Malta for the summer!
5 days, July & August, from 475 €/person + taxes.
Travel to Malta for the summer to enjoy the island of the Knights, the island that almost always has sunshine! Direct flights, centrally located hotels and an itinerary that combines tours with our experienced guide to get to know the places and free time to enjoy the chivalrous Mediterranean island!
Schedule:
Day 1: Direct flight to Malta – City tour – Baraka Gardens – Check-in at hotel
Gathering at Thessaloniki’s airport, check-in and direct flight to the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta, European Capital of Culture 2018, an island that is a feast of colours and aromas. Upon arrival, we meet our escort. We start the tour of the famous capital of the Order of the Knights of St. John, Valletta. Valletta is fortified, built on a narrow promontory, flanked by two natural harbours and boasts a proud fortress, Saint Elmo. The town was built by the Knights of the Order of Saint John after the Great Ottoman Siege of 1565. The tour is done on foot, as car traffic is prohibited in the Old Town section. It is a unique castle town of great historical importance and unlimited beauty. We will walk through the narrow picturesque streets and enjoy the elements of another era. We will see the Palace of the Grand Master and St. John’s Cathedral, Malta’s most impressive church and an excellent example of Maltese Baroque. The church was built between 1573 and 1578 as a monastic church of the Knights of St. John. On our visit to the museum we will admire two of Caravaggio’s most famous works, the “Beheading of John the Baptist” and the “St. Jerome”. We will then head to the famous Baraka Gardens. We will admire the gardens, from where we will have a panoramic view of Malta’s two natural harbours and the three historic towns associated with the two great sieges of 1565 and 1942. Although time travel is something unattainable, this walk through the island’s castle towns is a true immersion in the past. We’ll even walk along its main pedestrian street, Triq Ir-Repubblika, with its old buildings with “closed” balconies and shops with vintage signs, see the vertical alleys with their golden, battered buildings and worn palazzi bathed in the sea breeze. Free time and in the afternoon transfer to our hotel. Settle in the rooms. For the evening we suggest you to walk along the lively promenade of St. Julian’s.
Day 2: Excursion of Mosta – Medina – Tour – Popeye Park
Breakfast and today includes an excellent excursion. We will visit the impressive Mosta Cathedral, with the third largest dome in Europe, and then transfer to the hill of Rabat to visit what is called Medina, suggesting the mysterious atmosphere surrounding it, which is fortified in an impregnable castle. It had been the island’s capital in the Middle Ages, before the Knights Hospitallers built their fortress near the sea. It was completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1693. When the Knights occupied the island the old Maltese aristocracy settled here. Today, with careful conservation and controlled restoration, it is trying, with the help of Unesco, to preserve its magnificent baroque architecture, which in many cases is combined with typical Arabic elements. It is the most elegant but also the most expensive area of Malta. The heavy all-wooden doors of her houses are rarely opened. The town has no commercial life, no bright signs and generally seems to live more in the glorious past than in the present. Its magical atmosphere has not been altered by the crowds of tourists that flock there. On our walk, we will admire impressive tower houses with characteristically ornate lanterns, stone-built monasteries and Norman palaces. Immediately afterwards we return to our hotel. For the evening, we suggest a trip to a different attraction from the rest and that is the multi-photographed Popeye Village. It’s actually the place where the Robin Williams movie “Popeye” was filmed in the 1980s and which now serves as a theme park with the characters’ houses, imagine a little Disneyland. For the evening, we suggest you try its cuisine, famous for its fresh fish and vegetable soups.
Day 3: Optional excursion to Gozo
Today we recommend a full day excursion to the enchanting island of Gozo. To reach the second largest island of the Maltese Archipelago, we transfer to the ferry and board the ferry boat. The extraordinary beauty of the landscape, the magnificent houses and farmhouses, the changing scenery you will encounter will quickly convince you how worthwhile your visit to the island of Gozo was. We will visit Rabat, with its famous castle, the old town, the area where the nymph Calypso lived, and also Rambla beach, where the movie Troy was filmed. We will also visit the picturesque fishing village of Sletti, where we will have time for lunch or a swim. Return to the hotel. For the evening visit the neighbouring towns of Sliema and St. Julian’s, which are bustling with life, featuring great hotels, restaurants, bars. Paceville, on the edge of St. Julian’s, is the night-time epicentre, full of bars, clubs and tourists. Locals take a passeggiata, or stroll, along the promenade, which, if viewed from above, would look like a ribbon, running through countless bays, harbours and marinas.
Day 4: Excursion to the three cities (Senglea – Vitoriossa – Cospicoua)
Breakfast at the hotel and departure to explore the areas of the three cities – Kospikua, Vitoriosa and Seglia, the seat of the Knights of Ioannina during the great siege of 1565 (The three cities). A unique cluster of architectural structures of castles, houses and important buildings, built in a magnificent location in the Grand Harbour and strongly influenced by the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Hospitallers, Knights Hospitallers and the British. From their ramparts we will enjoy the magical view of Valletta and wander through the Medieval streets, with the buildings of the Holy Examination, the Monasteries, the execution square, the executioner’s house. Return to the hotel. For the evening we suggest you to enjoy a carriage ride and take pictures of the magic buses that are from 1950.
Day 5: Transfer to the airport – Direct return flight
Preparation for departure and then transfer to the airport for the return flight. Arrival in our city with the best impressions.
What is included:
- Personal item 40x20x25 and hand luggage 55x40x20 up to 10 kg.
- Tours according to the schedule & breakfast.
Not included:
- Total taxes 165€ per person.
- Entrance fees to museums & shows and anything optional or suggested.
- Municipal taxes on accommodation.
PRICE PER PERSON:
