A week in Malta without the rush
Clubs, associations, groups of friends and family trips. As much sightseeing as the group actually wants — and a full day to do nothing before flying home.
A leisure group does not want to tick the island off — it wants to experience it. Our week shows the whole of Malta: the Three Cities and the southern coast, Valletta, St Paul’s Bay, Gozo, Mdina and Rabat — and then leaves a day purely for rest.
Malta is small, and for this kind of group that is its greatest advantage. The furthest point is forty minutes away, so nobody spends half a day on a coach, evenings stay free, and coming back to your own hotel for dinner is always possible. The Qawra promenade begins a few hundred metres from the door.
The weekly programme — eight days
Our established shape for the week. Days can be re-ordered or swapped to suit the season, the weather and the group’s stamina.
ARRIVAL AND WELCOME
Meeting at the airport, check-in and baggage drop-off. Flight to Malta, transfer to the hotel and check-in. Free time if the arrival hour allows. Dinner and overnight stay.
THE THREE CITIES – SOUTHERN MALTA
After breakfast we visit the famous Three Cities. We begin at Senglea and its panoramic terrace over the Grand Harbour — a great harbour already in use in Phoenician and Roman times.
Then we walk through Birgu, also known as Vittoriosa. Once a fishing village at the foot of the Castell’a Mare, it became the fortified capital of the Knights Hospitaller in the 16th century. Along the old streets we see the Inquisitor’s Palace and St Lawrence Church.
Through the third city, Cospicua, we drive to the southern coast for the panorama of the Blue Grotto — a system of six caves, of which the Blue Grotto is the largest. The water there is exceptionally clear and shines with the blue reflection of the sky.
Free time in Marsaxlokk, Malta’s largest fishing village. Return to the hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay.
VALLETTA
After breakfast we travel to Valletta. We start at the Upper Barrakka Gardens on the bastion of St Peter and St Paul, part of the city’s first fortifications.
Next the Auberge de Castille, former residence of the Knights of Malta, and St John’s Co-Cathedral with the chapel holding Caravaggio’s masterpiece, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist — the first church of the Knights Hospitaller.
Walking on through the capital we reach the Church of St Paul’s Shipwreck, which houses relics of the Apostle, and the Grand Master’s Palace. Free time. Return to the hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay.
ST PAUL’S BAY
After breakfast we travel to St Paul’s Bay and visit the local Church of St Paul. There is an opportunity for a boat trip around the bay, from which we see the small, rocky and uninhabited St Paul’s Islands — where the Apostle came ashore (boat trip subject to sea conditions).
Return to the hotel in the afternoon. Free time. Dinner and overnight stay.
GOZO
After breakfast, a full day on Gozo — an exceptionally beautiful island of unique landscapes. Legend has it that Odysseus, rescued by the nymph Calypso, spent seven years here.
We reach the island by ferry, admiring Comino during the crossing. On arrival we drive to Xewkija to visit the Church of St John, known as the Rotunda — the largest church on Gozo, visible from almost anywhere on the island.
A panoramic route follows: a viewpoint above Calypso’s Cave, then the beautiful Ramla Bay beach, then the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu, one of the most important places for the Maltese. Many testimonies and miracles are associated with it, and inside you can see the votive plaques left by witnesses of the Marian apparitions.
In the afternoon we also visit Victoria, the capital of Gozo, with its impressive Cittadella — once a refuge from invaders, today a museum and the island’s main attraction.
We end the day with a short rest in Xlendi, a charming town on a turquoise, fjord-shaped bay. Return by ferry to Malta. Dinner and overnight stay.
MDINA – RABAT – MOSTA
After breakfast we travel to Mdina, the former capital known as the Silent City, where sandstone walls and narrow streets create a unique atmosphere. We visit St Paul’s Cathedral and take in the views from the city walls.
Next, neighbouring Rabat. The main point here is the Church and Grotto of St Paul, where the Apostle sheltered after the shipwreck in the year 60.
On the way we also see Mosta, with a church carrying one of the largest domes in the world. Return to the hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay.
A DAY TO REST
Breakfast. The rest of the day depends on the season.
In summer — Golden Bay. Malta’s finest sandy beach on the north-west coast, framed by high cliffs. Time to swim, rest and walk along the bay, with an optional scenic path over to neighbouring Għajn Tuffieħa.
In winter — San Anton and Ta’ Qali. A visit to the San Anton Presidential Palace and its gardens, the official residence of the President of Malta, then Ta’ Qali Crafts Village. A former airfield turned village of craftsmen, where Maltese glass, silver filigree and ceramics are made on site — and a good moment to buy souvenirs straight from the maker.
Return to the hotel in the afternoon and free time. Dinner and overnight stay.
DEPARTURE
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport, check-in and baggage drop-off. Return flight. End of the stay.
What organisers ask us
The pace of the day
Departures after breakfast, back before dinner. For older groups we build shorter days with longer stops and fewer points.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner in our own hotel. Lunch on the road or a packed lunch, as you prefer. Tell us about diets at booking.
Weather and season
In summer the rest day is spent at Golden Bay; in winter at the San Anton Palace and Ta’ Qali. The boat trip round St Paul’s Bay depends on the sea — in poor weather we offer an alternative rather than dropping the day.
Evenings
The Qawra promenade, dinner with a view, Valletta by night or a cruise — we add evenings to the programme only when the group wants them.
Rooms
Twins and triples, singles for the tour leader and the driver. We work the allocation from your list, not the other way round.
Free time
There is a full rest day in the programme, and on most days we are back at the hotel before dinner. A group that gets a moment to itself goes home happy with the whole week.
Send us your next Malta group
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