Destino |
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Malta, Malta |
This service includes a private vehicle with driver and licensed guide. Since this is a private tour, we can tailor make the tour as you wish. You can discuss the places you would like to visit in the island of Malta directly with the guide on the day of the tour. In general, we suggest the below itinerary for a full-day tour in Malta:
We start the tour with a visit to Valletta – Malta’s capital city. Valletta is a world heritage site and it is nothing sort of an open-air museum. It contains buildings from the 16th century onwards, built during the rule of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also known as the Knights of Malta. The city was officially recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980, and it is named for Jean Parisot de la Valette, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion in 1565.
During the tour we will walk through the bustling streets and to Barracca Gardens for a breathtaking panorama of the Grand Harbour. We will then visit St. John’s co-cathedral where you will see the painting “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” by Caravaggio. This painting is considered one of Caravaggio’s masterpieces and it is the only painting signed by the painter.
Our next stop is Mdina which is a fortified city in the Norther Region of Malta. Mdina served as the island’s capital from antiquity to the medieval period. The city is confined within its walls, and has a population of just under 300. The history of Mdina traces back more than 4000 years. According to tradition it was here that in 60 A.D. that the Apostle St. Paul is said to have lived after being shipwrecked on the Islands. Furthermore it is said that St. Paul resided inside the grotto know as Fuori le Mura (outside the city walls) now known as St. Paul’s Grotto in Rabat.
We will then proceed to the Three Cities which are Birgu (also known as Vittoriosa), Senglea (also called Isla) and Bormla (also called Cospicua). Birgu is the oldest of the Three Cities and existed well before the arrival of the Knights. It is also the most popular town among the Three Cities due to its historical and cultural wealth. You can find them to the East of the capital city Valletta, right across Grand Harbour. With over 11,000 inhabitants combined, the Three Cities are regaining their past popularity, attracting many investors who are buying property and turning it into state of the art homes. This revival has also attracted the tourism industry, with boutique hotels, restaurants and wine bars popping up along the narrow winding streets and alleys of the Three Cities.