Past guests of Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Costsaver and Contiki receive a 5% Global Tour Reward (GTR) discount on any new tour booking with any of the aforementioned brands
13 Nights$4650
$4390
6% off
Past guests of Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Costsaver and Contiki receive a 5% Global Tour Reward (GTR) discount on any new tour booking with any of the aforementioned brands
41 Views
Visiting:
Malta, Italy, Malta, Modica, Trapani, Ragusa,
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Visiting:
Malta, Italy, Malta, Modica, Trapani, Ragusa, Sliema, Valletta, Palermo, Agrigento, Syracuse, Southern Europe, Mdina, Taormina
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We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
7 Nights
$1790
Loyalty Disc
We know we’ve got one of the best loyalty programmes in the business. While many of our competitors have scrapped their loyalty programme, ours has only got bigger and better. And that’s great for our loyal customers, but then they already know how great we are ;). We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we really REALLY want you to try them. Could it be time to break up with your travel company? Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty – even if it wasn’t to us.
Competitor list: Exodus Travels, G Adventures, HF Holidays, Intrepid Travels, Jules Verne, KE Adventures, Mountain Kingdoms, On The Go Tours, Only You, Peregrine, Ramblers, Riviera, Saddle Skedaddle, Solos, Travelsphere, Trek, Undiscovered Destinations, Walks Worldwide, Wendy Wu, Wild Frontiers, World Expeditions
What you'll get when you switch to Explore!
Silver: 2 or 3 Trips with a Single Competitor - 5% off your booking
Gold: 4-8 Trips with a Single Competitor - 7% off your booking
Platinum: 9 or more Trips with a Single Competitir - 10% off your booking
2,887 Views
Visiting:
Southern Europe, Malta
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Visiting:
Southern Europe, Malta
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Visiting:
North Yorkshire Moors National Park, York,
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Visiting:
North Yorkshire Moors National Park, York, Snowdonia National Park, Northern Europe, Shrewsbury, UK & Ireland, England, Windermere, Hadrian's Wall, Yorkshire Dales National Park, Peak District National Park
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Visiting:
UK & Ireland, Fort William, Kyle of Lochalsh,
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Visiting:
UK & Ireland, Fort William, Kyle of Lochalsh, Loch Ness, Aviemore, Isle of Mull, Northern Europe, Scotland, United Kingdom, Glen Coe
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Visiting:
Mull of Galloway, Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries and
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Visiting:
Mull of Galloway, Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, Kirkcudbright, Northern Europe, United Kingdom, UK & Ireland
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Visiting:
Duncansby Head, North West Highlands Geopark,
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Visiting:
Duncansby Head, North West Highlands Geopark, Lairg, Scotland, Strathnaver, Northern Europe, Thurso, UK & Ireland, United Kingdom
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Visiting:
Dartmoor National Park, Northern Europe, United
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Visiting:
Dartmoor National Park, Northern Europe, United Kingdom, Killerton, UK & Ireland, Bicton Botanical Gardens, Buckland Monachorum
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Visiting:
Fort Augustus, United Kingdom, Loch Ness, Cawdor,
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Visiting:
Fort Augustus, United Kingdom, Loch Ness, Cawdor, Northern Europe, Inverness, Isle of Mull, Glenfinnan, Loch Carron, UK & Ireland
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[{"title":"Day 1: Join trip at Malta International Airport and take the ferry to Gozo","name":"Gozo","description":"Our trip begins at Malta International Airport (MLA).<br/><br/> <br/><br/> There will be two complimentary transfers from the airport today, one at midday and one at 4.30pm. If you'd like to join the midday departure, the latest your flight can arrive is 11.30am and if you plan to join the 4.30pm transfer, the latest your flight can arrive is 4pm. We'll book you on the transfer which is closest to your flight arrival time, however, if you're arriving early and would prefer to join the 4.30pm transfer, please inform us at the time of booking.