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4 Day Private
Tour
You can start this
tour on any day and it is available all year round.
Tour content can be changed and customised to your specifications.
Day
One
Start at
0900hrs/End at 1700hrs
Full day tour to Valletta, Three Cities &
Traditional Harbour
Boat Trip (optional)
We start our tour with Valletta.
Our first stop in the city is a visit to the Barraka
Gardens where you can admire views
over the magnificent fortified Grand
Harbour. We continue
with your tour through the heart of Valletta,
en route you can admire the beautiful architecture and imposing facades. A
visit to St. John's Co-Cathedral which was the
Conventual Church of the Order and historically
one of the most important buildings built by the Knights. We then proceed on
to the Grandmasters
Palace to visit the
State Rooms which contain the magnificent set of Gobelin tapestries. You will
then have some free time for lunch (lunch is additional).
In the afternoon we visit the oldest area of the Grand Harbour,
otherwise known as the Three Cities. Our first stop during the tour is a
visit to the Gardjola
Garden. From here you
can admire the fantastic view from the Vedette (watch tower used by the
Knights). We continue to our next location which is Birgu. The Knights of St.
John first settled in this area in 1532. You can explore the old historical
centre which is known as the Collacchio. They built their Palazzos and
Auberges in this part of the city which is a maze of narrow streets and
quaint alleys. Your visit will give you a good insight into the way the
Knights lived. A short distance from the old historical centre is the
original conventual church of the Order, St. Lawrence's Church. This
beautiful church overlooks the harbour area which was the main place of
commercial activity during the period of the Knights. A stroll along the
waterfront will take you to the end of the peninsula where the imposing Fort
St. Angelo stands majestically overlooking the harbour it once protected.
Your tour will end with a traditional boat trip on a Dghajsa (weather
permitting), a type of gondola. This is one of the best ways to appreciate
the Grand Harbour as you slowly cruise around
the various creeks and admire the views across the harbour which are quite
stunning. Our tour ends here and we make our way back.
Day Two
Start at 0900hrs/End at 1700hrs
Full day tour to Mdina Medival City,
Mosta Dome, Rabat, San
Anton Gardens
& Artisans
Our first stop during this tour is at one of Malta's most famous churches,
Mosta Dome. The church's dome is the fourth largest unsupported dome in Europe. 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 this as a miracle.
We next visit the Medieval city of Mdina.
Mdina is built on a plateau in the centre of the island, the city's 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
1566 has had many names including Melite(Roman occupation), Medina
(Arabic occupation), Citta Notabile 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 incredible far reaching views from 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 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 an upper class Roman townhouse were discovered on this site.
There are some excellent exhibits and the museum above houses the principle
remains of Malta's
Roman period (218 BC - 870 AD). The Roman Domus is well known for its
beautiful mosaic floors especially the Peristyle.
After a lunch break (lunch is additional) we proceed to San Anton Gardens. These magnificent gardens are
located in the grounds of San
Anton Palace
- the official residence of the President of Malta. Probably the best known
of our public gardens, San Anton Gardens
were 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. Here one also finds the largest
orchard on the island with more than 800 orange trees and other citrus
fruits.
Our final stop includes a visit to an artisans centre. Here one can view the
local crafts and it is also the ideal place to purchase some gifts from a
good selection of locally made pottery and ceramics, filigree and jewellery,
local stone items, 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 Three
Start at 0900hrs/End at 1700hrs
Full day tour to Hagar Qim Temple,
Blue Grotto, Tarxien, Ghar Dalam, Hypogeum
& 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 (the boat trip is not included in the
overall price as it operates subject to weather conditions, allow eur7).
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 to 3300BC.
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
scientifically 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 stop is at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Hal Saflieni Hypogeum.
This unique 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
from 7,000 years ago, was discovered. This huge cavern is 144 metres deep,
but only the first 80 metres are open to visitors. The various layers
contained the fossilised bones of dwarf elephants, hippopotami, red deer,
bear, fox, wolf, micro-mammals and birds from the Pleistocene Age(180,000
years ago) and the end of the last Ice Age(16,000 years ago). Our tour ends
here and we make our way back.
Day Four
Start at 0800hrs/End between 1800hrs and 1700hrs
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, rustic 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 megalithic structures in the world known as Ggantija
Temples. We will pass through quaint sleepy villages that characterise Gozo's
unique charm and visit stunning sites such as Calypso's 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 and liquors. 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, Dwejra Bay. 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 paid on the day) from the land locked
sea.
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.
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Tour
Details
Prices:
Prices are for 4 tours and based on the group size and are not per
person.
eur1,727 based on 1 to 3 people
eur2,255 based on 3 to 6 people
eur3,047 based on 7 to 12 people
eur3,839 based on 13 to 16 people
Contact us for groups of more than 16 people
Availability:
This tour can start on any day
Including:
4 Day Private Tour
Private Transport with Driver
Accompanied by Licensed Tour Guide
Not Included:
Gozo Ferry, allow eur4.65 to eur12 per person, depending which ferry we have
to take.
Entrance fees, allow
eur90 per person for St. John's Co. Cathedral & Oratory, Grand Masters
Palace State Rooms, Roman Domus, St. paul's Grotto, Hagar Qim Temples &
Visitors Centre, Tarxien Temples, Hypogeum, Ghar Dalam Cave, Ggantija
Temples.
Traditional Boat
Trip & Blue Grotto boat trip is optional, allow eur8 per person/per boat
trip
Lunch is not included during the tours.
Note. If you are making an
enquiry for next year the tour rates and entrance fees may differ to those
mentioned above.
Pick Up/Meeting Point:
We can pick up from any location
How to Book
If you would like to book this tour only click here
If you would like to include this tour in a multi day customised
itinerary click here
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