5 Days Itinerary #38 - 4 Nights in the with First Day Early Arrival

Important Contact Information The Maltese Islands

Day 1 Arrival in Malta and Touring Experiences St. John's Co-Cathedral Grand Harbour Water Taxi to the Three Cities (and return) The Three Cities

Day 2 Central and the Old Capital Region San Anton and Gardens Mosta Dome Mdina - the Silent and Medieval City Private Evening Sunset Cruise with Food and Drink

Day 3 Gozo Island Gozo Channel Ferry The Xwejni Salt Pans Ggantija Temples Xlendi Bay Fungus Rock and Dwejra Bay The Citadella & Victoria

Day 4 Temples and Foodie Experience Hagar Qim & Mnajdra Temples Food Culture with Farm Lunch Experience

Day 5 Departure Day

1 Itinerary Inclusions Itinerary Exclusions Value (NET Total in Euro based on 2 persons)

Important Contact Information Guide: Local Representative: Damon Camilleri Allan +356 9959 6290

The Maltese Islands

Malta has been fought over for thousands of years, has temples that pre-date the pyramids at Giza and Stonehenge, has some of the clearest waters in the world, and boasts a capital city that is a baroque masterpiece. Like Croatia of 20 years ago, Malta has just now become a newly discovered travel destination for the cultural enthusiast and not as a second thought. The Maltese Islands, although small in size, offers travelers a rare opportunity to see a well preserved history and exciting present day culture.

Day 1

Arrival in Malta and Touring

Arrive in Malta on #### at #### and be privately transferred to your host accommodations.

2 Valletta Experiences

Valletta was built by the Knights of St. John after the by the Ottomans in 1565. It is the fortified city that was said to be "Built by gentlemen for gentlemen". It boasts over 320 monuments in a .2 square mile radius, is a Baroque capital and has been recognized as the European Capital of Culture in 2018. You'll love what's in store within its main gates - a great mix of history and present day lively culture. Below are some of the included experiences in addition to meandering the main and back streets to discover Valletta`s very interesting history.

St. John's Co-Cathedral

Built shortly after the Great Siege of Malta (1565), St. John's Co-Cathedral's austere exterior is in drastic contrast to its sumptuous high baroque interior. You'll be in awe at the artistic masterpiece - from it's tombstone laid floors to the vaulted ceiling painted in the life of John the Baptist. Around the corner and into the oratory, stand before two wonderful masterpieces by the artist Caravaggio - St. Jerome and his only signed piece - The Beheading of St. John the Baptist.

3 Grand Harbour Water Taxi to the Three Cities (and return)

Arrive at the old Customs House where a traditional Maltese boat (Dghajsa) and boatman will be waiting for you to transfer you to the city of Vittoriosa - the main harbour city that the Knights settled at when arriving in Malta in 1530.

The Three Cities

The Three Cities lie across the Grand Harbour. It was here where the Knights of St. John settled when they arrived in 1530 and made Malta's capital city. The formal or original names of the cities are Birgu, Bormla and Isla and their modern names Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea. There is a treasure trove of history found in each of them which will be explored today.

Day 2 Central and the Old Capital Region

4 San Anton Palace and Gardens

The San Anton Gardens is located in and is one of the most beautiful gardens in Malta with a large variety of beautiful flowers and plants. This garden has been open to the public since 1882 and it was built by Grand Master Antoine de Paule to complement his summer residence, San Anton Palace, which today is the residence of the Maltese President.

Mosta Dome Church Image credits: Pixabay

Not just another church; this one has an interesting story on a few fronts. Construction began in 1833 and it was completed by 1860. Modeled after the Pantheon in , it is the 3rd largest unsupported dome in the world behind St. Peter`s in Rome and St. Paul`s in London. However the most interesting part of its existence is something that happened on April 9th, 1942 when a German bomb was dropped on it and pierced the dome with parishioners in attendance. It did not explore. According to the locals, it was a miracle!