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> We'll travel from the airport to our hotel as a group, driving for one hour to Cirkewwa where we'll catch a 25-minute ferry to the island. It's then a short 15-minute drive to our hotel. This evening, there'll be the opportunity to go for dinner as a group and our tour leader will lead a welcome meeting at the restaurant.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Located in the Maltese archipelago and surrounded by the azure Mediterranean Sea, Gozo is a picturesque spot to get to grips with island life. Only 15 kilometres in length and seven kilometres wide, it's incredibly easily accessible, with stunning scenery stretching from coast to coast. The island's history weaves back through the Romans and Phoenicians and remnants from its rich past are scattered across it today - we'll spend the next week digging deeper.","lat":"36.0443","lng":"14.251222"},{"title":"Day 2: Walking tour of Victoria and the Ggantija temples at Xaghra","name":"Xagħra","description":"Our exploration starts today in Xlendi, on the south coast, where'll make a short photo stop and walk along the promenade before heading to the island's capital, Victoria.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Although it's known locally as Rabat, Gozo's capital was named after Queen Victoria in 1887. We'll climb up to the city's imposing Citadel for a bird's eye view across the island. Continuing our exploration, we'll drop by the old prison where the Knights of Saint John would send their rowdier members to cool off. The graffitied walls give a fascinating insight into the lives of those who were incarcerated here. Descending to the central square, It Tokk, we'll have time to wander the cobweb of narrow streets and grab some lunch.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> After lunch, we'll head to the town of Xaghra to discover Ggantija. This megalithic temple complex dates back to 3600 BC and was thus named as it was believed only giants could have moved the stones. Some of the colossal rocks measure over five meters long and weigh over 20 tons - the temple itself reaches up to seven metres tall. Predating the Pyramids, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is believed to be the world's oldest free-standing structure. Once we've marvelled at the stone temple, we'll continue to the remains of Calypsos Cave, alleged to be the cave referred to by Homer in The Odyssey.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> This afternoon we'll stretch our legs with 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.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> 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.","lat":"36.050093","lng":"14.26433"},{"title":"Day 2: Walking tour of Victoria and the Ggantija temples at Xaghra","name":"Xlendi","description":"Our exploration starts today in Xlendi, on the south coast, where'll make a short photo stop and walk along the promenade before heading to the island's capital, Victoria.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Although it's known locally as Rabat, Gozo's capital was named after Queen Victoria in 1887. We'll climb up to the city's imposing Citadel for a bird's eye view across the island. Continuing our exploration, we'll drop by the old prison where the Knights of Saint John would send their rowdier members to cool off. The graffitied walls give a fascinating insight into the lives of those who were incarcerated here. Descending to the central square, It Tokk, we'll have time to wander the cobweb of narrow streets and grab some lunch.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> After lunch, we'll head to the town of Xaghra to discover Ggantija. This megalithic temple complex dates back to 3600 BC and was thus named as it was believed only giants could have moved the stones. Some of the colossal rocks measure over five meters long and weigh over 20 tons - the temple itself reaches up to seven metres tall. Predating the Pyramids, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is believed to be the world's oldest free-standing structure. Once we've marvelled at the stone temple, we'll continue to the remains of Calypsos Cave, alleged to be the cave referred to by Homer in The Odyssey.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> This afternoon we'll stretch our legs with 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.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> 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.","lat":"36.031265","lng":"14.217432"},{"title":"Day 3: Visit Dwejra and take a scenic walk to Xwejni Bay; ferry to Malta","name":"Dwejra Bay","description":"Today, we'll take in the landscape of Dwejra, 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'll 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.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> From Dwejra, we'll continue to the Ta Pinu Basilica, renowned for the miraculous cures reported by its supplicants. We'll drive past 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.