Valletta
Grandmasters Palace
Northern Scenery
Verdala Castle
Typical Street
Mosta Dome
Mdina
Azure Window
Temple
Luzzu Fishing Boat
Blue Grotto
Ghar Dalam Cave
Gozo Village
Birgu
Waterfont & Dghajsa
Quaint Alleys |
6
Day Multi Day Tour
Day
One
Half day tour to Valletta
We
start our tour of Valletta with a visit to the
Barraka Gardens
where you can admire views over the magnificent fortified Grand
Harbour.
We continue with you tour thought the heart of Valletta, en route
admire the beautiful architecture and large open piazza's. A visit
to St. John Co. Cathedral which was
the
conventual church of the order and historically the most important
building built by the Knights and the magnificent Grandmasters
Palace State Rooms and Armory. We end our tour of the city with the
Malta Experience.
The Malta Experience, is a superb 45-minute show illustrating the
history of the Maltese Islands - from Neolithic to modern times. The
show features 3000 colour slides displayed by 39 projectors and
outstanding audio effects. Our tour ends here and we make our way
back to your hotel.
Day Two
Full day tour to Northern Scenic - Mellieha, Dingli, Siggiewi,
Girgenti, Mgarr, Fomm Ir-Rih
A
superb tour taking you off the beaten track to some of the more
secluded areas which most visitors do not
have the opportunity of exploring. We start with the north a driver
to the north east of the island, en route you will pass St. Paul's
and Xemxija Bay. Our first stop is the town of Mellieha, a hilltop
town which overlooks the beautiful Ghadira Bay (Mellieha Bay), the
islands longest sandy beach. Here you can admire the old church
which is one of the oldest parishes, visit the sanctuary which is
said to have been blessed by St. Paul and enjoy the extensive
panoramas from the village.
We continue touring and our next stop includes
a photo opportunity at Anchor Bay and Seethaven Village, the actual
location where the movie 'POPEYE' was filmed in 1980. We continue
onto the small town of Manikata which is set in a rural area, the
scenery surrounding is beautiful. We pass en route ‘Il-Grotta ta' San
Martin’, a small sacred cave on the way to the rural villages of Zebbiegh and Mgarr.
The village of Mgarr is a farmer’s village and very popular with the locals that
flock here to dine at one of the many local speciality restaurants.
We can stop for lunch here (closed out of season) if you would like
to try out some of the local traditional cuisine which includes a
variety of national dishes including - braggioli (beef rolls),
majjal (pork), quail (game) and of course the nations favourite,
rabbit which can be baked, fired or stewed.... Other cuisine is
available such as chicken, beef, pasta etc....
After lunch we continue with our tour to the west of the island
passing through rural villages and the typical Malta rustic
countryside. A variety of coastal cliffs, inlets and bays in this
area form part of a National Park and are protected, the combination
of rustic charm, deep blue sea and total quiet in the area are very
unique and provide the ideal setting.
Our next stop is the typical local village of Siggiewi,
here we visit the piazza which surrounded by small local shops, tavernas...a
typical village scenes A short distance from the village of Siggiewi is the area known as Girgenti.
Girgenti is a shaded fertile valley renowned for its
orchards and cultivated fields.
Citrus and other fruit trees thrive in
the valley beneath the surrounding ridge. The old picturesque farmsteads, are
the homes of the farming community who till the fields and cultivate the
orchards. On a spur overlooking the valley stands the summer palace of the
Inquisitors built by Monsignor Visconti in 1625 (not open to the public),
nowadays it is the summer residence of our Prime Minister. We continue
with our scenic drive through the rustic countryside to Dingli Cliffs on the
west coast.
These
cliffs
are
characterised by vertical or near-vertical rock faces rising from the sea to
heights of up to 70-130m above sea level.
Some of the steep slopes are terraced and this unique feature together with the
expanse of the deep blue Mediterranean sea provide stunning views. At this stage
we head back inland via Buskett Forrest. This forest was
created
in the 17th century by the Grandmaster whom resided in the magnificent Verdala
Castle which overlooks this woodland area. These forest ahs huge Oaks, Pines and
Bay trees, there area number of privately owned vineyards, olive and orange
groves from Autumn till late Spring you are sure to find streams, wild flowers
and many woodland creatures, which are not very common for Malta. At this stage
our tour comes to an end and we make our way back to your hotel.
