, where lunch is at a lovely harborside taverna – a postcard-perfect spot for lunch!
After lunch, we tour the 16th-century Venetian Castle that is built over a Crusader fortification, including its 12th-century chapel and Shipwreck Museum.
Our final stop of the day in Northern Cyprus is Bellapais, where Lawrence Durrell lived and where he wrote “Bitter Lemons.” We tour Bellapais Abbey, a 13th-century monastery that was home to the canons who had been the custodians of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre before the fall of Jerusalem.
Returning to Nicosia, dinner tonight is at your leisure.
Meals: B, L
Overnight: Nicosia
After breakfast at our hotel, we bid farewell to Nicosia and head south to one of the most exciting Neolithic sites in the world – the UNESCO World Heritage site of Choirokoitia. Our archaeologist guide leads us on a private tour of this ancient site, inhabited from the 7th to the 4th millennium B.C.
Beginning our journey west to Paphos, we tour the Crusader stronghold of Kolossi Castle. It was fought over by both the Knights Templar and the Knights of St. John due to its strategic significance.
After lunch at a village taverna, we enter the realm of the goddess Aphrodite, visiting the beach where, according to myth, she emerged from the sea, carried naked on a wave of sea foam. We travel further west to the archaeological site of Palaipafos. We have a private tour of Palaipafos with our archaeologist guide. The oldest part of Palaipafos is the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, which was built by the Myceneans around 1200 BC.
It’s time now to continue our journey to Paphos, check into our harborside hotel, and eat a meze feast at one of Paphos’ oldest and most famous traditional tavernas – a truly fitting ‘welcome’ to Paphos!
Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Paphos
After breakfast at our hotel, our tour guide leads us on a walking tour of old Paphos and Paphos harbor. We visit ancient churches, the catacomb of Agio Solomoni, a medieval fort, and much more.
After a leisurely lunch, we enjoy a private tour of the astonishing archaeological site of Nea Paphos with our expert archaeologist guide. The Roman mosaics of this UNESCO World Heritage site will amaze you!
This evening is free for you to choose between a traditional taverna or a chic contemporary restaurant to discover Paphos’ specialties and regional wines.
Meals: B, L
Overnight: Paphos
After breakfast, we’re later reunited with our archaeologist guide as we explore the important ancient city of Curium (Kourion).
We head down the clifftop to Kourion Beach for a seafood feast, and in the afternoon we return to Paphos to visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tombs of the Kings, where our archaeologist guide.
Dinner tonight is at your leisure along the Paphos waterfront.
Meals: B, L
Overnight: Paphos
After breakfast at our hotel, today is yours to spend however you like. Whether it’s reading a book on your balcony, getting in some spa time, or simply walking, shopping, and eating, that day is at your leisure.
We recommend a harbor cruise or a tour of the Akamas National Park by boat and Jeep that ciludes a visit to the Blue Lagoon.
Meals: B
Overnight: Paphos
After breakfast at our hotel, it’s time to leave the southern coast of Cyprus and head into the mountains. We journey to the village of Kalopanyiotis, high in the Troodos Mountains, and check into our Small Luxury Hotels of the World mountain lodge.
After lunch, we take a tour of the village of Kalopanayiotis, which includes a visit to Agios Ioannis Lampadistra Monastery (Saint John Lampadistis Monastery), one of the monasteries included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Painted Churches of the Troodos Mountains.
We venture further along the Setrachos River trail (Trail No. 1) to a 16th-century Venetian bridge. Our walk takes 90 minutes, is a circular route, is 3.9 km and is graded “easy.”
Dinner tonight is in an award-winning restaurant with a panoramic view of the Marathasa Valley.
Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Kalopanayiotis
After breakfast, we’re reunited with our archaeologist guide as we go hunting for the UNESCO World Heritage 10th-century painted Byzantine churches and monasteries hidden throughout the Troodos Mountains.
We’ll stop on the way at a sensational winery for another Cyprus feast and local wines.
For our last evening together, we gather in an elegant restaurant with spectacular views for a farewell dinner.
Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Kalopanayiotis
After our last breakfast in Cyprus, our lovely driver returns us to Larnaca airport, where we fly out at midday to Malta.
After our private transfer from the airport to the hotel, we check in to our former Baroque Palace and then head out to Sliema to board a cruise of the two harbors and main creeks of Malta, followed by a wonderful local dinner with wine.