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> From Zebbug, we'll take a walk to nearby Xwejni Bay. The coastal scenery along the way is varied - at times, we'll pass limestone outcrops eroded into unusual shapes by the wind and sea, where traditional salt pans dominate the view. This section of the coast is one of the most remote and rugged on the island and our walk will be relatively steep downhill. Weather permitting, we might have the chance to swim before we return to the seaside resort of Marsalforn, our chosen location for lunch.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> This afternoon, we'll head back to Mgarr (via Nadur for a brief photo stop of Comino and the Blue Lagoon) to catch the ferry to Malta and transfer to our hotel, northwest of the capital. The capital stretches west from Valletta along scenic bays with busy marinas. Our hotel is in Sliema, and you can find plenty of local restaurants and bars in the area.","lat":"36.046909","lng":"14.190912"},{"title":"Day 3: Visit Dwejra and take a scenic walk to Xwejni Bay; ferry to Malta","name":"Żebbuġ","description":"Today, we'll take in the landscape of Dwejra, 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'll 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.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> From Dwejra, we'll continue to the Ta Pinu Basilica, renowned for the miraculous cures reported by its supplicants. We'll drive past 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.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> From Zebbug, we'll take a walk to nearby Xwejni Bay. The coastal scenery along the way is varied - at times, we'll pass limestone outcrops eroded into unusual shapes by the wind and sea, where traditional salt pans dominate the view. This section of the coast is one of the most remote and rugged on the island and our walk will be relatively steep downhill. Weather permitting, we might have the chance to swim before we return to the seaside resort of Marsalforn, our chosen location for lunch.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> This afternoon, we'll head back to Mgarr (via Nadur for a brief photo stop of Comino and the Blue Lagoon) to catch the ferry to Malta and transfer to our hotel, northwest of the capital. The capital stretches west from Valletta along scenic bays with busy marinas. Our hotel is in Sliema, and you can find plenty of local restaurants and bars in the area.","lat":"35.871561","lng":"14.441578"},{"title":"Day 4: Tour of Valletta Old City and visit Saint John's Co-Cathedral","name":"Valletta","description":"This morning, we'll drive from the hotel to the fortified Old City, where we'll have a walking tour. Originally built by the Knights of the Order of Saint John in the 16th Century, Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is built on the steep slopes of the Sceberas Peninsula. It's surrounded by two huge natural harbours which have helped to make it such an important strategic port at the crossroads of the Mediterranean. Fort Saint Elmo guards the entrance to the harbours. Walking down Triq ir Republika - the main thoroughfare in the centre of the city, we'll visit the elaborately decorated Saint John's Co-Cathedral and the National Museum of Archaeology. During the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, over 400 knights perished and as a sign of remembrance, the floor of St John's Co-Cathedral is covered in skeleton tombstones. We'll also admire the views across the Grand Harbour from the Upper Barrakka Gardens.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> The afternoon is free for you to explore more at your own pace.","lat":"35.899238","lng":"14.5141"},{"title":"Day 5: Walking tour of the Three Cities and Grand Harbour cruise","name":"Sliema","description":"This morning, we'll visit the historic Three Cities of Senglea, Vittoriosa and Cospicua, considered to be 'the cradle of Maltese history' as settlers and rulers from the Phoenicians to the British all made use of the defences here. The Knights of the Order of Saint John settled in Vittoriosa in 1530 and used the city as their headquarters. The Three Cities have retained much of their romantic medieval charm, and we'll see the Inquisitor's Palace in Vittoriosa and admire the views from the Gardjola Gardens - a lookout post to guard the harbour entrance - in Senglea.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Driving on to Marsaxlokk, we'll have some free time for lunch and exploration. This charming town is Malta's largest fishing port, and the harbour is littered with colourful boats and excellent fish restaurants.