Malta's Archaeological Heritage

Departing: March 2027 - November 2027

There’s still time to discover in 2026. Selected departures are still available – simply call 1-800-759-7715 to find out more.

Malta’s small size belies the immense historical and cultural treasures it offers. From its Neolithic past to the present day, the archipelago brims with wonders waiting to be uncovered on this extraordinary tour.

Arriving in Malta, with its golden limestone cliffs, crystal-clear seas, charming towns, and breathtaking vistas, you might think you’ve seen it all. Yet, beneath the surface lies a trove of marvels that will leave you in awe.

Step into the fortified citadel of Mdina, navigate the narrow, tomb-lined corridors of St Paul’s Catacombs, and embark on a boat trip to explore the dramatic cliffs and caves of the iconic Blue Grotto. However, the most astonishing sites may be the ancient remains of civilizations we are only beginning to understand. The millennia-old Mnajdra Temples and the megaliths of Ħagar Qim promise an unforgettable archaeological journey.

Included

Explore Ħagar Qim & Mnajdra Temples, with entrance fees included
All other visits as outlined in the itinerary
Professional Tour Manager
6 nights at the AX ODYCY Hotel, Qawra
6 breakfasts & 6 dinners
Wine with dinner
Private air-conditioned coach travel

Highlights

Priceless art treasures at St John’s Cathedral
The walled citadel of Mdina
The ancient and mysterious Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The extraordinary labyrinth of St Paul’s Catacombs
5,000-year-old temples of Ħagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples
The ‘Cave of Darkness’, one of the earliest sites used by Neolithic man
A visit to the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk

Michael Gill

Michael Gill is a proud Cornishman who has led tours across the UK and Europe. With a particular passion for Andalucia, Normandy, Wales and Cornwall, he is known for his knowledge, enthusiasm and thoughtful approach, bringing destinations to life and ensuring guests feel well looked after.

Tour Itinerary

Join our arrival transfer from Malta Airport or meet your tour manager and fellow travellers that evening at our hotel.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: AX ODYCY Hotel

This morning, we tour Malta’s capital city of Valletta. The tour takes us through the bustling streets of Valletta, allowing us to view the Upper Barakka Gardens that command a breathtaking panorama of the Grand Harbour, and then to St. John’s Cathedral, adorned in riches that date back to the Knights of Malta, including the world-famous Caravaggio painting that is on display in the Oratory. Also included is a visit to the Grand Master’s Palace, which contains an armoury with around 6,000 pieces including weapons and armour, two courtyards planted with palms, pittosporum and jacaranda plus magnificent State Rooms, decorated with stunning Gobelin tapestries, frescoes and paintings.

Later we visit the Archaeological Museum, the rich repository of Malta’s archaeological treasures. Among the highlights are discoveries from the Hypogeum and the Tarxien Tombs, such as the headless Venus of Malta and the Sleeping Princess, and a wealth of pots and vases ornamented with elaborate motifs.

We end our day with a visit to the Malta Experience audio-visual show, which tells the dramatic story of the island’s 7,000 year history.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: AX ODYCY Hotel

The whole day is spent touring the interior of the island, beginning with a visit to Mosta Church, which boasts Europe’s third largest free-standing dome, and the walled citadel of Mdina, Malta’s former capital. Here we have a short walk in the ‘silent city’, admiring the imposing bastions that command a magnificent view and provide a panorama over most of the island. It is hard to believe that the earthquake of 1693 destroyed the majority of Mdina’s medieval and Sicilian-Norman buildings as, thanks to expert restoration, this gem of a city gives every impression of having survived the ravages of time.

Later, we visit Skorba Temples, a typical three-apse temple that marks the site of one of Malta’s very earliest settlements – various types of pottery have been found here and give their name to the Red Skorba phase (4400-4100BC) and the Grey Skorba phase (4500-4400BC). Remains include the stone paving of the entrance passage, the torba floors of the apses, a 3.9-metre slab of coralline limestone and steps covered with pitted decoration. We also see Ta Hagrat Temples, similar to Skorba though not quite as old.