Meals: B, D
Overnight: Valletta
After breakfast at our hotel, our tour guide leads us on a walking tour of Malta’s fortified main city, Valletta.
We spend the day in Valletta, walking its narrow, hilly, and cobblestoned streets. It’s hard to imagine a small island with more layers of ancient, religious, and maritime history than Malta. Valletta is a treasure trove of historic sites and the final headquarters of the Knights of St. John.
We visit the maritime fortresses, the mighty walls of the city, the Palace of the Grandmaster of the Knights and the major Inns of the Knights (known as Auberges in Malta), the major museums, the astonishing Co-Cathedral of St John, the Upper Baraka Gardens and the Saluting Battery, and much more.
The evening is free for you to eat dinner by the Mediterranean.
Meals: B, L
Overnight: Valletta
After breakfast at our hotel, we travel by minibus to the car ferry in the north of Malta to make the short crossing to Gozo Island. Here we begin at the Temples of the Giantess, the Ġgantija Archaeological Park.
We head next to the capital of Gozo to explore the Gozo Museum of Archaeology. This is followed by a traditional Gozo lunch at a charming restaurant and a tour of the city of Vittoriosa.
We travel back to Valletta and eat at a lovely traditional restaurant near our hotel
Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Valletta
After breakfast at our hotel, we set out to see the first of our three prehistoric temple complexes. We are accompanied today by a renowned expert archaeologist from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Malta.
We stop at the small site of the Ta’ Ħaġrat Temples, before heading to our highlight of the day, the Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Park.
We drive next to the impossibly charming Marsaxlokk Harbour for a seafood lunch by the water and admire the colorful traditional fishing boats.
Returning to Valletta, the afternoon and evening is yours to explore or relax.
Meals: B, L
Overnight: Valletta
After breakfast at our hotel, we take a guided tour of the Lascaris War Tunnels and War HQ Tunnels.
We then cross the Grand Harbor by small traditional boats (dgħajjes) to the Three Cities to explore the maritime and military history of Malta.
On our guided walking tour of Vittoriosa, we’ll stop at the Malta at War Museum, before heading back in time to the medieval Inquisitor’s Palace. We’ll view its ethnographic museum, prison cells, and torture chamber.
We’ll hop on small boats between Vittoriosa and Senglea for a harborside lunch before resuming our exploration of medieval Malta on Vittoriosa.
We’ll tour the Maritime Museum (if open) and then walk a little further to the tip of Vittoriosa, with spectacular views of Valletta across the Grand Harbor. We’ll explore the forbidding Fort St Angelo, the headquarters of the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John, de la Vallette, during the Great Siege against the Ottomans.
Finally, it’s time to turn toward the fortified hill city of Mdina to walk its beautiful streets as dusk falls and the Instagrammers leave the streets for us to ramble and photograph.
We’ll eat a magnificent Maltese dinner here before returning to our hotel in Valletta.
Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Valletta
Today is a free day for you to spend at your leisure. You can hang out by the pool, take a cruise to Comino Island, or shop and use the spa.
If you’re interested in food, wine, and sailing, we can recommend a walking food tour of Valletta and lunch and wine tasting at a local winery as an optional extra experience, still leaving you some free time in the afternoon and evening!
Meals: B
Overnight: Valletta
We like to save the best for last. After breakfast, we travel to the suburb of Paolo, to see the very well preserved Ħal Tarxien Prehistoric Complex. This UNESCO World Heritage Site dates to approximately 3400 BC.
And then it’s on to the astonishing Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a unique prehistoric monument only for an underground tour you will never forget. Abandoned and undiscovered for almost 4000 years, the Hypogeum is a necropolis built entirely below the ground and is one of the world’s oldest structures, older than Stonehenge and older than the Pyramids. It was in use from 4000 BC.
Its three levels were left covered over when the island’s inhabitants abandoned the island. Almost 4000 years later, it was discovered when builders were digging a cistern for a new house in the suburb of Paolo. The shaft they created is now a ventilation shaft for the Hypogeum.
If you love archaeology, ancient civilizations, and mysteries, the Hypogeum will give you goose bumps! Only 10 people can tour the Hypogeum at one time, and our day is structured around the availability of tour tickets.
Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Valletta
After our last breakfast together, our lovely driver returns us to Malta airport.
If you’d like to stay on in Malta, we’ll be happy to help you make reservations to extend your stay until we see you next time, when we hope you’ll come on tour with us again.
Meals: B
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