Luxury Mediterranean Sailing from Sicily to Malta

YOUR SAILING AREA

Syracuse to Malta

Sail onto the west coast of Sicily to the city of Syracuse. This historic town is oozing in culture and Greek history and was a key city in the ancient Mediterranean world. Dating back some 2,700 years, this coastal city is known for its ancient ruins, amphitheatres, monuments, archaeological sites, and architecture. It was also the birthplace of the famous mathematician Archimedes.

The tiny walled city of La Valletta, the capital of the island of Malta, is known for its Baroque character and architecture. This World Heritage city is full of ancient palaces, museums, winding streets and grand churches. Anchor alongside the tiny island of Comino tucked between Malta and Gozo, famous for its blue lagoon, a paradise for snorkelers and divers.

The island of Gozo has been inhabited for thousands of years and has evidence of historical habitation from the Romans, Arabs, Sicilians, French and British. It’s known for its Neolithic Ġgantija Temple ruins that are even older than the Egyptian pyramids. Its crystal clear waters, with shipwrecks and many marine life, make it perfect for snorkelling and diving opportunities.

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*Please note that the route is not guaranteed and can be subject to change due to the weather and tides.

All voyages for Rhea

Rhea

Guest berths: 26 Rig: Bermudan Ketch

Elegant yacht Rhea offers guests a sailing holiday experience with luxury at the heart of everything she does. She spends her winters sunshine sailing in the Caribbean before moving to the Mediterranean in the Spring.

Like her sister Chronos, Rhea was built and designed in Bodrum, Turkey but is registered in Holland. Luxury yacht Rhea was purpose built as a charter vessel in 2016 and finished in 2017 as a two-masted, 54m staysail ketch.

Rhea was designed by Klaus Röder, who based his designs on the lines of a classic yacht whilst keeping up with the modern day ketch; built for performance sailing and guest comfort. The classic rig of a Bermuda Ketch with a large boom was conceptualised and designed by Klaas Huizinga.

The outline on deck is of teak and mahogany with plenty of space to sun-bath, read a book and enjoy the views. All the sails are electronically retractable, so no need to learn the ropes here! The crew are, however, more than happy for guests to get involved with the operating and sailing of Rhea as much as they would like!

An admiralty ladder provides the perfect place to jump off into crystal clear waters, have a swim or snorkel and climb back aboard with ease. Rhea also offers her guests the options of her water skiing, wake-board, tube riding, banana boat, 2 kayaks, 2 stand up Paddleboards, snorkelling equipment and even a sail dinghy (QubaRS).

The deckhouse offers its very own small bar whilst below decks offers still more space to relax with another dining area, as well as her on-deck dining area. Her private cabins, offering both double and single beds, all have air-conditioning and en-suite bathrooms.

The professional crew consists of the Skipper, first mate, mechanic, bosun, cook and 4 stewards, so you will most certainly be looked after during your time aboard Rhea.

Read more about what to expect from life on board here

Deck plan

Kit List

We recommend a travelling light principal with lots of lightweight, easy-drying layers. Below is a list of recommended items; these are not mandatory, and those who have sailed before may have their preferences! We recommend you bring a foldable bag or suitcase since hard cases are difficult to store in the cabins.

• Flight tickets
• Identification cards: Personal ID card and/or passport, driver’s license recommended 
• Money: Cash, credit card
• Personal medication
• Sun protection gel, after-sun/sunburn lotion, sunhat or equivalent
• Glasses, sunglasses
• Your favourite book!

CLOTHING

• Swimwear
• T-shirts, polo shirts, blouses and dress-shirts (also long-sleeved)
• Long trousers for the journey and excursions to the shore, one or two long trousers for the dinners and the visit to the restaurant, shorts
• Trousers and shorts are also recommended for ladies due to the rather steep stairs and the transfer to land by boat
• A light pullover or a fleece for the evenings.
• Wind-/rain jacket and cap
• Sailing waterproofs – this is only recommended for crossings and the Azores in spring /autumn.
• We kindly ask you to only wear anti-skid sport/boat shoes on board.
• Bring a pair of flip-flops or sandals for visits to the beach
• For trips to the shore, we recommend you wear sturdy shoes
  Bed linens, bath and beach towels, live jackets, diving goggles, and fins are on board.
  Dress on board is casual during the day (T-shirt and shorts) and sporty-casual in the evening and at the Captain’s Dinner. Swimwear is not permitted during meals or below deck. Please observe the local customs for shore excursions. It is generally a little cooler and windier on the water than on land.

