Discover Malta & Gozo

Begin your adventure in Qawra, a lively seaside zone of St Paul’s Bay in northern Malta. Around 6pm, say bongu (bon-ju) to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big Maltese welcome by arranging a group dinner. Want to extend your adventure? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Begin with an exploration of the Three Cities: Birgu (also known as Vittoriosa), Senglea and Cospicua. This historic trio, which are separated from the capital, Valletta, by the Grand Harbour, has provided home and fort to almost every civilisation who settled on the island, including the Knights of St John. Guided by our expert tour leader, we delve into Malta’s past and present. Our exploration takes us to the top of Birgu, with glorious views over Valletta, and to Senglea to see the Gardjola Gardens. After, enjoy a short cruise across the harbour to Valletta, taking a traditional dghajsa water taxi, while gazing over the Three Cities from the water. Arriving in the capital, we take a panoramic lift to the Upper Barrakka, a public gardens with views over the Grand Harbour. Taking the minibus back from the main gate, we explore the highlights of Valletta, including the magnificent St John’s Co-Cathedral, where we can see Caravaggio’s The Beheading of St John the Baptist, plus the Grandmasters Palace and many of the city squares.

We’re off to Gozo today, Malta’s sister island, separated by 3mi (5km) of sea. After breakfast, we depart our hotel by minivan, heading north for the 25-minute ferry crossing to Mgarr Harbour, where our Gozo discovery begins. Though small, Gozo is packed with history and culture, which we explore with our expert tour leader. Our odyssey of discovery takes us to the 5,000-year-old Ggantija Temples, where we learn about Neolithic life on the island. We then head to the capital of Gozo, Victoria, to explore the citadel and magnificent Basilica of Ta Pinu. We also explore Dwejra Natural Park, where scenes for Game of Thrones were filmed, and the salt pans of Qbajjar, where we learn about the Gozitan salt harvesting tradition, which stretches back to the Phoenician era. In the late afternoon, we catch the ferry back to the mainland and return to the hotel.

After breakfast, we travel (35 minutes) to southern Malta to explore the hilltop megalithic temple complex of Hagar Qim, which was discovered under rubble in 1839, and dates from around 3600 BCE. We also explore the Mnajdra Temple complex, which stands about 1,640ft (500m) further down. After, we have a five-minute drive to the Blue Grotto, which is actually several sea caverns. Every day from sunrise until about 1pm, sunlight streams through the cave, throwing numerous shades of blue on the cave walls. We explore in a traditional boat, weather permitting. Back on land, we visit the Għar Dalam, meaning dark cave, which provides the earliest evidence of human presence in Malta, with artefacts dating back 7,400 years to the Neolithic period. The attraction is divided into two sections: the cave and a museum, which displays a treasure of remains ranging from animal bones to artwork, with the most important discovery being two teeth from a Neanderthal man. The final stop is Marsaxlokk, a traditional fishing village in the southeast of Malta. Here, we can enjoy lunch at a traditional fish restaurant in the harbour, before returning to the hotel in the early afternoon.

Take a bus (25 minutes) to the inland city of Rabat, which was founded by the Romans. Here, we visit St Paul’s Catacombs, a complex of interconnected, underground cemeteries in use up to the fourth century. These Roman catacombs represent the earliest and largest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta, where Christians, Jews and Pagans were buried near each other. After, we head to Mdina, one of the finest ancient walled cities in Europe, an extraordinary mix of medieval and baroque architecture, with magnificent panoramic views from the bastions. Here, we visit the 17th-century St Paul’s Cathedral, which was designed by vanguard baroque architect Lorenzo Gafa, and holds a rich collection of historic artefacts, including engravings by Rembrandt. After lunch, we head to the Dingli Cliffs. At 830ft (253m) above sea level, it’s the highest point on the Maltese islands, offering views of the Mediterranean, petite terraced fields, and the tiny uninhabited island of Filfla. Walking along the cliffs, we see a little chapel dedicated to St Mary Magdalene on the cliff’s edge. Finally, we head to Palazzo Parisio, one of Malta’s premier heritage attractions. Built as a hunting lodge in 1722 by grand master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena, it was taken over by the Order of St John after his death, eventually passing into the hands of the Parisio family who used it as a summer residence. In 1798, the palace briefly served as a barracks during the French occupation of Malta, before being acquired by the Marquis Giuseppe Scicluna who enriched and endowed it to its present state. Often described as a miniature Versailles, this quintessentially Maltese palazzo is a glorious showcase of Maltese and Italian craftsmanship. The magnificent gilded, mirrored ballroom is unique in Malta. Additionally, the two walled gardens rank among the best in Malta, a fine example of classic baroque formality mixed with the vivid colours and scents of the Mediterranean. After, we transfer back to the hotel for our final night.

Having time travelled through Malta, explored Gozo and witnessed the azure walls of the Blue Grotto, our adventure comes to an end today. Begin your return journey home. Or, if you’d like more time to explore the island, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.