Social Programme

We have arranged a set of tours for accompanying persons. These will be by minibus with a local guide.
All tours will start from the Grand Excelsior Hotel at 09.00 am. There will be a small fee (to be announced shortly) for each tour which will cover services of tour guide and transport. Lunch and tea/coffee will be purchased independently. Please contact to sign up for a tour.

Wednesday 12th October: Walking tour of Valletta.

Entrance fees to be paid individually.

Upper Barrakka. Click on the image to view a larger version

Starting at Upper Barrakka Gardens with majestic, unforgettable view of Grand Harbour (cameras at the ready please!), we will visit St John’s Co-Cathedral which contains Caravaggio’s Beheading of John the Baptist before touring the Grand Master’s Palace built as the official residence of The Grand Master of St John, later served as the British Governor’s Residence and administrative offices. Today, the Palace houses the Maltese Parliament and also serves as the office of the President of Malta. We will visit the State Rooms and the Palace Armoury.

Click on the image to view a larger version    Click on the image to view a larger version    Click on the image to view a larger version

Morning coffee/tea in Republic Square, nearby, where you can enjoy the local pastizzi.

Visit to Casa Rocca Piccola, magnificent 16th century palace and private family house of the 9th Marquis de Piro, containing exquisite furniture and paintings, unique collections of costumes and even the family’s World War II air-raid shelter.

 

3.00 pm return to the Hotel to join other delegates for afternoon cruise.

Thursday 13th October: Palace and gardens tour

Visit to the lovely and tranquil San Anton Palace and Gardens, site of the British Governor’s residence and site of declaration of Maltese independence. Enjoy wandering round the Botanic gardens and aviary.

Onward for retail-therapy at Ta Qali, (a former airfield base and now site of Malta’s leading craft village) See the famous Mdina Glass and lace-making, and silver filigree and semi-precious stones.

Lunch in Mosta: site of one of the largest domed churches in the world, based on the form of the Pantheon in Rome.

Afternoon with tea: Visit to Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar, a unique 19th century Maltese Palace, home of the Scicluna family, with one of the finest gardens in Malta (not to be missed!).

Palazzo Parisio. Click on the image to view a larger version  Palazzo Parisio. Click on the image to view a larger version  Palazzo Parisio. Click on the image to view a larger version

Palazzo Parisio. Click on the image to view a larger version

Friday 14th October: Temples and Three Cities Tour

A whole day tour visiting the prehistoric sites of Malta and the ‘Three cities’ famous for withstanding the Great Siege of 1565.

Click on the image to view a larger version

Depart Valletta and visit Tarxien Temples, these Neolithic temples are among the most refined prehistoric temples that still maintain a good representation of prehistoric art in the form of bas-reliefs, sculpture and pottery.

Drive on to the southern coast to Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples which are the most impressive of prehistoric sites situated a few metres away from the southern cliffs of Malta.

Lunch at Malta’s main fishing village of Marsaxlokk which has the largest fishing fleet of luzzu boats and enjoy the street market.

Senglea Point. Click on the image to view a larger version

Afternoon enjoy the visit to the Three Cities – Vittoriosa (Birgu), Cospicua and Senglea. All three cities are situated in the Grand Harbour area, Vittoriosa is the oldest of the three and is Malta’s maritime town. At its tip is Fort St Angelo which since medieval times and until World War II has seen many sea battles. Senglea, built by the Knights of St John, at its tip is the famous sentry post displaying eye, ear and crane bird as symbols of watchfulness. Cospicua, site of the 19th century ship yard and famous dry-docks.

Return to the hotel to arrive approx 5pm.

 

Last Modified 08 August 2011