Best of Malta

Today we’re going to visit Valletta’s most famous sites. After breakfast, the guide will pick you up from your hotel and lead you to the Upper Barraka Gardens. The Mediterranean-style garden used to be a private place for the Knights, and now it has been the locals’ favorite spot for relaxation. Built in 1661, it overlooks the Grand Harbour - one of the most important harbors in the Mediterranean Sea. Wandering around the garden, you could see a bust of Sir Winston Churchill, as well as statues and monuments of commemoration. The highlight of the garden is the terrace with neoclassical arcades, from which you could enjoy a magnificent scenery and see the Saluting Battery of the 16th century. Our next stop will be one of Valletta’s landmarks - St. John’s Co-Cathedral, which is one of the most important buildings built by the Knights of St. John. Built between 1573 and 1578, the cathedral is a perfect example of the Renaissance architectural and painting art. It might look ordinary from the outside, but when you step in, you could be fascinated by the resplendent interior. Fine handwoven tapestries, delicately painted archways and vault, intricate carvings and decors could dazzle your eyes. Most notably, every inch of the cathedral floor is inlaid with marble tombstones, each of which is carved with the name and life story of a knight who lies under. It shows a commemoration and reminder of chivalry.

★ Discover Maltese Cross at Grand Master’s Palace

Next, we’ll visit the Grand Master’s Palace, another significant cultural and architectural heritage left by the Knights in 1571. It was once the official mansion for the grand master of The Order of St. John’s, and is now used as the President’s Palace and the Parliament. The palace houses a large collection related to The Order of St. John’s, such as mediaeval armors, sallet helmets, and weapons. Even the corridor is decorated with armor suits that indicate the former glory of the knights. It’s hard not to notice the special cross that seems to consist of four letter “V”. That’s the “Maltese Cross”, the symbol of The Order of St. John’s. The origin of this order of chivalry dates back to the 11th century. They landed Malta in the 16th century, flourished and made their indelible mark on the history of Malta. And the Maltese Cross, which symbolizes loyalty, piety, honesty, and bravery has become an irreplaceable part of the local culture.

In the afternoon, the guide will show you around the Three Cities, which refer to the three adjacent cities surrounding Grand Harbour. Since the Phoenician period (1500-332 BC), people have established city-states in the natural bays and ports. Explore the Gardjola Garden in Senglea city, where you could admire the view of Valletta through “The Eye of Horus” in the guard tower of the garden. Later, we’ll visit the Collegiate Church of Saint Lawrence. This Baroque-style church existed even before the Knights’ arrival on Malta, and it once served as the first conventual church of The Order of St. John. Fort St. Angelo in Vittoriosa is one of the most significant military installations in Malta. It played a crucial part in several wars like the Great Siege of Malta in 1565 and World War II due to its strategic importance.

At dusk, we’ll return from the Three Cities by a Dghajsa boat, which is the traditional Maltese water taxi, similar to gondola with a long, narrow and graceful look. During the leisurely boat ride, you could enjoy the panoramic views of the Grand Harbour and the city skyline of Valletta. After disembarking, you’ll be sent back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure St. Julian's Malta (4 stars) or similar

This morning, we’ll first head to the Mosta Rotunda, a Roman Catholic church that was first built in 1833. The neoclassical façade of the church is influenced by Pantheon, and the interior is decorated with lifelike murals and statues. The highlight is the dome with an internal diameter of 37.2 meters (122 ft.), which is the third largest unsupported dome in the world, only after that of the Pantheon in Rome and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. More incredibly, Mosta Rotunda survived an air raid in 1942. It is said that there were more than 300 worshippers in the church when a 50-kilogram bomb was dropped through the dome and fell in the middle of the church floor, but miraculously did not explode. This event was considered a divine intervention by local people.

Then, we’ll drive 10 minutes to the medieval town of Mdina, which sits on a plateau and was the former capital of Malta. As early as 1000 BC, the Phoenicians had begun to settle here. It is becoming more attractive for being one of the shooting locations of the “King’s Landing” in the TV series “Game of Thrones”. In today’s Mdina, known as the “Silent City”, you could hardly see any cars running and hear any noise. Only the footsteps, peals of the church bells, and the clip-clop of horses’ hooves echo in the narrow streets. The guide will accompany you to explore quaint alleys, ancient baroque buildings, historic cathedrals, and grand fortresses on foot.

Our next spot is Rabat, where we’ll walk to visit St. Paul’s Church, which is a baroque Catholic church built in 1683. It is said to be where St. Paul first brought Christianity to Malta in the 1st century AD. You could see a lot of precious silverware exhibited in the church, and explore the underground grotto, which was used as a shelter during the WWII. Then, proceed to the Roman Domus, or Roman House, which is a villa of a Roman aristocratic family, built in the early 1st century BC and used until the 2nd century AD. Although the original structure of the house is disappeared, you could still capture the artistic and cultural charm of 2,000 years ago through the artifacts like statues, coins, tableware, and especially the well-preserved intricate mosaics. Later, we will continue to visit the San Anton Gardens. This peaceful garden is a blend of the symmetry of French formal gardens and the natural style of English gardens. It is planted with dense trees and native and exotic flowers, with peacocks and birds roaming inside. Wander along the trails, see San Anton Palace which is the official residence of the President of Malta, and admire tall trees, delicate flower beds, and fountains. At the end of the day, the driver will send you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure St. Julian’s Malta (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, we’ll drive 20 minutes south to the Blue Grotto, one of the most enchanting natural wonders of Malta along with the Azure Window and the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Grotto is a cave complex formed by the constant lashing of sea water, facing the Mediterranean Sea and overlooking Filfla Island. A striking 30-meter-high (100 ft.) limestone arch is above the caves, under which is a 15-meter-deep (50 ft.) natural pool with crystal water that has a changing blue hue. The stunning sea view attracts numerous divers and swimmers. Also it is one of the film locations of “The Count of Monte Cristo” in 2002. Overlook the arch and the pure blue sea from the cliff, and then let’s take a boat ride to explore the 7 caves of Blue Grotto. See the water up close and admire the mesmerizing orange, purple, and green lights reflected by the seabed underwater. Next, let’s visit the nearby Hagar Qim Temple, one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Malta. The name “Hagar Qim” is proved to be “large standing stones” in the ancient local language. This megalithic temple dating back over 5,000 years is one of the best-preserved prehistoric sites on the island. It houses some of Malta’s largest and heaviest monoliths that weigh about 20 tons. It’s difficult to imagine how the ancient people carried the huge stones up the hill with only rollers and ropes, and how they constructed the spectacular temple.

