Compare Easter In Malta by Academy Travel vs Walking on Gozo - Calypso's Isle by Exodus Travels
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0 | Poor
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 3,780 | $ 1,895 |
| Price Per Day | $ 540 | $ 237 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Self-guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | No |
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| Meals Included |
5 Breakfasts and 4 Lunches |
All buffet breakfasts and 7 dinners are included.Meals are usually served in the restaurant or al fresco on the patio under a 200-year-old carob tree. Breakfast is an enormous hot and cold buffet and dinner is a 4-course affair offering a mouth watering selection of Gozitan and Italian specialities.Please be aware that, as Gozo has no rivers, lakes or reservoirs, the majority of drinking water is produced via reverse osmosis – essentially, the desalination and filtration of sea water. Tap water is perfectly safe and drinkable, although you may notice it has a very slightly salty aftertaste which can vary between hotels, restaurants and cafes depending whether they have additional filtration systems in place. If you still have concerns, or are put off by the taste, bottled water is widely available although please consider the environmental impact of buying and disposing of plastic bottles. |
| Description |
The celebrations of Easter take place all over Malta, where the faithful gather in large numbers to commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. From its earliest beginnings, Christianity has been interwoven with Malta’s history. This specially designed 7-day tour explores sites of history, culture, faith and art throughout Malta during the Easter period. Every stop on our journey has a fascinating history and our visits include prehistoric ruins, Phoenician settlements and places influenced by the Sicilians, Romans, Arabs, Knights of St John, French and British in succession. This has endowed the small island nation with an eclectic heritage, a quirky character and a unique charm. |
Blessed with a rugged landscape and spectacular coastline, the island of Gozo is tranquil and verdant. Sleepy towns lay brimming with baroque architecture, gardens and churches, and only the occasional farmhouse punctuates the countryside. Such is the beauty here, that Gozo is thought to be the legendary Calypso's Isle of Homer's Odyssey - a peaceful, mystical backwater. From our base at one of the island’s top hotels, our self-guided walks will unveil the island's charm.Enjoy self-guided walking on the island of Gozo |
Day 1: Arrival
Meals: Dinner
Meet your tour leader, Dr Estelle Lazer, at Rome airport and together fly to Valletta, arriving in the early afternoon. After time to settle in and freshen up we meet for a light dinner in the hotel. Overnight Valletta
Day 2: Valletta, Tarxien and Hal Saflieni
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight Valletta
The city of Valletta is our focus today. Built by the Knights of the Order of Saint John after their victory over the Turks in 1565, its massive bastion walls were designed to discourage any further invasion. Our walking tour includes the Upper Barracca Gardens, which command a breathtaking view of the Grand Harbour. We also visit St John’s Co-Cathedral which holds, amongst its treasures, two paintings by Caravaggio – St Jerome and the vast Beheading of St John, painted in 1608 while the artist was briefly serving as a novice of the Order of Saint John in Valletta. This afternoon we visit the Neolithic temple complex at Tarxien, a site of extraordinary archaeological significance consisting of three temples built around 3000-2500 BC and a fourth dating from an earlier building phase. In small groups we visit the recently reopened Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, a complex underground burial chamber.
Day 3: Good Friday
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight Valletta
Mid-morning, we meet for a guided tour that focuses on the south of Malta, starting with a visit to the Blue Grotto Caves. We take a short boat trip to view at close range the magnificent underwater flora in these grottoes. We then proceed to the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk, to admire the waterfront lined with the colourful Maltese luzzu boats painted in the traditional reds, blue and yellows. We have lunch together at a local restaurant before continuing on to the Good Friday Procession in the Village of Zebbug. The Zebbug procession is particularly well known, and we can expect to see people in costume as Roman soldiers wearing armour, biblical characters and children carrying symbolic items. The procession takes place around the village, accompanied by the village band and scout groups.
Day 4: Mdina and Rabat
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight Valletta
We visit Mdina, one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city, with an extraordinary mix of medieval and baroque architecture. Archaeological evidence traces settlement back over 4000 years to the Phoenicians. Its strategic location on the highest point of the island has made it home to Arab, Norman, Sicilian and Spanish rulers and earned it the name of Citta Notabile, the noble city. After lunch together at a local restaurant, we continue to Rabat and visit the atmospheric catacombs. We stop at the Dingli Cliffs for spectacular views over the Mediterranean before proceeding to the botanic gardens of San Anton, nowadays the official residence of Malta’s President.
