Malta: 8-day 4-star cultural tour

Packages includes:

• Return flights with a reputable airline¹ to Malta,
  incl. hotel transfers, airport and security charges
• 7 nights in a double room in the comfortable 4-star hotel RAMLA BAY RESORT (national category)
  Free use of the hotel‘s facilities: wonderful beach, heated indoor pool,
  fabulous wellness area with sauna and steam bath, as well as a fitness centre
  incl. 7× tasty breakfast
• YOUR GIFT:
  Fantastic excursion through the north of Malta including:
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site Skorba
  • Mellieha
  • Golden Bay
  • Selmun Palace
  • Anchor Bay
  for FREE!
• Qualified, English-speaking tour guide

On request, you can book our additional tours and services at special reduced prices:

Explorer package:

The package includes the full-day excursion ”Country & People“ and the half-day excursion ”Mysterious Malta“: only £119 per person.

Single room surcharge:

£199 per person and week (subject to availability).

Your comfortable 4-star hotel: RAMLA BAY RESORT

Location:

The spacious Ramla Bay Resort is tranquilly situated on a peninsula in the northern part of the island and offers views across to the neighbouring islands of Gozo and Comino. The attractive historical town of Mellieha, approx. 3.5 km away, is perfect for shopping and relaxation.

Facilities:

The popular 4-star hotel with approx. 600 spacious bedrooms offers an elegant ambiance and comfortable furnishings. The main restaurant, serves generous buffets where you can enjoy local and international specialties. In addition to an exclusive spa area with indoor pool, sauna and steam bath, there are three outdoor pools (weather permitting, approx. May to October) for your relaxation as well as a fitness room. You can also enjoy a relaxing massage or beauty treatment (additional charges apply).

Rooms:

Each of the tastefully furnished rooms has an ensuite bathroom with shower/WC, hairdryer, air conditioning / heating, television, telephone, rental safe and mini-bar (both at an additional charge); WiFi is available and can be used in the bedrooms and throughout the hotel’s public areas. Each room has its own balcony or patio.

Discover Malta on our wonderful excursions offered in the ”Explorer” package

All-day ”Country & People” excursion

On this island exploration you will experience the ”real“ Malta: traditional handicrafts and magnificent architecture, dreamy places and beautiful coastlines. We visit the craft village of Ta‘Qalis, which stands on part of a World War II airstrip. We then stroll through the lush green San Anton Gardens with their fountains and ponds. Here, surrounded by tropical plants, flower arrangements and Norfolk fir trees, the San Anton Palace also rises majestically – the official residence of the President of the Republic and a former seat of the Knights of the Order of St John from the 17^th century.

The journey continues south-east to the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk, where colourful boats bob in the glittering water. Depending on the weather, there is the option of exploring the natural rock caves of the south-west coast by boat (not included).

Half-day “Mysterious Malta” excursion

In the heart of Malta, we first visit the old town of Mosta. Truly impressive: the Church of the Assumption. Its church dome is one of the largest in the world and makes our visit a unique experience. We then head towards Rabat, where the Busket Gardens are located on the outskirts of the city. These are located in a fertile valley, which is also home to the majestic Verdala Palace. The Knights of the Order built this mighty complex in 1582. Today it serves as the summer residence of the President of the Republic.

We soon reach the vast Dingli Plateau. Here, at the highest point in Malta, huge cliffs plunge more than 200 metres into the deep blue sea. The panoramic view is wonderful. And we marvel at the mysterious, prehistoric groove marks that furrow the stone plateau. Did carts once drive here? Or are they the remains of ancient irrigation systems? The archaeologists are still puzzling – and the visitors with them.

Temperatures Malta – Valetta

General note:

Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking before your trip. Please check the website of the Foreign Office (www.gov.uk) before your depart.

Location:

The Mediterranean island state of Malta comprises the main island of Malta, the smaller islands of Gozo and Comino and the uninhabited isles of Cominotto, Filfla and St. Pauls. Spanning a total area of 316 square kilometres, the main island of Malta accounts for 247 square kilometres. The group of islands is 93 km (approx. 58 mi) south of Sicily and 290 km (approx. 180 mi) north of the North African coast.

Capital:

Valetta (approx. 394,000 in the capital region)

Form of government:

Republic (member of the Commonwealth) since 1974. Constitution of 1974, last amended 1987. Independent since 1964 (former British crown colony). Malta is a member of the EU.

Religion:

97% of the population is Roman-Catholic.

Language:

The official languages are Maltese and English. Italian is widely spoken.

Climate:

Malta has a subtropical to Mediterranean climate, i.e. hot and dry summers with temperatures of up to 32 degrees Celsius and mild but humid winters. Various winds provide welcome cooling in Malta in summer, while in the winter months they bring occasional rain showers.

Electricity:

The Maltese power network is supplied with 220/240V alternating current. As in the UK, power outlets have three rectangular openings arranged in a triangle.

Local time:

Malta is part of the Central European Time zone where GMT+1 applies, along with daylight saving time. Malta is one hour ahead of UK time, all year around.

Making telephone calls:

The country code for Malta is 00356. Malta, Gozo and Comino do not have area codes. To call the UK from Malta, please dial 0044 and the area code without the zero.