5 Mdina - the Silent and Medieval City

You will feel the power as you enter the Old Capital City of Mdina and fall in love with it inasmuch as the families who continue to live here. It's Malta's only medieval city with a range of architecture that includes Norman and Arabic features. If you're a Game of Thrones fan, you will recognize the main gates immediately.

Private Evening Sunset Cruise with Food and Drink

Enjoy a lovely evening sunset sail coupled with food and wine. Not only will you see Malta and in particular the Grand Harbour in a different light, you will also get to relax and dine in your preferred company. The historic and breathtaking Grand Harbour is a natural harbour which has been used as a harbour since the Phoenicians. It has played a major strategic role in Malta's history.

During the Evening cruise, you will leave Marsamxett Creek to navigate into the Grand Harbour for your own private tour of Valletta and its historical fortifications. You will then proceed to the South side of the harbour to get a closer look at The Three Cities; a collective name given to the ancient fortified cities of Cospicua, Vittoriosa and Senglea.

Day 3 Gozo Island

6 Gozo Channel Ferry

With only a 25 minute crossing from North Malta, you'll arrive at the Island of Calypso to discover the neat little gems and differences from its sister island.

The Xwejni Salt Pans

Your first stop will be at the Roman salt pans. The production of sea salt has a long tradition in Gozo and the saltpans found near Marsalforn are still used today.

7 Ggantija Temples

Malta is so small, yet its history is massive. No visit to Gozo is complete without being a part of a remarkable history with a visit to the oldest freestanding structure in the world - the Ggantija Temples. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is 1000 years older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids at Giza.

Xlendi Bay

Arrive in Xlendi Bay for gorgeous views and some of the best sea-side food at one of the fantastic restaurants here.

8 Fungus Rock and Dwejra Bay

Just off the sheer cliffs of Western Gozo lies a rock, some 60 metres high. It guards a small deep lagoon and is obviously the remnant of what was once a sea cave whose roof collapsed, isolating it forever from the mainland. Indeed there are no mushrooms on Fungus Rock today however back during the Knights of St. John period, there was a certain mushroom that grew on it that was said to have been a miracle cure. Spend some time here at Dwejra and the inland sea - taking in all of the beauty. If the weather is just right, you'll have an opportunity to take a boat ride here.

The Citadella & Victoria

Venture to the capital of Gozo for a leisurely walk through the village streets as we witness local people in their daily life. The Citadel or Citadella is an area known to have been first fortified during the Bronze Age and later developed by the Phoenicians and continues development until, by Roman times, it had become a complex Acropolis. Up until the 18th Century, it was the only fortified refuge against attack for the inhabitants of the island. Enjoy some free time roaming the back streets of the Capital City of Victoria.

Day 4 Temples and Foodie Experience

9 Hagar Qim & Mnajdra Temples

Step back some 5500 years with a visit to the Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temple sites. The temples were excavated in 1839 and are thought to have been built to worship a type of fertility goddess. To put their age into perspective - they are around 1000 years older than the pyramids at Giza and Stonehenge. Who knew!?

Food Culture with Farm Lunch Experience

Enjoy a few of Malta's delicacies with a walk around the village of Rabat followed by a visit to a vineyard, a simple family run sheep farm to taste the freshest Maltese cheese and then lunch on a private farm to enjoy a rustic uncooked farm lunch with wine and an olive oil tasting.

10 Day 5

Departure Day

##:## - Depart for the airport for your ##:## to ______on ######. Today you depart our lovely islands. We trust that the Malta has lived up to your expectations and even exceeded them. We look forward to welcoming you back some day.

Itinerary Inclusions • Airport Transfers • 4 nights accommodations (to be costed in) • 4 breakfasts (with hotel cost),1 lunch and 1dinner on the sailboat • Expert guiding and private car service included on touring days • Entrance to attractions and experiences indicated on the itinerary

Itinerary Exclusions • Attractions and meals not identified in the itinerary • Round-trip airfare and medical/travel insurance • Gratuities for guides and drivers

Value (NET Total in Euro based on 2 persons) 4039.70 Euro

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