Valletta, Mdina and the Wonders of Malta
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8days from
£1,246*per person
Overview
Discover one of the Mediterranean’s most historic and welcoming islands, as well as its exquisite, greener sister-isle, Gozo.
Delightful Malta – blessed year-round with an agreeable climate – radiates fascination and interest, as well as a relaxed air and a genuinely warm welcome for British visitors. Join us on this famous Mediterranean isle, strategically important throughout the centuries and boasting one of the world’s most spectacular natural harbours for an escorted tour that offers you the very best of the island, and the chance to enjoy the charms of this highly favoured getaway spot.
Whether you're drawn to grand baroque cathedrals, winding alleyways or crystalline harbours, Valletta Malta holidays deliver an unforgettable blend of culture and serenity. Explore the fortified capital with guided visits to St. John's Co-Cathedral and the Grand Harbour, step inside the silent city of Mdina with its medieval palaces, and discover ancient temples that pre-date the pyramids. The itinerary also takes you across to Gozo, where dramatic coastlines and timeless villages offer a striking contrast to Valletta's elegance, creating a journey filled with history, architecture and natural beauty.
Delightful Malta – blessed year-round with an agreeable climate – radiates fascination and interest, as well as a relaxed air and a genuinely warm welcome for British visitors. Join us on this famous Mediterranean isle, strategically important throughout the centuries and boasting one of the world’s most spectacular natural harbours for an escorted tour that offers you the very best of the island, and the chance to enjoy the charms of this highly favoured getaway spot.
Whether you're drawn to grand baroque cathedrals, winding alleyways or crystalline harbours, Valletta Malta holidays deliver an unforgettable blend of culture and serenity. Explore the fortified capital with guided visits to St. John's Co-Cathedral and the Grand Harbour, step inside the silent city of Mdina with its medieval palaces, and discover ancient temples that pre-date the pyramids. The itinerary also takes you across to Gozo, where dramatic coastlines and timeless villages offer a striking contrast to Valletta's elegance, creating a journey filled with history, architecture and natural beauty.
Itinerary
- Fly to Malta - Upon arrival, meet your tour manager and transfer to your chosen hotel in the delightful Qawra area of the popular town of St Paul’s Bay. Depending on the time you arrive, you may have time to enjoy a stroll along the seafront promenade before dinner. Look out over the clear, blue waters to St Paul’s Island, on which – legend has it – the saint was once shipwrecked.
- Included Valletta guided tour - Join your tour manager for the first of your included excursions, and explore the island's fascinating capital, historic Valletta. You'll begin with a visit to the Malta Experience, an award-winning audio-visual presentation that places the city and the island in its historical context, and sets the scene not only for today’s visit but for the remainder of your stay. Your tour will also include all the major sights: the Auberge de Castille (magnificent former home to the Knights of St John) and the Upper Barrakka Gardens, from which vantage point the strategic value of the city’s Grand Harbour becomes clear. Laid out in a perfect grid above the harbour and behind the imposing battlements, the streets of the compact old city are a delight to wander. See the city’s stunning St John’s Co-cathedral, which houses treasures that include two works by the artist Caravaggio. With time for lunch (payable locally) and the opportunity for personal sightseeing, today’s visit is the perfect introduction to the island.
- Included cruise to Gozo - Today’s included excursion will be one of the highlights of your holiday, as you make the short ferry crossing from Cirkewwa to the quaint port of Mgarr on Gozo. In sharp contrast to its bustling neighbour, Gozo, which is dotted with prehistoric Neolithic temples and burial mounds, presents a sleepy, timeless face to the modern world. The highlights of your day will include the fascinating Inland Sea at Dwerja, Calypso’s Cave overlooking sandy Ramla Bay, the delightful coastal resort of Xlendi and the island capital, Victoria. here, the town is watched over by the fortified bastion of the Citadel, from atop the walls of which there are panoramic views over the island. After the fascinating history of the smaller island has been brought to life by your tour manager, your thoroughly enjoyable day will end with the return crossing to Malta, passing tiny islet of Comino.
- Included Maltese culture evening - Today is left free so that you can make the most of the hotel and its surroundings. This evening, join fellow guests for an evening of traditional Maltese hospitality in the historic town of Mosta. Enjoy a menu of Maltese cuisine served by waiters dressed in authentic island costume, and watch a demonstration of traditional Maltese dancing and folk music.
