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Malta
Itinerary
How can you pack plenty
of sightseeing into your Malta getaway--and still have time for
romance? Here's a look at our itinerary for our Malta trip. (Keep
in mind that our trips are generally a little busier than most
couples would plan since we're mixing business with pleasure!)
Tuesday
3pm
- Arrive at the
Malta International Airport on a connecting flight from London.
- Transfer to the
Le
Meridien Phoenicia in Valletta
- Rest and walk
into town to grab a quick dinner at a sidewalk café.
Wednesday
8:45 am Meet
our guide in the hotel lobby for a day tour of Valletta. Visit
the Upper Barracca Gardens, formerly the private gardens of
the Italian Knights.
9:00 am Visit
St. John's Co-Cathedral, formerly the Conventual Church of the
Order. Built in the 16th century, it is a fine example of Baroque
architecture.
Tour the Manoel Theatre, built as a court theater by Grand Master
Manoel de Vilhena in 1731. One of the oldest theaters still
in use in Europe today.
12:30pm Lunch at Bologna Restaurant.
3pm Visit the "Malta Experience" multi-visual
show highlighting 7000 years of Malta history. The show is withing
the Sacra Infermeria, once a large hospital built by the Knights
of Malta in the 16th century.
Return to hotel for an evening of rest
 Thursday
8:15 am Depart the Hotel Phoenicia for the Cirkewwa
ferry terminal to board a ferry to Gozo. The crossing takes
30 minutes.
10:00am
- Began touring
Gozo, an island of legends. Many believed that Gozo was the
island of Ogygia as describer in Homer's Odyssey. Ogygia was
the home of Calypso who held Ulysses captive on the island
for seven years, promising immortality if he would never leave
her.
- Tour Ggantija,
a megalithic temple built about 3600 BC.
- Tour The Citadel
in Victoria, named for Queen Victoria in honor of her Silver
Jubilee in 1897.
1pm Lunch
at Gesther's Restaurant in Xaghra. The restaurant is owned by
two sisters and features local cuisine (including rabbit, a
popular favorite.)
2:30pm
- Tour Dwejra and
the Inland Sea, shallow water that's linked to the sea through
a narrow tunnel in the cliff.
- View the nearby
Fungus Rock. The islet is home of a rare fungus called Fungus
Gaulitanus; it was protected by the Knights of Malta and the
British Governors because of its medicinal qualities. Anyone
caught stealing the fungus was put to death.
- Visit the Azure
Window, a natural formation called It-Tieqa, literally "window,"
by Gozitans.
- Spend the night
at the L-Imgarr Hotel, high above the Mgarr Harbour.
Friday
 11am
Ferry crossing back to Malta to the Cirkewwa ferry terminal.
Transfer to the Le Meridien Phoenicia
1pm Meet guide in lobby. Drive to Mdina, Malta's Medieval
capital.
1:30pm Lunch at Palazzo Notabile in Mdina. Walk around
Mdina. Visit St. Paul's Catacombs and return to the Phoenicia
hotel in Valletta.
Saturday
8:30am drive to Vittoriosa (locally known as Birgu) to
see a reenactment of the Grand Master's entrance as part of
the annual Birgu Festival.
Drive to the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk.
1pm Lunch at Ix-Xlukkajr Restaurant in Marsaxlokk.
Visit the Blue Grotto and the prehistoric temples of Hagar Qim.
4pm Return to the Phoenician hotel
7:30pm Depart the hotel for St. Julians
8pm Dinner at San Giuliano Restaurant in St. Julians
Sunday
Return home via London
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