Variety Cruises has been sailing the Mediterranean for 75 years.
Travellers eager to recapture the thrilling spontaneity of trips in their younger years (without the hostels or buses) need simply hop on board a mystery cruise, Kate Parker writes.
The hot night air is bursting with life, filled with loud laughter, singing and the vibrant rhythms of live accordions and tambourines. I’m dancing under the stars through a tunnel of arms, holding hands with a stranger as we quickly duck and weave through the crowd of the courtyard in the tiny medieval town of Siculiana.
The traditional folk dance, the Tarantella Siciliana, symbolises community and celebration and my dance partner just happens to be the mayor of the hilltop village.
Yesterday, I had never heard of Siculiana, located on Sicily’s southern coast, much less knew how to dance like a local.
Yet tonight, I’m immersed in its energy as townspeople clap and welcome me like an old friend.
As a traveller who thrives on spontaneity, I missed the sense of freedom I felt when travelling in my twenties. No smartphones, set plan or rigid expectations, just true in-the-moment discovery.
This longing for throwback travel is why I decided to join Variety Cruises’ Mystery Cruise: all I knew was that we’d be embarking in Valletta and departing in Naples, with everything a surprise in between.
Our home for the week was the recently refurbished Variety Voyager, a lustrous 68m yacht with polished interiors that felt like a boutique hotel at sea.
With just 25 passengers aboard, many of whom had joined last year’s inaugural Greek Mystery Cruise, this was Variety Cruises’ second departure into the unknown.
Passengers guessed we’d be cruising Sicily’s coast but exact locations and activities remained top secret. Variety Cruises has been sailing the Mediterranean for 75 years, so I felt in good hands.
Specialising in small-ship voyages, Variety Cruises takes passengers to places bigger cruise liners can’t go, which we experienced with the curated on-shore activities. We were dropped into authentic local moments and because we were going in blind, the days felt genuinely surprising.
One morning, we boarded a zodiac and cruised through the Aegadian Islands, the archipelagos jutting out of the inky Mediterranean waters. Our local captain, Mauro, delivered great tunes and local knowledge, alongside chilled prosecco. In between diving off the boat into the bright blue waters and swimming in grottos, we stopped at one of the islands for lunch.
Favignana is famous for its giant bluefin tuna and Mauro had told us that, years ago, a local family had changed the entire industry by preserving tinned tuna in olive oil instead of salt.
With tuna on our mind, we wandered the cobblestone streets and stumbled upon a trattoria, ordering seared tuna rolled in pistachios, Limoncello and cannoli. It was my favourite meal of the trip and a total surprise, no pre-planning or googling involved.
The surprises on the trip were constant and uncovering a place in real time felt rare and exciting. Each morning, I would peer out the cabin window, greeted by a Sicilian port town I’d never known. From the crew’s excitement at revealing each new destination, to group stargazing on the deck as Mt Stromboli erupted in the distance, the trip stood out for its camaraderie as we bonded over living in the moment.
Our week was full of activities and new places and because we sailed at night, we didn’t lose precious time to travel days. And after watching tourists drag their luggage up Positano’s steep hills in 37C heat, I realised just how much of a luxury it was to have a wardrobe in my air-conditioned cabin.
Mystery sits at the helm of this trip, making it perfect for open-minded travellers who embrace uncertainty and enjoy fresh experiences.
Even if you are happy to go with the flow, you’ll also need to surrender expectations. Who knows, your favourite moment could be one you never saw coming, like keeping pace alongside locals in a lively, age-old dance.
The one-size-fits-all approach to excursions can’t cater to every taste. While I loved exploring the ancient ruins of the Valley of the Temples, not every traveller will be keen on historical sites.
If you’re particular about activities, consider swapping the surprise on-shore excursions for a self-guided alternative.
A sense of communal adventure was present throughout the trip with shared dinners and collective discovery, perfect for social butterflies, but less so for those who prefer to do their own thing.
While the cruise itself provided certainty in comforts such as breakfast on board, daily timeframes and a concierge on hand, it also delivered its promise of mystery. Each day brought unexpected twists and surprising local experiences, which made the voyage truly magical.
Although hostels and two-minute noodles were traded for a luxury yacht and Cacio e Pepe, this Mystery Cruise captured the nostalgic sense of discovery I had been craving from my backpacking days.
The writer travelled as a guest of Variety Cruises.