Malta family holiday
| country: | Malta |
| departures: | 2010: 24 Jul, 31 Jul, 7 Aug, 14 Aug 2011: 23 Jul, 30 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug |
| price: | From £879 - £949 (8 days) per adult and from £769 - £849 per child including flights from the UK. From £649 - £699 per adult and from £599 - £659 per child excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
An exciting week-long adventure to Malta and Gozo, the crossroads of the Mediterranean
Idyllic Gozo
Just 8km from Malta, the neighbouring island of Gozo feels like a different world - a gentle landscape of undulating hills, lush farmland and clear blue seas. Based at Xlendi, a peaceful, family-friendly port, you’ll explore the locality by jeep and by bike.
Comino Island
You take a boat excursion to Comino, where you get the opportunity to swim and snorkel in the Mediterranean, and enjoy a different view of the stunning coastal scenery. In the evenings you can relax in one of the area’s lovely waterfront restaurants.
Explore Valletta
The diminutive yet bustling capital of Valletta is your last stop on Malta. You can enjoy a tour of the capital, including amazing views from the Upper Barrakka Gardens and you have the opportunity for a scenic harbour cruise in the afternoon.
Ager Foundation
Experience a day in the tranquil life of a local shepherd at the Ager Foundation. Gozitan shepherds still tend their sheep and goats in pristine countryside, accompanied by dogs guiding the herd on its way. Hands on involvement in the feeding and milking of the sheep as well as your valued participation in the process of Gozitan cheese-making enable you to experience it too.
Idyllic Gozo
Just 8km from Malta, the neighbouring island of Gozo feels like a different world - a gentle landscape of undulating hills, lush farmland and clear blue seas. Based at Xlendi, a peaceful, family-friendly port, you’ll explore the locality by jeep and by bike.
Comino Island
You take a boat excursion to Comino, where you get the opportunity to swim and snorkel in the Mediterranean, and enjoy a different view of the stunning coastal scenery. In the evenings you can relax in one of the area’s lovely waterfront restaurants.
Explore Valletta
The diminutive yet bustling capital of Valletta is your last stop on Malta. You can enjoy a tour of the capital, including amazing views from the Upper Barrakka Gardens and you have the opportunity for a scenic harbour cruise in the afternoon.
Ager Foundation
Experience a day in the tranquil life of a local shepherd at the Ager Foundation. Gozitan shepherds still tend their sheep and goats in pristine countryside, accompanied by dogs guiding the herd on its way. Hands on involvement in the feeding and milking of the sheep as well as your valued participation in the process of Gozitan cheese-making enable you to experience it too.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London Following your flight, you'll transfer by ferry to Gozo – a journey of approximately 8km – for your first night’s accommodation. Hotel– 4 nights |
| Day 2: | Jeep Safari The diminutive island of Gozo, 14km across at its widest point, is a world away from the hustle and bustle of home. Populated with tiny villages and pretty hills this is a delightful place to begin your Mediterranean adventure. Xlendi, your base in Gozo was once a quiet fishing village. Your hotel is only meters from the beautiful bay where you can swim or snorkel. In the morning you take a jeep safari around Gozo. Gozo is known as the fruit basket of Malta, and you will see much of the flora and fauna of the island as you are taken to the more remote parts of the island. The safari begins with a drive to Dwejra Bay where you can see the Azure Window, a spectacular arch formed out of the rock by thousands of years of wind and waves and the Inland Sea, a landlocked seawater lake, sheltered from the sea by an archway entrance. Weather permitting you might be able to take a boat trip from the Inland Sea to the Azure Window (optional). From here you continue to the village of Xaghra and visit Calypso’s Cave. Gozo is revered as the legendary island of Ogygia, home of Calypso In The Odyssey, and it is this cave that is believed to have been her home. Here you will be greeted with panoramic views across the Mediterranean and the fertile Ramla Valley. From here it’s a short drive to Ramla il’Hamra (Red Sandy Beach) where there is time to swim in the warm sea. Your drive continues along the fertile valley enjoying views of the surrounding hills and the Citadel as you head back to Xlendi. The afternoon is free for you can get to know the area a little better. A wander through the countryside, along countless trails is a great way both to relax and to discover Gozo. You may like to swim in the clear, warm waters of the Mediterranean. All activities are optional, allowing you to see and do as much or as little as you choose. (B) |
| Day 3: | Cycling Changing to two wheeled transport today, you can make your way around the trails and paths of Gozo by bicycle. You cycle up to panoramic peaks and along trails seldom visited by tourists, let alone any other sort of vehicle, as well as descending into valleys filled with fruit trees. Again the afternoon is free for you to enjoy the delightful harbour around Xlendi. You and your family will be able to relax on the hotel’s roof terrace, or search out a secluded spot along the bay where you can make the most of the sunshine. (B) |
