Your ItinItineraryerary --- From Avifauna to TTeeeemplesmples April 17th --- 25th, 2016 Featured Attractions: EXCLUSIVE Tour for only 18 Passengers , Birding excursions throughout, ringing station experience, visit pre-historic temples, unbelievable historical and cultural encounters, 5-star accommodations Itinerary is subject to change based on migration activity and weather influences. According to BirdLife Malta, "Due to its prime location in the Mediterranean and being located along one of the main European-African migratory flyways, Malta has an impressive list of bird species recorded on the islands. To date there have been 384 species recorded in Malta. Of these, 21 are regular breeders (with another 17 breeding very rarely or erratically) and a further 170 which are recorded regularly during migration periods. The remaining species are rare visitors, with many only represented in the list as single, or a handful, of records." A detailed list of species is available through the American Malta Foundation office. We have constructed this itinerary to give the best possible opportunity to see a vast number of bird species during the Spring migration. DAY 1: Sunday, April 17th | Departure from Boston Logan International Pack your bags and depart Boston (or your local airport) for your overnight flight to Malta with a connection in Frankfurt. You will be joined by accomplished author and experienced Audubon Travel Guide , John Galluzzo, for the duration of your tour. DAY 2: Monday, April 18th | Arrive in Malta (D) Today we arrive in beautiful Malta - an archipelago of 3 islands south of Sicily. But what you find here is far different from the rest of the Mediterranean. With a civilization that dates back 7000 years, Malta has some of the most spectacular archaeological and historical sites in Europe. In fact, the density of sites here is said to be greater than anywhere else in the world. Upon arrival at the Luqa International Airport, we will depart the airport for the hotel where we will spend the next 6 nights - the very well appointed, 5 Star Corinthia Palace Hotel in Attard. The Palace Hotel is strategically located across from San Travel With FriendsFriends Your ItinItineraryerary --- From Avifauna to TTeeeemplesmples April 17th --- 25th, 2016 Anton Gardens, which will provide additional opportunities to connect with nature. Our local guide John Borg (www.diomedeamalta.com) will be meeting with us at our hotel to give an overview of our forthcoming birding experiences as well as the sites that will be visited during your stay. Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening. Accommodations: Corinthia Palace 5* in Attard, Malta for six nights DAY 3: Tuesday, April 19th | Morning Birding Activity and Valletta Touring (B,D) Our first outing will have us visit a Garrigue, which is one of the main natural habitats in Malta. The other main habitats are the steppe, maquis and woodland. Garrigue vegetation is low and usually consists of aromatic shrubs such as the Mediterranean thyme ( sagħtar ) Mediterranean heath ( erika ), spurges ( tengħud ), the olive-leaved germander ( żebbuġija ) and the white hedge-nettle ( te Sqalli ) amongst others. Very often one particular species of plant dominates a particular area. It is believed that these shrubs produce aromatic oils and other chemicals which leach into the soil and these prevent the growth of other plants in the vicinity especially annuals. This gives rise to the characteristic open spaces of garrigue areas. The flowers of garrigue shrubs are an important source of nectar which is collected by bees to form honey. Malta has been well known since antiquity for its thyme honey and it is believed that the name Melita is derived from the Greek word for honey. Our touring component today centers on the capital city of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Named after Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Vallette of the Knights of St. John, Valletta and its 320 monuments, all within an area of 0.55 square kilometers, make it one of the most concentrated historical areas in the world. We will enjoy a video overview followed by a visit to some spectacular sites that dot this majestic city including the Church of Our Lady of Victory which is managed by Din l-Art Ħelwa, the National Trust of Malta . You will have time to enjoy lunch on your own and explore the city before we gather to visit arguably the most important historical landmark in Valletta - St. John's Co-Cathedral , the mother church of the Knights of St. John. What you see from the outside is the complete opposite of what you will find on the inside - opulence, reverence and a masterpiece. We will discover the artist, Caravaggio , through his only signed painting - The Beheading of St. John the Baptist as well as his other work titled, Saint Jerome Writing. After a full day out, we will venture