Day Three
Full day tour to Mdina, Mosta Dome, Rabat, San Anton Gardens & Artisans
Our first stop during this tour is to one of Malta's most famous
churches, Mosta Dome. The
church’s dome is the third largest unsupported dome in the world, exceeded in
size only by St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Sophia in Istanbul. Mosta Dome is also
popular with visitors as it was at this church where a bomb pierced
the dome during a World War II air attack. The bomb fell inside the
church during a service and failed to explode, locals hailed as a
miracle. We next visit the
Medieval city of Mdina. Mdina is
built on a plateau in the centre of the island, the cities old Baroque
buildings, cathedral and magnificent bastion walls dominate
the rural skyline. Mdina, once the capital of Malta until the modern
city of Valletta was built in 1565 has had many names including Melita (Roman
occupation), Medina (Arabic occupation), Citta Notabile (Knights of
St. John) and Citta Vecchia (after Valletta was built). Today it is
also referred as the Silent City since it inspires tranquillity at any time of
the day or night.
The only way to really experience and enjoy this city is on foot, explore the
quaint alleys, narrow streets, ancient buildings and magnificent far reaching
views form the high bastion walls.
Our tour will then continue to the old town of
Rabat.
Here we will make our way through the narrow streets to the centre which is
dominated by the imposing
St. Paul's Church
which overlooks the piazza. Rabat, can claim the origins of Maltese
Christianity and also good examples of the Roman period are found here. It was here in AD60 that the
Apostle St Paul
is said to have stayed after being shipwrecked on the Islands. We will visit
the St.
Paul's Grotto
which is said to be the resting place of St. Paul during his stay on
the islands.
Our
visit to Rabat also features the Roman Domus.
In 1881
remains of a Roman townhouse where discovered on this site. There
are some excellent exhibits and the museum houses the principle
remains of Malta’s Roman period (218 BCE – 870 ACE) and enclose the
Roman Villa, notable for its fine mosaics.
After a lunch break (lunch is additional) we
proceed to San Anton Gardens. These magnificent gardens
are
located in the grounds of the San Anton Palace – the official residence of the
President of Malta. Probably the best known of our public gardens, San Anton was
first laid out by Grand Master Antoine de Paule between 1623 and 1636. You can
wander along paths and terraces which are lined with enormous trees,
hedges, flower beds and old stone pots full of plants to any of five
ponds with ducks, fountains and water lilies. Our final stop
includes a visit to an artisans centre. Here can view the local
crafts and it is also the ideal place to purchase some gift from a good
selection of locally made pottery and ceramics, filigree and
jewellery, cane works, wrought iron and much more. Do not miss out
on the glassblowers – decorative glass made in the traditional
manner by hand and mouth; also etching and crystal cutting. Our tour
comes to an end and we make our way back to your hotel.
Day Four
Full day tour to Ghar Dalam, Tarxien, Hypogeum, Hagar Qim, Grotto &
Marsaxlokk Fishing Village
We will be touring
the south of the island during this tour, starting at the
Blue Grotto. This picturesque grotto and its neighboring system of
sea caverns mirrors the brilliant phosphorescent colors of
underwater flora. Boat trips, which take around 25 minutes allow you
to explore these grottoes and sea caverns along this stretch of
coast (he boat trip is not included in the overall price as it
operates subject to weather conditions, allow EUR7.50pp).
We
continue with our tour to the Hagar Qim temple site. Set in a rural
area this ancient temple is particularly interesting as it has the
largest and heaviest megaliths out of all the temple sites around
the Maltese Islands, some slabs weighing a staggering 20 tons. Our
guide will unfold the history related to this temple which dates
back 3300BC, an era dominated by Neolithic man. Our next
stop includes a visit to Marsaxlokk.
This quaint
fishing village on the south coast is characterized by low lying
buildings and the colorful traditional fishing boats known as the 'luzzu'.
A small local market lines the seafront and for those that enjoy
fresh fish there are plenty of good quality restaurants to choose
from. You will have free time for lunch. In the afternoon we
continue with our tour and our first stop includes a visit to
Tarxien. Tarxien was the first temple site to be excavated and it offers a unique
collection of
circa. 3000
BC
sanctuaries. Stone idols and tablets, domestic animals carved in relief, altars
and screens decorated with spiral designs and other patterns, oracular chambers
and riches enhance the attractions of these temples. Our next site is considered
as the most unique archaeological discoveries, Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. This
ancient underground monument is 12 metres below street level. It consists of a
network of passages, chambers and caves cut on three levels, similar to the
interior of a megalithic temple.