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> The best way to explore the creeks and dockyards in this area is by boat, so, after lunch, we'll transfer to Sliema for a harbour cruise. Only by travelling across the water can you appreciate the sheer magnitude of the ramparts and forts that protect the city.","lat":"35.912399","lng":"14.501768"},{"title":"Day 6: Explore Hagar Qim Temples and enjoy local food and wine tasting","name":"Ħaġar Qim","description":"A short drive this morning brings us to Hagar Qim and Mnajdra; another incredible Megalithic temple complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site. For three millennia, from around 3600 to 3200 BC, the Maltese archipelago was home to a unique, temple-building civilisation. The discovery of many fat lady statuettes in the vicinity of Hagar Qim has shown it to have been built to worship the Venus of Malta, the sleeping goddess of fertility. Mnajdra is probably the most atmospheric of all of Malta's temples, occupying an isolated position overlooking the rocky coastline. We'll walk between the two temple groups along a short, well-laid path before continuing a short distance along a rough country path to the Tal Hamrija coastal 17th-century tower to enjoy breathtaking scenery as the cliffs rise out of the blue Mediterranean Sea.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> We'll return to our bus and drive down to the Blue Grotto where we'll have the option of taking a boat trip (weather permitting) to see a series of natural caverns that glow with corals and sea sponges. We'll then spend the afternoon sampling a range of local food specialities. We visit a local producer whose family have been farmers for many years. We'll take a short walk to the greenhouses to see what is growing now before visiting his wine cellar. Along the way, we'll learn how sun-dried tomatoes and the local wine are produced and then get to sample these along with a selection of other vegetables farmed in the region as well as delicious Maltese bread and olive oil.","lat":"35.827706","lng":"14.441766"},{"title":"Day 7: Visit to Mdina, San Anton Botanical Gardens and the Mosta Dome","name":"St. Paul's Bay","description":"We'll start today with a short transfer to Malta's Medieval old capital, Mdina, where we'll have a walking tour of the preserved city. Its warren of winding, narrow alleys and fortified walls contain a number of impressive buildings such as the Palazzo Falzon and the cathedral dedicated to the Conversion of Saint Paul. We'll also take time to see Domus Romana (a townhouse usually belonging to Roman dignitaries) and Saint Paul's eerie catacombs (underground). After we visit Mdina, we'll drive to Mosta Dome and San Anton Botanical Gardens, the private residence of the President of Malta.","lat":"35.948341","lng":"14.410941"},{"title":"Day 7: Visit to Mdina, San Anton Botanical Gardens and the Mosta Dome","name":"Mdina","description":"We'll start today with a short transfer to Malta's Medieval old capital, Mdina, where we'll have a walking tour of the preserved city. Its warren of winding, narrow alleys and fortified walls contain a number of impressive buildings such as the Palazzo Falzon and the cathedral dedicated to the Conversion of Saint Paul. We'll also take time to see Domus Romana (a townhouse usually belonging to Roman dignitaries) and Saint Paul's eerie catacombs (underground). After we visit Mdina, we'll drive to Mosta Dome and San Anton Botanical Gardens, the private residence of the President of Malta.","lat":"35.886369","lng":"14.403115"},{"title":"Day 8: Join trip in Syracusa","name":"Sicily","description":"Depending on the time of our flight, you should have the majority of today free in Malta to explore or relax as you choose. <br/><br/> <br/><br/> In the evening, we'll drive to the airport for our flight to Catania in Sicily, arriving at approximately 10.30pm (flight times are subject to change). On arrival, it's around a one-hour drive to Syracusa. Due to our late arrival, we recommend having an early dinner in Malta before boarding our flight. <br/><br/> <br/><br/> During the Greek Classical period, Syracusa was the largest city in the ancient world - even bigger than Athens. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it's also notable as being the birthplace of antiquity's greatest mathematician, Archimedes.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Please note that this trip combines two of our tours, Malta & Gozo Discovery and Classic Sicily. Not everybody will continue with us to Sicily and there will be new members joining us for the latter half of our trip. We'll meet our new group members and tour leader tomorrow.","lat":"37.599994","lng":"14.015356"},{"title":"Day 9: Discover Syracusa's historic Neapolis and Ortygia Island","name":"Syracuse","description":"We'll start today by driving the short distance to the city's Neapolis Archaeological Park, where a local guide will show us its famous Greek theatre, hewn out of the hillside, and the fine Roman amphitheatre where gladiators once fought.