The country and its people:

The landscape of the three inhabited islands is characterised by hills and terraced fields. Malta does not have any mountains or rivers. Harbours, inlets, pretty sandy beaches and rocky bays can be found along the coast. Gozo is accessible from Malta by ferry and offers sumptuous vegetation, gently rolling hills and rugged cliffs. Comino is the smallest island and can be reached by ferry from both Malta and Gozo.

Entry requirements for British citizens:

You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area (including Malta) for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. To enter Malta (and all Schengen countries) your passport must have a ”date of issue“ less than 10 years before the date you arrive and have an ”expiry date“ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. Passports issued after 1 October 2018 are now valid for only 10 years, but for passports issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added if you renewed a passport early. You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen. If you’re a visitor, your passport must be stamped when you enter or leave the Schengen area (which includes Malta). Border guards will use passport stamps to check you have not overstayed the 90-day visa-free limit for stays in the Schengen area. If your passport was not stamped, border guards will presume you have overstayed the visa-free limit.

If your passport was not stamped, show evidence of when and where you entered or left the Schengen area (for example, boarding passes or tickets) and ask the border guards to add the date and location in your passport. At Maltese border control, you may also need to show a return or onward ticket and prove you have enough money for your stay. If you hold a different type of British nationality (BN(O), British Overseas Citizen, British Protected Person or British Subject), check visa requirements with the Maltese Embassy before you travel. However, passport and visa requirements change from time to time and are also dependent on the purpose of your visit and your nationality. Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary, we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied. For up-to-date information on entry requirements, please visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/.
The EU has a new visa waiver system, called ETIAS, which will be valid for three years. British passport holders travelling to the EU will need to apply and pay for an ETIAS, via an online system (https://etias.com/).

Tour guides:

Your expert tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information about the country, people, history, culture, etc., and offer advice and assistance for organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information. Here you will find out all you need to know and useful information about the trip. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that Malta has to offer, and learn all about the country and its people.

Additional packages:

Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras. We recommend booking the following packages:
Gourmet package: The package includes half-board, i.e. tasty buffet every evening with local and international specialties: only £179* per person.

Explorer package: The package includes the full-day excursion ”Country & People“ and the half-day excursion ”Mysterious Malta“: only £119* per person.
* Package prices may vary when booking on site.

Environmental tax:

In Malta, a environmental tax of €0.50 (approx. £0.40) per person/night but maximum €5.00 (approx. £4) per person/stay is charged (as of October 2023).

Currency / Banks / Credit cards:

The Euro has been the official Maltese currency since 1 January 2008. Exchange rate (as of January 2024): 1 EUR = 0,87 GBP; 1 GBP = 1,15 EUR Cards bearing the Cirrus or Maestro symbol, as well as the common credit cards are accepted as means of payment. Cash can be withdrawn with bank and credit cards at the numerous ATMs available.

Customs regulations:

On entering or travelling through Malta, cash (in any currency) or easily convertible valuables (bonds, travellers‘ cheques etc.) to the value or equivalent of 8,700 GBP or more must be declared. Personal luggage may contain duty-free gifts to the value of 370 GBP. These include goods purchased in the duty-free shop in the arrivals hall. (NB: The value of larger gifts can not be distributed among a group, e.g. various famil members.) Items whose value exceeds 370 GBP are subject to a percentage rate of duty. These restrictions no longer apply to goods brought from member states of the European Union to Malta. Items requiring special permits (e.g. arms) will be held for safekeeping by the customs authorities until such permits are issued.

Important: If you are travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: https://www.gov.uk/bringinggoods-into-uk-personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain

Special criminal regulations:

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines. Importing drugs is generally regarded as ”dealing“ and as such punishable by minimum imprisonment of 6 months. Proven drug trafficking can result in severe prison sentences of up to life imprisonment.

Medical information:

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC – https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries) on the TravelHealthPro website. Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad. Note: Persons who are sensitive to the sun should wear longsleeved clothing and protective sun cream offering a high sun protection factor as the sun intensity and ozone pollution are significantly stronger than in the UK. In summer and early autumn, hot and humid weather can exert great pressure on your heart and circulatory system; in autumn and winter, the respiratory system in particular can be affected by the damp and cool weather. Rheumatic complaints also arise during longer stays in Malta on account of the prevailing conditions. Tap water is a mixture of groundwater and desalinated seawater and should only be drunk after boiling.

Medical care:

The state healthcare system works well; the Mater Dei Hospital is the central hospital for maximum care, although it does not meet British standards. There are small polyclinics and a few private hospitals (e.g. Saint James Hospital) spread across the island.
You should get a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. If you already have an EHIC it will still be valid as long as it remains in date. You can also contact your health insurance company for information on current regulations. Nonetheless, you are urgently recommended to take out travel health insurance for the duration of your holiday which covers risks not assumed by the statutory health insurance companies (e.g. repatriation to the UK in the event of illness, treatment by private doctors or in private hospitals). Such policies usually also offer benefits not covered by state health insurance companies, e.g. the costs of repatriation.
The customer must establish for himself that his physical and mental state is compatible with the selected journey. He is obliged to obtain information about the degrees of physical mobility and mental autonomy required for this journey.

All information is subject to change/Last updated: January 2024