back to our hotel to enjoy an included meal. DAY 4: Wednesday, April 20th | Northern Malta and Comino Island (B,L,D) Today we'll set out for an exploration of Northern Malta. It may only be a relatively short distance but the landscape and population density changes considerably. We will be taken up to St. Paul's Bay and its Islands (where St. Paul is said to have been shipwrecked) and then onto Mellieha . This morning's birding experience takes us to Is-Simar Nature Reserve . Up until the 1980s the site at Is-Simar was a neglected and degraded marsh used largely as a dump. In the early 1990s it was converted by BirdLife Malta into a sanctuary for wildlife, where nature now thrives Travel With FriendsFriends Your ItinItineraryerary --- From Avifauna to TTeeeemplesmples April 17th --- 25th, 2016 and flourishes in full protection. Situated in Wied il-Pwales near Xemxija, Is-Simar is now a mosaic of habitats including reedbed, open pools and canals, an olive grove and hundreds of trees planted by volunteers over the years. Is-Simar is a fully protected bird sanctuary, a Ramsar site and part of a Specifically Protected Area (EU Natura 2000 network). We will break for a special lunch in the most fitting location that will allow you to feel one with the land. In the afternoon, we will break up into two groups and board our private boat for Comino Island . We will each take turns at the Comino Bird Ringing Station while the other group enjoys an in-depth boat tour of Comino Island. Once back on the mainland of Malta, we'll come together at the significant Red Tower (managed by Din l-Art Ħelwa) that overlooks Gozo, Comino and Malta. Tonight, enjoy an included dinner at your host hotel. DAY 5: Thursday, April 21st | Mdina the Silent City & Free Time (B) This morning we will explore the influences of the Arab and Norman period as you visit the Silent City of Mdina . Originally settled and fortified by the Phoenicians around 700 BC, Mdina or Citta Notabile as it was once known, only allows residents and vendor vehicles to traverse its streets. Here you will find impressive palaces (now private homes), narrow and shady streets and a plethora of other surprises through its mix of medieval and baroque architecture. Mdina is one of Europe's best examples of an ancient walled city. Our first stop here will be at the Heritage Malta - Museum of Natural History for a tour and self-exploration. The museum covers various topics such as Maltese Geology and Palaeontology, exotic mammals, marine fauna, insects, shells and birds. You may elect to enjoy your lunch at one of the fine restaurants that are located at the bastions. Your afternoon and evening are free to explore Malta on your own. DAY 6: Friday, April 22nd | Neolithic Temples, Dingli Cliffs and the Blue Grotto (B,L,D) Today we will begin our day with a visit to a woodland. Forming one of the few woodland areas in Malta, Buskett Gardens are located in the fertile valley of Wied il-Luq in Siġġiewi. Indigenous forests once covered Malta, but trees were cut down for shipbuilding in the era when ships worked the Mediterranean waters and for agricultural purposes. Buskett Gardens were planted by the Knights of St. John mainly as a hunting reserve. The gardens contain broadleaved deciduous woodland, native coniferous woodland, with sclerophyllous garrigue and marquis shrubland as well as groves of fruit trees. The gardens have been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support large numbers of birds, especially during the migration season. Next we'll step back in time as far back as 3600 B.C. to discover some of Malta's most prized possessions - its Neolithic Temples . After our morning bird outing and breakfast, we will be visiting sites that are not only above ground but also below ground which include the Tarxien temples and the very special Hypogeum. We will discover the magnificent Dingli Cliffs situated at 253 meters above sea-level, the highest point of the Maltese Islands. Breathtaking views include overlooking the small terraced fields, open sea and the small uninhabited island of Filfla. This beautiful spot will also play host as our lunch location at a restaurant that prides itself in utilizing local ingredients. Our afternoon will include a visit to the Blue Grotto which comprises a number of sea caverns on the south coast of Malta. Enjoy an included dinner at our hotel this evening. Travel With FriendsFriends Your ItinItineraryerary --- From Avifauna to TTeeeemplesmples April 17th --- 25th, 2016 DAY 7: Saturday, April 23rd | The Three Cities, San Anton Gardens and High Tea (B,L,HT) Our birding experience this morning takes us to Majjistral Nature and History Park. It includes a stretch of 6 km of protected coast designated as part of a larger Special Area of Conservation of International Importance within the Natura 2000 network of sites as per the European Habitats Directive.