The most impressive part of the temple is the "Holy of Holies" and one of the
most important prehistoric masterpieces known as the "Sleeping Lady" was also
found here.
Our tour continues to Ghar Dalam.
The Ghar Dalam Cave is a
highly important site as it was here that the earliest evidence of
human settlement on Malta, some 7,400 years ago, was discovered.
This huge cavern is some 144 metres deep, but only the first 50
metres are open to visitors. The lowermost layers, more than 500,000
years old, contained the fossil bones of dwarf elephants,
hippopotami, micro-mammals and birds.
Our tour ends here and we make our way back.
Day Five
Full day tour to Gozo Island
We start our tour to Gozo with a pleasant 25 minute ferry crossing. The charm of
Gozo is apparent the moment you arrive there. Greener, more rural and smaller
than Malta. Our tour is a combination of scenic spots, historical sites and
local culture. We feature most of the main highlights during our tour including
the oldest free standing temples in the world, known as Ggantija Temples, we
will pass through quaint sleepy villages that characterise Gozo's unique charm,
visit stunning sites such as Calypso Cave which offers magnificent views over
the red sands of Ramla Bay. Just before lunch we will also stop at the Fontana
Cottage where you can sample local delicacies such as sun dried tomatoes, olive
pate, local cheeslets, wines liquors and anything made locally, you will also
have some time for a spot of shopping for popular buys such as lace.
Free time for lunch
will be at the pretty bay of Xlendi. After lunch we continue our tour with
visits to one of the most photographed sites in Gozo, the Azzur Window and
Inland Sea. Here you can take an optional boat trip (the boat trip is not
included in the overall price as it operates subject to weather
conditions, EUR7.00 paid on the day) around the sea locked lake. Our
final stop before we head back to the ferry for Malta includes a visit to the
main town on Gozo, Victoria and The Citadel. The Citadel is a small fortified
city that dominates the heights above Victoria. The history of The Citadel dates
back to an early period when Gozo was under Roman and Arab occupation. The views
from its fortified walls offer panoramas of the whole island. Our tour comes to
an end and we make our way back to the ferry terminal for our return to the main
island.
Day Six
Half day tour to Three Cities & Traditional Boat Trip
This half day tour visits the oldest part
of the Grand Harbour. Our first stop includes the Gardjola Gardens, here you can admire
the magnificent view from the Vedette (watch tower used by the Knights). We
continue with the tour of this area next Birgu. Birgu is the oldest city of the
Grand Harbour. In 1530 the Knights of St. John first settled in this area, and
we will give you an insight to an era dominated by the Knights of St. John. Our
walking tour will take us to the heart of city, the narrow streets and quaint
alleys known as the 'collachio', an area of old Palazzo's which where the
original Auberge's occupied by the Knights'. We finish this tour with a trip
around the harbour on a traditional Dghajsa (type of gondola) or motor boat
(weather permitting).
OR
Night
tour to
Birgu
Our tour includes a visit one of the most beautiful night time locations...Birgu is the oldest city of the Grand Harbour
and it was here in 1530 the Knights of St. John first settled in this area.
Our tour starts with a visit to the Gardjola Gardens. The
magnificent view of the Grand Harbour from the Vedette (watch tower)
located at these gardens provides a fabulous panorama of the
towering forts and fortifications that surround this historical
harbour.
We continue with a visit to the old city of Birgu and a tour of the historical
centre known as the 'Collachio'. In 1530 the Knights of St. John
first settled in this area and we will give you an insight to an era
dominated by the Knights of St. John. A short walking tour will take
us to the heart of city through narrow streets and quaint alleys
which are lamp lit at night. We can end our tour at one of the local
restaurants located on the waterfront or at one of the local wine tavernas,
alternatively we can return back to your hotel or residence.
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Tour
Details
What is Included
4 Full/2 Half Day Tours
Private Transport
English Speaking Driver/Tour Guide
Hotel or Residence Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Price & Availability
As this is a private multi day tour, the price is based on the
number of passengers in your group.
Click here
to contact us
for a quote
Need Accommodation?
We can also combine your multi day tour with apartment, traditional
property and hotel accommodation
read
more..> |