After that, we’ll head to Marsaxlokk Fishing Village on the southern coast. Marsaxlokk Bay is the largest and oldest fishing harbor in Malta. Entering this scenic village, your eyes will definitely be caught by the fishing boats painted in bright blue, red, and yellow. These traditional Maltese boats are called Luzzu, which are typically decorated with “the Eye of Horus”. Luzzu boats swaying in the water adorn the village like a rainbow. If it happens to be a Sunday, you’ll have a chance to explore the weekly bustling market and indulge into the local fishing culture.

Next, we’ll drive northwest, pass the old streets and ancient temple ruins of Tarxien, and get to the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, the only known underground prehistoric hypogeum in Europe and one of the prehistoric sites that almost remained intact in the world. Built between 3200 and 2900 BC, it was once a burial chamber where around 7,000 people were buried. The hypogeum has 3 levels with a total of 33 rooms, some of which even house red ochre paintings on the walls. The most impressive one of the unearthed artifacts is the “Sleeping Lady”, a lovely clay statuette offering a glimpse of sophisticated skills and fertility worship of the ancient civilizations.
► Tips: In order to protect the microclimate underground and the color of the paintings, mobile phones, cameras and other electronic products cannot be brought into the hypogeum and no photography is allowed as well.

Last, we’ll end the day with a visit to the Ghar Dalam Cave, which was formed approximately 500,000 years ago. The mysteries of the Ice Age, along with the evidence of human activities in Malta around 7,400 years ago, have been revealed in the sedimentary layers of the cave. The cave is 144 meters deep (472 ft.) and you could explore about 60 meters (196 ft.) of it and see the fossil bones of animals in different layers. In the Victorian style museum beside the cave, you could see full-scale skeletons of pygmy elephants and dwarf hippos, as well as the bone deposits of giant swans, deer and bear. Afterward, we’ll return to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure St. Julian’s Malta (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up at the hotel, and sent to the ferry terminal to take a 25-minute ferry to Gozo Island – the second largest island of Malta. Upon arrival, we’ll first head to the Ggantija Temples, the oldest megalithic temple in Malta. It was constructed 5,500 years ago, much earlier than Stonehenge in the UK and the Pyramids in Egypt. Ggantija, which is literally “giants”, suggests that the temple is believed to be erected by giants. You could soon understand that when “Sleeping Lady”, a lovely clay statuette offering a glimpse of sophisticated skills and fertility worship of the ancient civilizations.you see the incredible structures built with stones that weigh 50 tons and are over 7 meters (23 ft.) high. Next, appreciate the stunning natural beauty of the Calypso’s Cave with its attracting legends, and the remarkable red sand beaches of Ramla Bay.

Around noon, we’ll make a stop at Fontana Cottage, where you could discover some of the local delicacies and handcrafted local lace products. Sample some free liqueurs, especially the cactus-flavored one. You could also appreciate the handmade clothes and other exquisite textiles. Then, we’ll go to the Xlendi Bay, a tranquil retreat surrounded by limestone cliffs. Locals usually go diving or swimming in the clear sea. Following the cliffside path, you can walk closer to the waterfront to enjoy the view. Around the bay there are a lot of restaurants for having lunch.

In the afternoon, let’s visit the Dwejra Bay. It encircles Gozo’s Inland Sea, which is connected to the Mediterranean Sea through a narrow sea cave. From above, it looks like a blue round pool with a diameter of about 10 meters (33 ft.). The peaceful water is dream-like deep blue, with colorful corals and vibrant jellyfish in it. Boat tours are available here at extra cost paid on the spot. If interested, you could take a cave boating adventure to get close to the sea. Finally, we’ll visit the Victoria City, the largest city of Gozo nestled in the heart of the island. The ancient city, built in the 16th century, has no tall buildings but only quaint architecture with light yellow walls, peaceful and elegant under the glow of the setting sun. Follow your guide to climb up the highest point of the city – the Citadel. The medieval castle used to be a Roman acropolis that was first built around 1500 BC. Long been used as a defense of the city, now it’s like a time capsule that can transport us to a bygone era. After today’s trip, we’ll return to the pier and take the ferry back.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure St. Julian’s Malta (4 stars) or similar

Your best tours of Malta will be over today, and you’ll be transferred to Malta International Airport according to your departure flight. May you a nice trip home!

► If you intend to further immerse yourself in Malta’s cultural heritage and natural scenery, we are glad to help extend your stay. If you want to explore the nearby Sicily of Italy, Greece, or Turkey, please contact us to customize an itinerary to suit your needs.

Meals: Breakfast