The specials

 

DAY 1

Valletta
Arrival at the airport. Tranfer to the hotel.

 

DAY 2

Valletta
Enjoy the fascinating viewof Valleta and the Grand Harbour from the Barracca. Continue to John’s Co-Cathedral, built by the Knights of Malta. It presents a mix of Baroque art and architecture. The Grand Masters and several knights donated gifts of high artistic value and made enormous contributions to enrich it with only the best works of art. This church is still today an important shrine and a sacred place of worship. See the World famous Caravaggio painting – The Beheading of St. John The Baptist. Continue to the Church dedicated to the Shipwreck of St. Paul, one of Valetta's oldest churches. St Paul is considered to be the spiritual father of the Maltese. Enjoy the Malta Experience, a multivision show that depicts Malta’s history throughout the ages. Visit Senglea, a fortified city in the east of Malta, which is one of the "Three Cities". Go to the Church dedicated to the Nativity of the Holy Mary, built as a monument to the Christian Victory after the Great Siege of 1565. Visit the ‘Vedette’ placed in the centre of the grand harbour. Arrive in Vittoriosa. Enjoy  sightseeing as you walk through the various narrow streets shaded by many historic buildings and churches.

 

Day 3

The tour starts with a visit to the Chapel of the Societies Doctrinae Christianae, a Society for Catholic lay men and women in Malta who dedicate themselves fully to God. Continue to Rabat to visit St. Paul’s Grotto. The beautiful church stands above a grotto where St. Paul is said to have taken refuge after his shipwreck on Malta. The first ever Holy Mass was celebrated here. Close by are St. Paul’s Catacombs. They are a fascinating labyrinth of 3rd-century AD subterranean tombs and the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta. Visit Mdina, a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island . That is the Old Capital also know as The Silent City.  Walk through the narrow streets and admire the imposing bastions that offer a fascinating view of most of the islands. Next in the program is the Cathedral dedicated to St. Peter & St. Paul. Inside, the immediate impression is one of grandeur.

 

Day 4

Valleta - Gozo
A tour starts in Gozo, a small island of the Maltese archipelago.  Both islands are similar in history and development, but Gozo has a character entirely of its own.  Gozo, which is a three hilled island, is greener and more picturesque than Malta.   Visit the Temples of Ggantija, a two Neolithic, megalithic temple complex. The Citadel in Victoria,the capital of Gozo, is the main attraction in Victoria. Take photographs from the ramparts, the various attractions within the Citadel and the interesting nooks and crannies. Admire the Bay of Xlendi,which is one of the prettiest places on the island. See The Azur Window,a 50 metre high natural rock arch in the Dwejra Point cliffs. Visit the Sanctuary of Ta Pinu, an architectural masterpiece, especially its interior, with its superb sculptures and craftsmanship of designs on Maltese stone. Another interesting fact about Gozo is its woollen goods and handmade lace.

 

Day 5

Gozo – Marsaxlokk – Blue Grotto – Ghar Dalam – Siggiewi village
Visit the fishing village of Marsaxlokk.  Admire the waterfront lined with Luzzus painted in traditional colours. Explore the local market.   Continue to the church,dedicated to our Lady of Pompei. Located slightly back from the harbour, the attractive parish church was built in 1892 in the traditional form of a Holy Cross. Between the twin towers, there is a statue of Mary standing in a boat (a traditional luzzo) pointing out to sea. Next stop is in Wied iz- Zurriew for a visit of the Blue Grotto, to see a number of unique sea caverns on the southern coast of Malta.  Visit Ghar Dalam, known as the Cave of Darkness. It is one of the first habitats of the Maltese Islands.The final stop is in the village of Siggiewi, where  you will be able to pray in the parish church dedicated to St. Nicholas.

 

Day 6

Siggiewi village – Lija village – Burmarrad village – Mosta - Ta’Qali village
Visit the village of Lija and the Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Miracles, built at the precise center of the island. According to legend, tears flowed from her eyes during the earthquake of 1743 and the villagers were saved after praying for the intercession of our Lady. Next stop is in San Pawl Milqi (St. Paul Welcomed), in the village of Burmarrad, which gave hospitality to St Paul after his shipwreck in 60 AD according to the Acts of the Apostles. Continue to The Sanctuary of our Lady in Mellieha, which contains a Byzantine-style fresco, depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary with Christ on her right arm. The church expanded several times to accommodate the growing population of the village and the roofed veranda is considered a classic example of 17th century Renaissance architecture. Visit the Parish Church of Mosta dedicated to the Assumption of our Lady. It has one of the largest unsupported domes in the world. During World War II, a German bomb fell on the rotunda, piercing the dome and falling into the church below. The bomb did not explode. A blessing attributed by approximately 250 worshipers who were in the church at that moment, to the intervention of Santa Maria. The final stop is inTa’ Qali crafts village. Visit the Malta Aviation museum  to view different types of aircraft related to Maltese aviation history.

 

Day 7

Transfer to the airport.