Day 5: Three Cities and Harbour Cruise
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight Valletta
Today we explore the old three cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua. We start in Vittoriosa, the original home of the Knights of St. John and where the Great Siege of 1565 took place. There is time to watch the fascinating and famous Easter Sunday procession in Vittoriosa, to see the locals running with the statue of the Risen Christ. In the afternoon, we take a cruise around the two natural ports of Marsamxett and the Grand Harbour, whose natural creeks make these ports unique. The views of the fortifications from the seaward side are unique and a treasure trove for photographers.
Day 6: Gozo
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight Valletta
Today we travel to the north coast and join a private boat to the island of Gozo, Malta’s smaller and more relaxed neighbour. Our visit includes the Ggantija Temples, the most complete temple complex on the islands, part of which predates Stonehenge and the Pyramids. We also visit the Calypso’s Cave and Old Citadel in Victoria. After lunch together in a local restaurant, we visit Xlendi Bay and Dwejra. In the later afternoon, we return to Valletta by boat.
Day 7: Departure
There will be a midday group flight to Rome Fiumicino airport, where the tour ends.
Day 1 Start Gozo
Arrive at your hotel in Sannat. The evening is at your leisure to settle in, unpack and enjoy your first dinner.
Day 2 Coastal walk from Mgarr port to the narrow creek of Mgarr ix-Xini
Mgarr is Gozo's port, full of traditional and colourful luzzu fishing boats and dominated by the 18th Century Fort Chambray, built by the Knights of St John. The path from here hugs the coast as far as the narrow creek of Mgarr ix-Xini, where Turkish raiders landed in 1551 - the perfect place for a picnic and swim. From here you follow an old mule track up through the hotel's rocky grounds with fine views across to Malta, stopping to explore the remains of a Copper Age temple and Neolithic dolmen.
Day 3 Walk to Ta'Pinu and Gharb
The north-western corner of the island is only accessible on foot, along easy farm tracks. The first stop is the remarkable neo-Romanesque Basilica at Ta' Pinu, a huge national shrine built on the site of a miracle in 1923. Your route then leads through unique ravine-like wieds (wadis) to Gharb with its stunning Baroque church (1699) and traditional stone houses. The final stretch takes you along the striking cliffs of the north coast where you are rewarded with fantastic views across Gozo's famous salt pans. Two walking options: 3.5hr, distance 12km/7.5mi or 4hr, distance 14km/9mi.
Day 4 Hike to Xlendi Bay
The cliffs near Sannat are the highest and most dramatic cliffs on Gozo and in late spring they are alive with Mediterranean shearwaters. The route takes you past breathtaking views towards Comino and Malta and down through tamarisk trees to the gorgeous Xlendi Bay. Then it's up through the terraced fields, bright with poppies and fields of gladioli cultivated in rows like Provencal lavender. Two walking options: 2.5hr, distance 9km/5.5mi or 3hr, distance 10km/6mi.
Day 5 Free day; optional visit to Victoria or Ramla Beach
Today you could perhaps take a ride on one of Gozo's quirky buses to Xaghra to start your morning, as you head towards the Ggantija Tombs, a massive free-standing temple of 6m-high monoliths, and Calypso's Cave. Lunch on Ramla Bay, undeniably the best beach on the island, then perhaps head on to the lively capital of Victoria for the afternoon. The bustling market square, used as a meeting place since Roman times, is dominated by the mediaeval citadel, with spectacular views over the whole island. But the real charm lies in the maze of tiny back streets clustered around the Basilica, with carved stone balconies, flower-decked doorways and statuettes of the Madonna in street-corner niches.
Day 6 Punic burial site and the Inland Sea
The walk today takes you to the west coast and the fascinating Punic burial site at Wardija Point. There's a mythical feeling here, like being on the edge of the world. Narrow stone-walled lanes lead down to bamboo groves and to Fungus Rock (named after the 'magic' plant which grew there) and the Inland Sea.
Day 7 Qala to Nadur via Dahlet Qorrot harbour and the hidden beach at San Blas Bay.
Starting from Qala, it's an easy stroll to Dahlet Qorrot, a tiny harbour with gaily coloured boat houses. Then it's on through fragrant lemon groves, vineyards and past fig and peach trees to San Blas Bay, a hidden beach with gorgeous ochre-coloured sand. Your final stop is Nadur, where the spectacular views at the end of the day are a great finale to your week.
Day 8 End Gozo
The tour ends in Gozo after breakfast.
