Day 1 Istanbul – Malta – Valletta – Malta
Meeting in front of the Turkish Airlines counter in the International Departures terminal of Istanbul Airport 3 hours before the flight. Following baggage, ticket and passport procedures, departure for Malta at 08:10 on Turkish Airlines flight TK1369. After arriving at 08:45 local time, we will take a city tour of the capital, Valletta, with our vehicle waiting for us at the airport. Following our tour around the city walls by vehicle, we will explore the city’s lively streets. Our first stop will be the Barrakka Gardens, built on the upper section of the defensive walls surrounding this magnificent city. Built by the Knights of St. John, these gardens offer views of the Grand Harbour and the 3 old cities surrounded by walls. We will then continue our tour. St. John’s Co-Cathedral, the Grandmaster’s Palace and the Parliament Building are among the places to be seen. Transfer to our hotel after the tour. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 Malta – Gozo – Malta
After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join the Magnificent Gozo Island Tour, organized as an optional excursion. (80 Euros). We will travel to Gozo, Malta’s second-largest island, departing early in the morning from Cirkewwa Harbour in the north of the island. During the approximately half-hour ferry journey, we will also see the country’s small islands of Comino and Cominotto. During our tour after arrival, Ta’ Pinu Church, Dwejra, the Inland Sea, Fungus Rock and the fishing village of Marsalforn will be among the places we see. Finally, we will visit the island’s capital, Victoria. After seeing the island’s central church, city walls, Law Courts and Bishop’s Palace, we will return to Malta by ferry following free time in the city. Transfer to our hotel after the tour. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 Malta – Mdina & Mosta – Marsaxlokk – Three Cities – Malta
After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join the Magnificent Towns and Cities (Mdina & Mosta & Marsaxlokk & Vittoriosa & Senglea & Cospicua) tour, organized as an optional excursion. (80 Euros) Our tour will take us to the central region of Malta, dominated by the historic Mdina Fortress. During our tour of Mdina, Malta’s former capital and a city of historical importance, we will visit the city walls, which offer an almost panoramic 360-degree view of the island of Malta. We will then visit the historic town of Mosta, located in the center of Malta. The town is famous for its impressive Rotunda Church (Mosta Dome). This church, with its enormous dome built without supports, is remembered as a miracle because of a bomb that fell inside it during World War II but did not explode. After our tour, our next stop will be Marsaxlokk, a traditional fishing town. The town, named after the Arabic word “marsa,” meaning “harbour,” and the “xlokk” wind blowing from the southeast, is known for its harbour filled with traditionally painted, brightly colored luzzu boats, its lifestyle intertwined with the sea and its famous seafood restaurants. We will then visit the Three Cities (Vittoriosa – Senglea – Cospicua). With narrow stone streets, walled structures, Baroque churches and seafront promenades, these cities were the area where the Knights of Malta first settled in the 16th century
and formed the backbone of the island’s military defense line. Each bears traces of the knights, the Ottoman sieges and Malta’s maritime history. Transfer to our hotel after the tour. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 Malta – Istanbul
After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join the Magnificent Popeye Village Tour, organized as an optional excursion. (65 Euros). Built as the set of the world-famous 1980 film Popeye, the village has now been transformed into an open-air museum and amusement park. Consisting of wooden houses, this charming village offers many activities, such as interactive shows, playgrounds and boat tours, for both film enthusiasts and families. Transfer to the airport at the time determined by the guide. Following baggage, ticket and passport procedures, departure for Istanbul at 19:30 on Turkish Airlines flight TK1372. Arrival at 23:55 local time and the end of our tour.
Optional Tour Package: 200 Euros instead of 225 Euros
Magnificent Gozo Island (80 Euros)
Magnificent Towns and Cities (Mdina & Mosta & Marsaxlokk & Vittoriosa & Senglea & Cospicua) (80 Euros)
Magnificent Popeye Village (65 Euros)
(Children aged 0–10 receive a 50% discount off the undiscounted price)