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> We'll then drive over to Ortygia Island, where we'll have free time to have lunch and explore. This small island is the historical centre of the city and home to many landmarks such as the Fonte of Aretusa, Temple of Apollo ruins, Maniace Castle, and the narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter with its old baths found under the Residenza Alla Giudecca Hotel. Alternatively, you could take a short boat trip along the rocky cave-strewn coastline. Thanks to its limestone buildings and pretty harbour, Ortygia Island is also a great place to sit and watch the world go by in a local café or restaurant. You could try cannolo, a traditional Sicilian dessert, a crisp shell filled with sweet ricotta and chocolate chips topped with candied fruits. If you'd prefer a savoury snack then arancini is just the thing - a rice ball stuffed with a range of fillings such as beef ragu and gooey cheese, it's simply delicious.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Leaving Syracusa this afternoon, we'll drive for a couple of hours inland to our base for tonight, Piazza Amerina, a charming market town set amid rolling countryside. This town is off the tourist trail and tonight you'll have the opportunity to dine in one of the delightful family-run restaurants. As you stroll along through the peaceful streets and picturesque squares you can see the local men gathering to discuss the events of the day and put the world to rights - just as their families have been doing for generations.","lat":"37.075474","lng":"15.286586"},{"title":"Day 10: See the mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale and the Valley of the Temples","name":"Marsala","description":"Today we'll visit two of Sicily's most important historic sites. We'll start at the Villa Romana del Casale, which is just a short hop from our hotel. We'll aim to arrive before the crowds. A local guide will show us the ruins of this magnificent country mansion that contains some incredibly well-preserved and beautiful Roman mosaics, such as the famed bikini girls, fishing cupids and hunting scenes featuring exotic wildlife like tigers, rhinos and elephants. The mosaics are UNESCO-listed and spread over a remarkable 3,500 square metres.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> We'll drive on to Agrigento, which was once one of the most prosperous cities in Sicily. The ancient acropolis, now the modern city, overlooks a southern ridge, misleadingly named the Valley of the Temples. Visiting these temples with a local guide, we'll walk around the ruins of the largest Doric temple ever constructed - the Temple of Zeus. Standing next to this monumental structure, you feel tiny staring up at the gigantic pillars above you. We'll also explore the perfectly proportioned Doric columns of the Temple of Concord, as well as the oldest temple in the complex, honouring Hercules. Later this afternoon, we'll drive north along the coastline for three hours to tonight's hotel in Trapani.","lat":"37.798107","lng":"12.437224"},{"title":"Day 13: Drive along the coast with a stop in Cefalu en route to Giardini Naxos","name":"Naxos","description":"Leaving Palermo this morning, we'll drive along the spectacular northern coastline to the picturesque fishing village of Cefalu. Here, we'll stop to explore the town and have the opportunity to go for a swim. You might like to visit the Norman Cathedral, with its stupendous mosaic of Christ Pantocrator. Alternatively, if you're feeling active then you can walk up the steps passed the Temple of Diana ruins to the Castle on the Rock (the ascent is 278 metres) - the incredible seaviews make the climb worthwhile.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> From Cefalu, we'll continue our drive along the coast to the small coastal town of Giardini Naxos, which will be our base for the next two nights. This sweet little fishing town sits in the shadow of Mount Etna and is the spot of the oldest Greek settlement in Sicily back in 735 BC. It's a great place for relaxing beside the sea and tucking into fresh fish and gelato. When in Sicily you have to sample the gelato… the region has some of the creamiest in all of Italy.","lat":"37.834476","lng":"15.270652"},{"title":"Day 15: Trip ends in Giardini Naxos","name":"Naxos","description":"Our trip ends after breakfast this morning at our hotel in Giardini Naxos.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Giardini Naxos at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), which is about a one-hour drive away.","lat":"37.834476","lng":"15.270652"}]