Malta And Gozo Discovery

Our trip begins at Malta International Airport (MLA) at 4.30pm. If you would like to join the main complimentary airport transfer today, the latest your flight can arrive is 4pm. We will then drive together as a group for about an hour to Cirkewwa to catch the ferry across to the island of Gozo, which takes about 25 minutes'. It then just a short 15 minutes' drive to our hotel, where we will arrive in the evening. You will then have the opportunity to go out for dinner with our Leader who will conduct the welcome meeting in the restaurant. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, there will be an earlier transfer from the airport departing at midday. If you would like to join this airport transfer, the latest your flight can arrive is 11.30am. We will add you onto whichever of these two transfers is closest after your flight arrival time. If you are arriving early but would prefer to join the later transfer at 4.30pm then please inform us of this at the time of booking. Gozo is fertile and picturesque and has retained much of its traditional character. Only 15 kilometres in length and seven kilometres wide, all parts of the island are easily accessible, and for its size the variety of scenery is incredible.

We start our exploration in Xlendi, on the south coast, for a short photo stop and walk along the promenade before heading to the island's capital, Victoria; a tiny city named after Queen Victoria in 1887 but locally known as Rabat. After climbing up to the imposing Citadel we'll have a fantastic view of the whole island. We'll explore the old prison where the Knights of Saint John would send their rowdier members to cool off within. The graffitied walls give a fascinating insight into the lives of those who were incarcerated here. Descending to the graceful central square, It Tokk, we have time to wander the cobweb of narrow streets and take some time for lunch. Heading to the town of Xaghra, we reach Ggantija, a megalithic temple complex dating back to 3600 BC and thus named as it was believed only giants could have moved the stones. Some of the colossal stones are over 5 meters long and weigh over 20 tons and the temple still reaches a height of over 7 metres. Predating the Pyramids, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is believed to be the world's oldest free-standing structure. We continue to Calypsos Cave, alleged to be the cave referred to by Homer in The Odyssey. In the afternoon we'll get the chance to stretch our legs on a walk from the area of Calypso's Cave to Ramla Bay where we can enjoy a refreshing dip at the beautiful red sandy beach, if the weather permits, before heading back to the hotel. Please note that the Maltese bird hunting season runs from September until the end of January and during these months hunting activity may regrettably be seen on some of our excursions into rural areas of Gozo and Malta.

Dwejra is perhaps Gozo's most spectacular natural landmark. Here, geology, time and sea have worked together to produce some of the most remarkable scenery on the island. We'll see Fungus Rock, notable as the habitat of a rare fungus which was highly prized by the Knights of Saint John for its medicinal properties. You will then have the option to take a boat ride along the coast from the Inland Sea (weather permitting) - a shallow inland lagoon linked to the sea via a 30-metre tunnel. From Dwejra we continue to the Ta Pinu Basilica, renowned for the miraculous cures reported by it's supplicants. We drive past neat, well-tended fields with their dry-stone walls and enjoy glorious views on our way to Zebbug; perched on a hilltop above the patchwork of green fields below. As with all these fortified hilltop villages, the far reaching views across the island and beyond are spectacular on a clear day. From Zebbug, we'll take a walk to nearby Xwejni Bay. The coastal scenery along the way is varied - at times we pass limestone outcrops eroded by the wind and sea into unusual shapes, where traditional salt pans dominate the view. This section of the coast is one of the most remote and rugged on the island but our walk is relatively steep downhill. There may be a chance to swim (weather permitting) before we visit to the seaside resort of Marsalforn, our chosen location for lunch. We head back to Mgarr, via Nadur for a brief photo stop of Comino and the Blue Lagoon, to catch the ferry to Malta where we transfer to our hotel, north west of the capital. The capital stretches west from Valletta along scenic bays with busy marinas. Our hotel is in St Julian's where many restaurants and bars can be found.