Undiscovered Malta

 

For 6,000 years Malta has been at the crossroads of almost all the ancient Mediterranean civilisations and on mention of the island, the immediate thoughts are of the Knights of St John, the Maltese Falcon and the George Cross. With a long and turbulent past and being the mid-point between Africa to the south and Sicily to the north, with a language bearing influences of Latin, Arabic and Semitic dialects, it is a unique destination with so much of its past on display. Its temples are the world’s oldest buildings, pre-dating the pyramids by 1,000 years. The imposing 16th century fortifications of Valletta blend with the hauntingly atmospheric Mdina - the old capital since Phoenicean times. Catacombs date from the early Christian period and richly decorated cathedrals and churches seem to be everywhere - out of all proportion to the size of population. It is hardly surprising such epic cinematic blockbusters as ‘Troy’ and ‘Gladiator’ have been made here.

Possessing wonderful natural beauty, during the spring and autumn the countryside is covered with a carpet of wild flowers surrounded by a wonderful seascape of huge cliffs eroded for centuries by the elements, mis-shapen towers of rock, gaping caves with rocks of every colour glowing in the sunshine contrasting beautifully with the deep blue sea. The Maltese are genuinely one of the friendliest people you could possibly meet, almost embarrassingly pro-British and even in the humblest establishment you receive a warm welcome. Conservative like Italy; strong connections to the land and a healthy sense of tradition play a strong part in what is an almost ideal lifestyle. Always keen to socialise, every village seems to boast its own fiesta offering fine food and wine. Cuisine is heavily influenced by its succession of invaders, particularly by its Italian neighbours: excellent swordfish, tuna, bream and almost every kind of shellfish, prepared in innumerable styles, you will find everywhere. Many visitors to this wonderful island never experience its undiscovered side, but on this tour we feel we have created a superb balance of interests ranging from a wonderfully varied history, unique scenery and atmospheric old towns, all in an ideal destination in which to relax. A Maltese we once met, remarked that the island is like an extended family, which may be a romantic vision, but often that’s just the way it is!

For 6,000 years Malta has been at the crossroads of almost all the ancient Mediterranean civilisations and on mention of the island, the immediate thoughts are of the Knights of St John, the Maltese Falcon and the George Cross. With a long and turbulent past and being the mid-point between Africa to the south and Sicily to the north, with a language bearing influences of Latin, Arabic and Semitic dialects, it is a unique destination with so much of its past on display. Its temples are the world’s oldest buildings, pre-dating the pyramids by 1,000 years. The imposing 16th century fortifications of Valletta blend with the hauntingly atmospheric Mdina - the old capital since Phoenicean times. Catacombs date from the early Christian period and richly decorated cathedrals and churches seem to be everywhere - out of all proportion to the size of population. It is hardly surprising such epic cinematic blockbusters as ‘Troy’ and ‘Gladiator’ have been made here.

Possessing wonderful natural beauty, during the spring and autumn the countryside is covered with a carpet of wild flowers surrounded by a wonderful seascape of huge cliffs eroded for centuries by the elements, mis-shapen towers of rock, gaping caves with rocks of every colour glowing in the sunshine contrasting beautifully with the deep blue sea. The Maltese are genuinely one of the friendliest people you could possibly meet, almost embarrassingly pro-British and even in the humblest establishment you receive a warm welcome. Conservative like Italy; strong connections to the land and a healthy sense of tradition play a strong part in what is an almost ideal lifestyle. Always keen to socialise, every village seems to boast its own fiesta offering fine food and wine. Cuisine is heavily influenced by its succession of invaders, particularly by its Italian neighbours: excellent swordfish, tuna, bream and almost every kind of shellfish, prepared in innumerable styles, you will find everywhere. Many visitors to this wonderful island never experience its undiscovered side, but on this tour we feel we have created a superb balance of interests ranging from a wonderfully varied history, unique scenery and atmospheric old towns, all in an ideal destination in which to relax. A Maltese we once met, remarked that the island is like an extended family, which may be a romantic vision, but often that’s just the way it is!

Supplier info: Riviera Travel

Since their inception 25 years ago, Riviera Travel have endeavoured to exceed the expectations of the discerning traveller, on their fascinating and innovative European and Worldwide escorted tours.

They have passion for quality and looking after all their guests in the most personal manner possible and really ‘go the extra mile'. Over the years they have received many commendations from many household names in the publishing industry. They have recently been voted by the members of one of the country's most respected consumer organisations in their biannual survey of travel companies, as one of the UK's top two Tour Operators and the most outstanding of all in terms of value for money - by some considerable margin.

Riviera Travel offers European and Worldwide Escorted Tours by Eurostar and by Air.

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