We continue to Rabat, which in comparison to Mdina is a lively, bustling town, although in Roman times the two were one city. It was the Arabs who dug a ditch to protect and isolate Mdina and Rabat then became the suburb. Here we visit the Museum of Roman Antiquities (Roman Villa), a museum housed on the site of a Roman town house whose original mosaic pavements rank amongst the finest and oldest compositions from the western Mediterranean. We also see St. Paul’s Catacombs, an extraordinary labyrinth of narrow passages lined by rock-cut tombs.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: AX ODYCY Hotel

After breakfast, we explore one of Malta’s unspoilt villages, where we are led to a Maltese Pjazza along winding narrow streets.

We then visit the Limestone Heritage, which is a modernised quarry that explains Malta’s foremost trade of quarrying.

We continue to the Tarxien Temples, a group of three temples that, due to their excellent state of preservation, provide plentiful evidence of the skill and artistic abilities of the people that lived here. It dates from 3600 to 2500 BC and is the most complex of all temple sites in Malta, consisting of four megalithic structures. It was the richest repository of prehistoric art on the islands, untouched for thousands of years until a Maltese archaeologist, the splendidly-named Sir Themistocles Zammit, began his excavations in 1915.

Saving perhaps the best until last, we conclude our day with a visit to the world-renowned Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. This truly unique site enjoys an individual listing on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was discovered accidentally by a stone mason in 1902 and the subsequent excavations were carried out by the aforementioned Sir Themistocles Zammit. The Hypogeum consists of halls, chambers and passages hewn out of the living rock and covering some 500m². The rock-cut chambers are diverse in shapes and sizes, finished to different standards of workmanship. The complex is grouped into three distinct levels – the upper (3600-3300 BC), the middle (3300-3000 BC) and the lower (3150-2500 BC). The precise purpose of the Hypogeum remains a mystery, though it is generally thought to have been for burial purposes and as a sanctuary.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: AX ODYCY Hotel

Today is left free to spend at leisure.

Alternatively, you may like to join our optional excursion to Malta’s neighbouring island of Gozo, 15 minutes away by ferry. Although both islands are similar in history and development, Gozo has a character of its own, noticeably more peaceful and rural with greener landscapes and quiet beaches. Our first visit is to the Ggantija Temples, free-standing Megalithic temples dating from 3600-3000BC. The setting is spectacular, with a glorious panorama over a wide sweep of Gozo. We continue to the capital city of Victoria and visit the citadel, which dominates Gozo from its position on a flat-topped hill. The bastions date from the early 17th century, funded by King Philip II of Spain and the Gozitans by means of a levy on wine, oil and other comestibles. At one time, the entire population of Gozo could shelter within its walls. Later, we explore the coast, visiting the picturesque Bay of Xlendi and Dwejra Bay.

Later, dinner is served in the hotel this evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: AX ODYCY Hotel

This morning, we discover the southern part of Malta, beginning with a visit to the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk, the largest in Malta. Marsaxlokk Bay was the venue in 1989 of the Bush/Gorbachev summit that symbolised the end of the Cold War – for security reasons the venue was transferred from Malta to a warship moored in the bay and the sea was so rough it was nicknamed the ‘seasick summit’!

We then visit the Ħagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples, which date to the Tarxien phases of around 3000–2500BC. Ħagar Qim means ‘standing stones’ and despite some erosion, this complex and irregular site still retains megaliths of huge proportions. When the site was excavated in the 19th century it yielded seven statuettes, also with the ample proportions of those found at Tarxien. The Mnadjra Temples are set closer to the sea in an even more splendid position than Ħagar Qim. The three temples are protected by an outer wall of coralline limestone, which is harder and therefore better preserved than the globigerina limestone of Ħagar Qim. The whole façade of the Lower Temple is covered with pitted decoration.

We also visit the cave and museum at Ghar Dalam, the ‘Cave of Darkness’, one of the earliest sites used by Neolithic man in these islands, which gives its name to the first phase of Maltese pre-history (5000-4500BC).

Later, we travel through the village of Wied iz-Zurrieq to the Blue Grotto, where we take a boat trip (weather permitting) round these spectacular limestone cliffs and caves. To reach the Blue Grotto itself, boats pass under a monumental arch like a flying buttress and indeed it is as if you are sailing into a vast cathedral of stone.

Our final visit today is to the impressive Dingli Cliffs, which drop 250m to the sea.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: AX ODYCY Hotel

After breakfast, you will be transferred back to the airport where your tour ends.

Meals: Breakfast

Availability & Booking

2027

9th March from $2,710

Call to Book

9th November from $2,860

Call to Book

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