- Included tour of Mdina, Rabat and Mosta - On today’s included full-day excursion you’ll travel inland to Mdina. Malta's ancient, fortified former capital stands atop a rocky bluff, its beautiful "silent city" of narrow streets lined with stone-built houses. The tour will also include the town of Rabat, famous for its subterranean catacombs and where Bellini’s statue of St Paul depicts the Apostle’s shipwreck on the island. You'll also visit Mosta’s famous church, the vast unsupported dome of which survived a direct hit during WWII, and the spectacular Dingli Cliffs.
- Day at leisure - Rest and relax in your hotel and its surroundings, today, getting to know the area. Set on the quieter side of St Paul’s Bay, but with easy access to lively and colourful Bugibba, Qawra has plenty to offer, with sea-front bars and cafes as well as a sandy beach fringing the bay. Stroll along the promenade to Qawra Point for far-reaching views, or perhaps enjoy a long lunch in the sunshine.
- Included tour of Vittoriosa, Cospicua, Senglea and Marsaxlokk - Your final included excursion takes you ‘back in time’, as you explore the area across Valletta’s Grand Harbour, where three medieval ‘cities’ reflect the island’s rich history. In Vittoriosa, the façade of the Parish Church of St Lawrence displays an early Maltese Cross. Cospicua is one of the Mediterranean’s oldest dockyards and still in use today. Lastly, Senglea, with its houses built on the waterline and steps down to the sea, is known as Little Venice. During the day, you’ll also visit the colourful fishing village of Marsaxlokk, with its busy market, and Tarxien, where ancient temples contain carved symbols not dissimilar to the Celtic engravings found in Ireland.
- Fly back to the UK - Return to the airport and check in for your flight home at the end of a thoroughly enjoyable stay.
What's Included
Holiday Highlights
- Enjoy a week of rest, exploration and Maltese hospitality
- Spend a day on Gozo, Malta's fascinating sister island
- Get to know Malta's historic capital, Valletta
- Explore the island's interior, including historic Mosta and the 'Silent City' of Mdina
Our Price Includes
- Seven nights' dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation at your chosen hotel (upgrade hotel available)
- Return flights to Malta
- Comfortable coach travel and transfers throughout
- Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager
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Dates and Prices
Accommodation
The Santana Hotel, Qawra -
Introduction
This excellent hotel is centrally located a short stroll from the resort's promenade and beach. There is a vast array of shops, bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity, and the casino and the bus station that connects Qawra to the rest of the island are very close by.
Facilities & Amenities
The Santana has a roof-top swimming pool and sun terrace (weather permitting), an indoor heated pool and 24-hour coffee shop and restaurant. There is also a bar and lounge area, a reception, two lifts and a pub. The hotel's leisure centre offers a fitness room, sauna, Jacuzzi and various health and beauty treatments.
Rooms
All of the bedrooms are comfortably furnished and air-conditioned/heated, and offer private facilities, balconies, radios, telephones, hairdryers, mini-bars and satellite TV.
AX ODYCY Hotel, Qawra -
Introduction
Boasting views of Qawra Bay and positioned within walking distance from the town’s square, this stylish hotel ensures a perfect coastal escape.
Facilities & Amenities
Across the property, there is a collection of 11 restaurants, bars and lounges, offering a range of cuisines and settings. Three outdoor swimming pools are ringed by terraces, a wellness spa encompasses a sauna and Turkish bath, and a well-equipped gym is available. Bikes can be hired, a variety of water sports can be enjoyed, and a scuba centre can be found on site.
Rooms
Modern, comfortable guestrooms have TVs, tea/coffee-making facilities, air conditioning, hairdryers, and Wi-Fi.
Seaview Hotel, St. Paul's Bay (selected departures only) -
Introduction
Set within walking distance of Malta’s glittering northern coast, this adult-only hotel offers the perfect setting for relaxation between excursions.
Facilities & amenities
There are four restaurants, serving a range of European and Pan-Asian cuisines, as well as a sleek bar-lounge area and a gelateria. The hotel also features a well-appointed spa area with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a gym and a sauna.
Rooms
Guestrooms boast unobstructed sea views and encompass TVs, tea/coffee-making facilities, and minibars.
Please note: This hotel is only available on tours departing in March 2026. It will also be available for the Christmas in Malta tour in 2025.
Other Information
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Combining hotel transfers
We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.
Itinerary changes
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Foreign Office Travel Advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Hotel transfer times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately 30 minutes.
Hotel room tax
All accommodation in Malta will be required to collect an Environmental Contribution equivalent of €0.50 per person per night.
The contribution is capped at €5.00 per person per stay and is payable locally in cash
Holiday code
N940Holiday provided by Newmarket Holidays (for Metro Travel Offers)
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