Malta Island Discovery
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Port
Valletta, Malta
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Activity Level
Easy Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$70
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
It is a short drive to the Malta Experience in Valletta -- a 45-minute movie presentation that presents and explains clearly Malta's amazing story from prehistory to the present day.
With your newfound knowledge gleaned from the presentation, you will set out on a panoramic drive to discover the island's rich, 6,000 years of civilization. Despite the damage suffered in the bombings during World War II, Malta's most important landmarks are incredibly intact and are obsessively fascinating for those interested in the area's long and diverse history.
From the coach you will see Vittoriosa, whose honorific name was granted as a result of its victorious stand in the Great Siege of 1565. Perhaps not surprisingly, this city was originally known as Birgu -- the Mediterranean term for a coastal village under the shelter of a fort or castle.
Your drive continues through the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk, where colorful luzzu fishing boats bob in the quaint harbor and you will view them from above.
Heading north, watch for Mdina, Malta's former capital and now a 'city of silence' -- no motor traffic is allowed there.
En route to the north of the island, you will pass through St Paul's Bay, where the Apostle Paul came ashore after his dramatic, faith-testing shipwreck. Despite his harrowing experience, he had only nice things to say about the local people's 'unusual kindness'. From the coastal road, you can see the small island where the ship ran aground in AD 60.
From there, you will return to the pier.
Please note: There are numerous steps and participants must negotiate a dimly-lit tunnel to enter the auditorium. Wear comfortable walking shoes.