Compare Easter In Malta by Academy Travel
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| Trip |
0 | Poor
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| Duration | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 3,780 |
| Price Per Day | $ 540 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | |
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
5 Breakfasts and 4 Lunches |
| 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. |
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.
