Day trip to Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Scicli from Malta
Three baroque towns in one day, reached by sea from Malta
A full-day tour from Malta to southeast Sicily's Ragusa province, crossing by catamaran and exploring three UNESCO Heritage towns with a local English-speaking guide. You walk through Modica's historic centre and its famous chocolate shops, climb to Ibla's Duomo and Giardino Ibleo gardens, then wander Scicli's palaces and Byzantine churches before returning to Malta by boat.
Step-by-step itinerary
Visit Modica, Ibla, and Scicli
- Explore Modica Bassa city centre
- Visit chocolate shops in Modica
- Have coffee at Ibla's Duomo café
- Walk through Ibla to Giardino Ibleo
- Admire San Giuseppe church in Ibla
- Relax at Giardino Ibleo garden
- Wander around Scicli town
- See Palazzo Benventano in Scicli
- Visit Santa Maria la Nova church
- View Chiarafura Caves Dwellings
- Modica 1h
- Ragusa Ibla 1h
- Scicli 1h
What’s included
- Local guide in English.
- catamaran transport to Sicily and return to Malta.
- coach transfers between the three towns.
- Wednesday 07:30
Information
Leave Malta by catamaran for Sicily's baroque heartland: spend the day in three UNESCO towns with a local guide, walking Modica's chocolate-lined streets.
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The experience
The day starts with a catamaran crossing from Malta to Sicily, then a coach takes you into the Iblei Mountain Range: a landscape of valleys, canyons and baroque towns that survived the 1693 earthquake by rebuilding in stone. Modica comes first: Modica Bassa, the historic centre, lines Corso Umberto I with churches and monasteries so densely packed the city earned the name "La Città delle Cento Chiese". The City of a Hundred Churches. The Antigua Dolceria Bonajuto and other chocolate shops fill the same streets. Modica's chocolate, made from a Spanish recipe brought from the Aztecs, is what the town is known for now.
Ibla sits on a slope above the valley, built around the Duomo: one of Sicily's finest buildings, designed by Rosario Gagliardi. A walk down the winding main street leads to the Giardino Ibleo, a quiet garden with views across the valley below. On the way you pass San Giuseppe, another Gagliardi church, and just outside the garden entrance stands the gothic Portale San Giorgio, all that remains of the original church demolished in the 1693 earthquake. Scicli, the third town, sits under a massive rock crowned by the unfinished church of San Matteo. The Palazzo Benventano stands out among the aristocratic palaces for its Saracen gargoyles. Inside the baroque church of Santa Maria la Nova hangs Scicli's best-known icon, a Byzantine wooden statue of the Virgin Mary on a white stallion. The Chiarafura Caves Dwellings, carved into the cliff in prehistory, held residents until 1958.
Coach transfers move you between the three towns, and the catamaran returns you to Malta the same evening. The tour runs 15 hours door to door, with a local guide speaking English throughout. Meals are not included, though the baroque streets and chocolate shops of Modica offer plenty of stops. A current valid passport is required for travel to Sicily.
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 13 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
Can I visit all three towns in one day from Malta?
Yes. The catamaran crossing takes you to Sicily in the morning, and a coach moves you between Modica, Ibla and Scicli throughout the day, returning you to Malta by boat in the evening. The full day runs 15 hours, with a local guide leading the stops in each town.
What is there to do in Modica?
Modica Bassa, the historic centre, fills Corso Umberto I with baroque churches and monasteries. The town is famous for Modica chocolate, made from a Spanish recipe introduced centuries ago. Chocolate shops like the Antigua Dolceria Bonajuto line the same streets as the churches, so you can walk and browse between them.
What makes Ibla different from the other towns?
Ibla is built on a slope and centres on the Duomo, designed by Rosario Gagliardi and considered one of Sicily's finest buildings. A walk down the main street leads to the Giardino Ibleo, a quiet garden with views over the valley, making it a place to sit and rest rather than just walk through.
What is the Chiarafura Caves Dwellings in Scicli?
The Chiarafura Caves Dwellings are rooms carved into the cliff in prehistory. People lived in them until 1958, making them one of the last inhabited cave dwellings in Sicily. They sit near Scicli's main piazza and show how the town's residents once lived.
Do I need a passport to travel from Malta to Sicily on this tour?
Yes, a current valid passport is required on the day of travel. The catamaran crosses international waters, so you will need to carry it with you.
Operated by Virtu Ferries LTD. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
Day trip to Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Scicli from Malta
15h · EN
from € 139 per person
≈ US$ 156 in your currency
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