What’s included

• Full Board* (breakfast, lunch, dinner and filter coffee and tea)
• All bedding (pillow, sheets & duvet), wash and swim towels  per person
• Full crew plus tuition
• Marina and fuel fees
• All tender trips to and fro the boat
• Lifejacket
• Adult snorkelling equipment
• Stand-up paddle-boards

What’s not included

• Alcohol and soft drinks
• Waterproofs
• *One meal is eaten ashore per week at the customer’s own expense
• Any flights
• Transit hotels
• Travel to and from the boat on the day of joining/leaving
• Travel Insurance
• Sailing Insurance (Please read our Sailing Insurance page for more information)
• Crew tips
• Personal expenses
• Water-skiing, wakeboarding and tube riding are all chargeable once on board. > Rhea offers this at a moderate price and suggests an average of 10% of the voyage price to serve as a guide for consumption.

Travel insurance notes

As this is an active adventure holiday, we advise that everyone has the appropriate personal accident travel insurance whilst onboard in addition to standard travel insurance which would cover you in the time between making your booking and departing for your adventure. These policies can sometimes be combined so please check with your travel insurance provider.

Please read more information on our Insurance guidelines page.

This voyage will be more than 12 miles offshore.

*Please note passengers sailing on Chronos, Rhea or Kariós do not require personal accident cover, only health insurance. 

FAQ

• Are all meals included?

  Yes, all meals* on board are included in the price (breakfast, lunch, dinner and filter coffee and tea) *One meal per week is eaten ashore at the customers own expense.

• Can you cater for dietary needs?

  Meat eaters and vegetarians only please.

• Are there any added extras?

  One meal is eaten ashore at the guests expense. Alcohol and soft drinks are not included but can be purchased on board. Water-sports are not included.

• What are the sleeping arrangements?

  Rhea has 3 Standard Double Cabins Ensuite (11 m²) and 10 Deluxe Double Cabins Ensuite (12-13 m²) all sleeping 2 people.

• Is there a porthole in my cabin?

  Yes, all cabins have portholes.

• How many toilet/showers does she have?

  All cabins have their own ensuite.

• Are bedding and towels included?

  All bedding, a hand towel, bath towel, swim towel and bathrobe is included per person.

• Is there a hairdryer on board?

  Yes, there is a hair dryer in each cabin.

• Will I be able to wash my clothes?

  No, Rhea does not have laundry on board.

• Is there heating/air conditioning onboard?

  Yes.

• Do I need to tip the crew?

  Tips are not mandatory but are welcomed by the crew! There will be an honesty box available at the end of your voyage (as a general guide, a 5-10% tip based on your ticket price)

• What language is spoken onboard?

  English is the common deck language but there will be international guests and crew.

• Is there WIFI on board?

  When within shore range, you should be able to reach 4/5G. Please make sure you have international roaming set up on your data plan. There is chargeable access to Starlink on all voyages. You can buy vouchers once on board if required.

• Can I charge my phone/Camera?

  Yes, there are 2pin EU sockets throughout the boat so please bring an adaptor if needed.

• What is the currency on board?

  Euro's.

• Are there life jackets provided?

  Yes.

• How do I get on and off the boat?

  Rhea is often at anchor so you'll need to be comfortable climbing in and out of the tender dinghy. There is an admiralty ladder and there will always be a crew member to steady.

• Are Waterproofs provided?

  No.

• Do I need sailing experience?

  No, absolutely not!

• Will I be sea sick?

  Everyone reacts differently but we recommend if you are at all worried to take some medication 24 hours before departure.

• What water-sports can I do once aboard?

  Rhea has a multitude of water-sport activities and equipment available for guests. Stand-up paddle-boards and adult-size snorkelling equipment is free for guests to use. Water-skiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, QubaRS dinghy sailing, banana boat and tube riding are all chargeable* once on board. * Free on Deluxe Plus voyages only

• Is there an age limit?

  Yes. Minimum age of 5, and as long as the child can swim.

Travel Planning

From: Syracuse, Sicily

To: Valletta, Malta

To see where the ports are, along with your likely sailing area, please view the sail area & highlights.

GETTING THERE

Syracuse, Sicily 

BY AIR

Flights go direct to Catania Airport from London Gatwick and London Luton with easyJet, British Airways and Ryanair.

GETTING HOME

Valletta, Malta

BY AIR

Flights go direct to Luqa Malta International Airport to/from London Stansted, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, Bristol, Leeds and Nottingham with Jet2, Malta Air and Ryanair.