| Day 4: | Ager Foundation Today you will have a pretty unique experience by experiencing a day in the tranquil life of a local shepherd at the Ager Foundation. Gozitan shepherds still tend their sheep and goats in pristine countryside, accompanied by dogs guiding the herd on its way. Hands on involvement in the feeding and milking of the sheep as well as your valued participation in the process of Gozitan cheese-making enable you to experience it too. The processing of Gozitan cheeselets, which are consumed fresh, sundried, salted or peppered is a fun experience. You will also enjoy an authentic traditional lunch with your host featuring Gozitan cheese, olives, sundried tomatoes and crusty oven baked bread - delicious! (BL) |
| Day 5: | Comino Today you leave Gozo and take a short boat ride out to Comino, a tiny speck a kilometre or so off the coast of Malta which today is a wildlife sanctuary. Named after the cumin herb that once grew so prevalently among the wild reaches of the island, there are only four permanent residents, so on your visit you can help to increase the population immensely! Your boat trip takes you around the island to one of the secluded bays that mark the landscape, and from here you and the kids can have a go at snorkelling in the Mediterranean and marvel at the fish and other marine life around the island. Should you not wish to snorkel, why not just take a swim in the sea, and let the sun’s rays wash over you while you unwind in this peaceful haven. In the afternoon, after a short boat trip around the island, you leave Gozo behind and transfer back to Malta, the most cosmopolitan of these islands. Your accommodation here is in Sliema and a 5-10 minute stroll down to the promenade where you can experience good views of Valletta and stroll along the waterfront where you will encounter promenading families out for their daily passeggiata (evening stroll) amongst joggers and dog walking. Hotel – 3 nights (Swimming pool) (B) |
| Day 6: | Malta; Free Day Today has been left free so you can choose from a variety of activities to make the most of your time in this Mediterranean jewel. There are many activities that can be enjoyed here, from chilling out in the Splash and Fun Water Park, visiting pretty Marsaloxx and historic Mdina, horse riding along the Golden Bay area or visiting Popeye village. (B) |
| Day 7: | Valletta This morning, you will enjoy a walking tour around Valletta with some free time to explore before heading back to Sliema. Valletta, the capital city of Malta, was founded by the French Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette in 1566. From the Upper Barrakka Gardens, you can enjoy superb views of the Grand harbour with its natural creeks and the fortified cities of Senglea, Vittoriosa and Cospicua. Passing by Palazzo Pariso where Napoleon Bonaparte spent seven days in 1798, you will arrive at St John's cathedral - a masterpiece of Baroque and Rococo architecture. The Grand Master's Palace, nowadays the official residence of the President of the Republic is famous for the Gobelin, tapestries and its armoury. In the afternoon, you can go on an optional harbour cruise. (B) |
| Day 8: | Fly To London The trip ends for land only clients. Those on group flights to the UK will make the short drive to Valletta airport and proceed on your flight to London. (B) |
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip how this holiday makes a difference
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We stay in locally run hotels and we use a local Maltese agent, local drivers and a Local Group Leader. This fulfils part of our commitment to make a positive contribution to the local economy and is the best way of ensuring that our money reaches as many people as possible. Local overseas leaders offer a great way to find out more about the local culture, speak the language, understand the day-to-day life around them and help to ‘open doors’ to a fuller experience. Our agent in Malta operates in a responsible manner and is committed to preserving the area in which they work.
Our Responsible Travel Code Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships The Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife charity that helps animals in need around the world through animal rescues, anti-poaching, support for animal sanctuaries, endangered species conservation, education and public awareness. We ask clients to use their Travellers’ Alert function to which you can report cruelty to animals worldwide and also we visit Ngamba Island, a Born Free supported Chimpanzee Sanctuary, on our Uganda trips. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing We offset all of our staff travel, both for commuting to work and overseas trips. We also pay £2 per person to partially offset the carbon used in the destination that they are travelling to. We think that offsetting carbon should be a choice made by the individual traveller therefore we ask clients if they would like to augment this £2 with a further contribution. Similarly we ask if you would like to offset your flights – we have set bandings given to us by our Carbon balancing partners - Blue Ventures Carbon Offset and Climate Care. We ask our clients if they would like to donate to our Foundation. Small donations of £1 per person build up quickly and we are able to give one off donations to various small-scale projects worldwide. Recently these have included installing heating in a school in the High Atlas, Morocco, providing school equipment for a new school building in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon and providing playground equipment for children at a community centre in northern Tanzania. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |