European Capital of Culture for 2018 Valletta, Malta’s Capital

Malta has been in the news quite recently with the announcement that the Maltese capital of Valletta was just officially inaugurated as a European Capital of Culture for 2018.

With the increased interest in this ancient Mediterranean archipelago, experts in archaeological travel Andante Travels is proud to offer two tours to Malta & Gozo, led by a Cambridge-based archaeologist (Jeremy Bennett) specializing in Maltese history. On this 7-day tour, travelers will explore the many ages of Malta, from the ancient temples (constructed a thousand years before the Great Pyramid!), through Roman rule and into the Medieval period of the crusading Knights Hospitaller, who constructed the city of Valletta, after defeating the besieging Ottoman Turks.

Pricing for the two tours, which run April 16-22 and October 1-7, 2018 begins at $3,170 per person, double and includes the assistance of an expert guide lecturer and tour manager, local travel provided by a private, air-conditioned coach, all meals included with wine at dinner, hotel accommodations, entry to all sites in program (tips included) and field notes. International airfare is not included.

Highlights of the “Malta & Gozo” Tour Include:

• Explore Valletta, Malta’s capital and the newly designated 2018 European Capital of Culture, a UNESCO World Heritage site founded by the Knights Hospitaller with an exceptional Archeological Museum (containing artifacts from prehistoric periods to the Bronze Age);
• Visit Ta’ Ħaġrat and Mġarr, built during the 4th millennium BC, as well as Skorba, an excavated site of megalithic temples and one of the oldest free-standing structures in the world;
• Take a boat to the island of Gozo to visit the prehistoric stone temple of Ggantija and the stone circle and funerary complex of Xaghra;
• Enjoy special access to Gozo’s prehistoric temple of Ta’ Cenc with dolmens and passage graves;
• Visit Tarxien, the most elaborate of all the Maltese Megalithic temples which has undergone extensive excavation and restoration;
• Explore the Ghar Dalam cave, where evidence for the earliest known human activity on the island was found;
• Take a morning harbor cruise to observe the port of Valletta by sea and imagine the might of the Ottoman-Turkish armada who set siege to this brave island in the 16^th century and were ultimately defeated.

For more information and to view the full itinerary, please visit: https://www.andantetravels.com/tour/618/Malta/Malta–Gozo-.html