Day 1 Friday: FLIGHT TO MALTA
Meet at Macedonia airport at 15.00. Departure at 15.00 hrs. Transfer to the hotel and check in to our rooms, followed by an evening tour of our area. Overnight stay.
Day 2 Saturday : -VALETTA (Tour of the European Capital of Culture 2018)
After breakfast, we will visit for the famous capital of the Order of the Knights of St. John, Valletta, where we will tour on foot, as car traffic is not allowed in the Old Town section. It is a unique Castropolis of great historical importance and boundless beauty. Crossing the Floriana Gate, the landscape takes us mentally back to the period of the Knights of Ioannina , stunning buildings, beautiful balconies with wooden constructions in bright colours , chapels and the impressive Cathedral of St.Publio foreshadows the images that will follow. It's time to meet the Triton Fountain ( Triton Fountain ) and pass one of the most stately hotels in the Mediterranean - The Phoenicia - an excellent choice for a drink in its unique in terms of elegance and beauty. Everything around us is renovated by the unique architect Renzo Piano. Valletta welcomes us in a complex of structures, 70 meters above sea level, walls and ramparts, moats and battlements make up a picture of a medieval city - a castle, European Capital of Culture in 2018, the like of which you will not find anywhere in the world! Our effort on this day , is to get as much as possible, a more coherent view of it. The ''auberge'' (the mansions) of the Knights of Ioannina, the building of the Opera House demolished by the bombing of World War II, the Our Lady of Victory, the newly constructed parliament , the Prime Minister's Office , are just a few of the images we will admire before visiting the Baracca Gardens , one of the most beautiful spots in the capital with spectacular views of the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities . St. John's Cathedral with its Caravaggio paintings will leave you stunned with its amazing interior decoration if you choose to visit the inside of the church . The central square with the Palazzo of the Knights ( Old Parliament ) but also the residence of the Magistrates during the omnipotence of the Order ( 1530-1798 ) , the recently renovated closed market ( Il Suq tal Belt )with the agricultural products of the Maltese land , are just some of the places to see . In your free time ,we suggest you to walk through the narrow streets parallel and perpendicular to the main pedestrian street ( Republic street ) to visit Strait street with its atmospheric small cafes , Hastings Gardens , St.Barbara Bastions with its wonderful view of the harbour and Fort Elmo at the main point of Valletta ( old prison where the movie the Midnight Express was ''filmed''. Overnight stay.
Day 3 Sunday : MOSTA - RAMPAT - MEDINA
After breakfast, we depart for the tour of the center of the island, with a first visit to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mosta. Then we will transfer to the hill of Rabat for the visit to the silent state of Medina , which is fortified in an impregnable castle and had been the capital of the island in the Middle Ages. We will walk along the cobbled medieval streets to see the highlights of the city. Return to the hotel. Overnight.
Day 4 Monday : Optional excursion to Gozo Island (required number of participants 20)
After breakfast we start for the optional full day excursion to the enchanting Gozo Island. To reach the second largest island of the Maltese archipelago, we transfer to the ferry and board the ferry-boat. The extraordinary beauty of the landscape, the magnificent houses and farmhouses, the change of scenery you will encounter will definitely convince you, how worthwhile your visit to the island of Gozo was. We will visit the capital Rabat, with its famous castle and old town. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay
Day 5 Tuesday : 3 CITIES - MARSAXLOKK
After breakfast we will move to the amazing sites of the 3 cities (The Three cities ) a unique cluster of architectural structures: castles, houses and important buildings, built in a stunning location in the Grand Harbour.We will walk to the glorious Birgou (Citta Vitoriosa), first capital of the Knights and part of their victory against the Ottomans. After strolling through its cobbled, narrow streets that take us back in time, we will arrive at its seafront with its magnificent views! We will then head to the south side of the island where we will visit the fishing village of Marsaxlokk with its famous folk market and Malta's fishing fleet, as well as the traditional boats ( luzzu ). We then depart for the airport and our flight home!
