6D/5N - 2019/20 Sunny Malta

day 01 thu Malta Arrival

Upon arrival in Malta you will be met and transferred privately to your hotel in Sliema. Remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to explore this beautiful island.

day 02 fri Discovering Gozo Sightseeing Guided Tour (full day)

07.50am commences. After a 20 minute crossing, you will reach Gozo. Gozo has a character entirely of its own, greener and more picturesque than Malta. During this tour you will visit The National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu which is a Roman Catholic basilica and national shrine located 700 metres from the village of Gharb. The basilica is located in the edge of a cliff in open countryside which allows visitors to enjoy beautiful views of the area. You will then visit Dwejra Bay where you could see until 8th March 2017, a natural arch featuring a table-like rock over the sea. Here, you will also see The Inland Sea & il-Gebla tal-General. If weather permits, you can also purchase a short boat ride. A visit to a Crafts Shop is a must. At this shop you will see stone works, marble, traditional food, local lace and many other items. This is the perfect place where you can buy a souvenir which will remind you of Gozo. You will then visit Victoria, capital of Gozo. Gozitans still often refer to it by its old name, Rabat. The area around Victoria has been settled since Neolithic times. In the centre of Victoria lies The Cittadella, a historic fortified city. After this visit you will stop for lunch in a restaurant in Rabat. Finally you will drive to Mgarr Port via Qala Belvedere where breath-taking scenes can be enjoyed. You will then have a short ferry crossing back to Malta and will be dropped-off at your hotel. .

day 03 sat Prehistoric Temples and Hagar Qim Limestone Heritage

08.40am. A Malta Temples Tour is a must for anyone who travels to this beautiful Mediterranean island. Malta and Gozo are home to seven megalithic temples, all of which are designated as world heritage sites by UNESCO. These megalithic temples date back to 5500 years ago and are the oldest free-standing stone structures in the world, even older than the Stonehenge and the Pyramids. It is also home to more than thirty other temples, all of which reflect Malta's rich past. You will first drive to Ghar Dalam. It was here that the earliest evidence of human settlement on Malta, some 7,400 years ago, was discovered. The site consists of a cave, a Victorian style exhibition and a didactic display as well as a garden planted with indigenous plants and trees. You will then visit the megalithic complex of Hagar Quim and Mnajdra Temples. The megalithic complex of Hagar Qim is located atop a hill on the southern edge of the Island, on a ridge capped in soft globigerina limestone. All exposed rock on the island was deposited during the Oligocene and Miocene periods of geological time. 500 metres from Hagar Qim stands the Mnajdra megalithic temple. The surrounding area is typical of Mediterranean garrigue in its starkness and isolation; the area designated as a Heritage park..

day 04 sun Blue Grotto and Sunday Market at Marsaxlokk Fishing Village

08.40am. We commence this tour to the south part of the island and a visit to the Blue Grotto, as well as other grottoes nearby. We then proceed with a visit to provide an insight into Maltese history. Bringing old and new together, enjoy an extensive feature within a modernised quarry that helps explain one of Malta's primary trades of quarrying, together with farmhouse buildings and stone decoration, always using the limestone that gives its name to this spectacle called The Limestone Heritage. Lastly we visit the main fishing village off Marsaxlokk, whose waterfront is lined with 'luzzus' painted in traditional reds, blues and yellows, that add colour to this peaceful bay and once the site of the first Turkish landing, during the Great Siege of 1565. You will have free time to spend browsing around the local market stalls.

day 05 mon Malta

Today, enjoy time at your own pace to enjoy the atmosphere and relax.

day 06 tue Malta Departure

Your tour comes to an end after breakfast. You will be transferred privately to Malta Airport.

Inclusions: 4* accommodation in Classic Double room with balcony, breakfast daily, one lunch, tour guides, entries, private arrival and departure transfer.

Hotel: Hotel Victoia 4* (or similar)