FOLLOWING THE
FOOTSTEPS of SAINT PAUL
One week package to experience the influence of ST PAUL within the Maltese Islands together with Malta and Gozo’s tourist highlights
Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.
The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
Acts 28: 1- 10
St Paul’s Islands - Mosta, St Paul’s Bay, Naxxar
Our excursion starts off to the very place where it all started …St Paul’s Islands, the place where the shipwreck took place and the very place where St Paul swam ashore.
We will then visit three extremely interesting sites where the actual bonfire was lit and see the beautiful village church that was built on the venue. After this we drive to the chapel by the name of ‘San Pawl Milqi’ which when translated means ‘St Pauls is Welcomed’ and finally the spot in Naxxar where St Paul gathered the first Christians to start preaching the word of the Lord.
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Guests will be given free time for lunch in Mosta following which we will visit the impressive Mosta Church and Dome which is the third largest unsupported dome in Europe dedicated to the Assumption. Finally this exciting day comes to an end when guests are given time to relax in the botanic gardens of San Anton which is also the residence of the President of Malta.
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Valletta and Harbour Cruise
Our second day leads us to Valletta, our Capital City, a city of palaces built by gentlemen for gentlemen, a city that equals in its noble architecture any city in Europe. Here we will view the Upper Barracca Gardens that command a breathtaking panorama of the Grand Harbour. Next we visit St Johns Co-Cathedral, adorned in riches that date back to the Knights of Malta, including the world famous Caravaggio painting. Before our guests are given free time for lunch we take a short walk that will take us to the Grandmasters Palace, which houses the parliament and the Armoury.
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After lunch we visit the Church of St Paul’s Shipwreck where on entering the church one admires its artistic architecture, the elliptical dome, designed by Lorenzo Gafà, the colourful fresco paintings of Palombi, and the lavish glittering carving decorations. We are able to see the relic of St Paul’s left wrist which is on display. Finally to conclude our day we can relax on our favourite Harbour Cruise and witness Malts’s living past. We cruise around the two natural harbours on either side of Valletta, Marsamxett Harbour and the Grand Harbour. A detailed commentary will unfold the history of Valletta and the Three Cities connected with two Great Sieges of 1565 and 1942, as well as all the other places of interest including the historical forts, battlements and creeks which can only be admired from the sea.
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Rabat and Marsaxlokk
Today we start off with a lovely drive up to Rabat where we will visit the Parish Church of Rabat that is dedicated to St Paul. It is at this very spot where St Paul spent several weeks preaching to Malta’s earliest Christians. Adjacent to the Church we find the Grotto of St Paul where according to local Christian belief is was here that the apostle was imprisoned here. It is also said that stone scraped from the grotto walls has special healing powers and that, however much stone is scraped away, the cave never alters in size. The prominent feature, below a series of dimly lit catacombs, is a marble statue of St Paul. In 1990 Pope John Paul II visited Rabat and came to pray in the grotto. His starting prayer, 'God Bless Malta and the Maltese', is inscribed on a plaque on the exterior wall of the church. We conclude our morning with the St Paul’s Catacombs which are a fascinating labyrinth of 3rd-century AD subterranean tombs and the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta.
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After free time is given for lunch we drive to the south of the island and visit the delightful fishing village of Marsaxlokk which is the foremost fishing village and, perhaps, the most picturesque seaside locality in Malta. Fishing nets are often spread on the quay to dry in the sun while fishermen mend their nets. These activities, together with the modest houses by the quayside, lend the place charm and serenity while guests can also enjoy the vast daily market selling souvenirs, food, clothes and all sorts of useful products.
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Gozo … the sister Island
This is a splendid full day excursion taking us to Malta’s sister island of Gozo where after a lovely drive up the coast road and a 20 minute ferry crossing we will set foot on a similar island as regards to history and culture but having a character entirely of its own. Gozo, which is a three hilled island, is greener and more picturesque that Malta. We start off with a visit to the beautiful Basilica of St Peter and St Paul in Nadur and then to Munxar where the Parish church, a small baroque temple built from the typical Maltese stone, is dedicated to St. Paul. A short drive will bring us to Victoria, the capital city of Gozo, where we will see the Citadel and guests can enjoy free time for shopping and lunch.
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After lunch we drive down to Xlendi bay where our guests can relax and discover the beauty of this pretty unspoilt bay. Next its off to the monumental Shrine of our Lady of Ta’ Pinu where the young Karmni Grima is said to have received a message for prayer from Our Lady back in 1883. It is also an architectural masterpiece, especially its interior, with its superb sculptures and craftsmanship of designs on Maltese stone. Our lovely day in Gozo comes to an end after we visit Dwejra, where we find the superb natural phenomenon , the inland sea and the Azure Window which was created by waves and rough seas breaking on the rocks over a period of thousands of years. On the top of two giant columns of rock, each with a diameter of about 40 metres, rests a huge ledge of rock measuring about 100 metres in length and 20 metres in height, forming a giant window which one can see beyond.
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The Beautiful South and Temples
Today we start off by driving towards the south of the island where we will discover the wealth that Malta has to offer with its prehistoric megalithic temples dating as far back as 3600 B.C. Our first visit would be to Hagar Qim Temples which stands on a hilltop just overlooking the sea. The surrounding area, which is typical of Mediterranean garigue and spectacular in its starkness and isolation, is designated a Heritage Park. Next we drive to Ghar Dalam which is a highly important site as it was here that the earliest evidence of human settlement on Malta, some 7,400 years ago, was discovered. Before giving guests some free time for lunch we will drive to one of Malta’s smallest and unspoilt villages – Safi, whose centre of attraction is undoubtedly the village square dominated by the Parish Church dedicated to St Paul.
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We start our afternoon with a visit to Tarxien Temples, which was discovered in 1914. This site, dating from 3600 to 2500 BC, is the most complex of all temple sites in Malta and consists of four megalithic structures. The temples are renowned for the detail of their carvings, which include domestic animals carved in relief, altars, and screens decorated with spiral designs and other patterns. Finally we drive down to the Three Cities where we appreciate the various narrow streets in Vittoriosa that are shaded by many historic buildings, monuments and churches, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Cospicua and we finish off our day by visiting the beautiful vedette in Senglea and its commanding views.
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Mdina and the Blue Grotto
Our final day of this exciting week takes us to Mdina, the silent city. The old capital of Malta is a most interesting and typical mediaeval town situated in the centre of the island where this magnificent city acts like a time capsule, transporting you to yet another era where silence reigns supreme. Here we visit the Cathedral of St Paul, where we find works by Calabrian artist and Knight Matia Preti who’s monumental depiction of The Conversion of St Paul stands behind the main altar. The Cathedral's imposing facade greets you abruptly as you emerge from Mdina's narrow streets. The building is topped by a magnificent dome, possibly one of Lorenzo Gafa's greatest achievements. Our guests can enjoy free time for lunch while enjoying the commanding views that this glorious city offers.
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A short drive down from Mdina takes us to Ta’ Qali, which is full of arts and crafts, and this is the place to see the articles made. A converted military aerodrome, the Nissan huts and other buildings now house a bewildering range of craft businesses. Guests may witnessing the skill and dexterity and appreciation the artistry involved. Among the skills where fashioning filigree into jewellery, making pottery, glass-blowing and moulding and lace makers creating shawls and tableware. The day comes to an end by visiting the Blue Gotto which is the most famous cave in Malta and guests may go out on one of the little boats for hire around the caves and awe at the beautiful sea colours of the clear, azure water which is amazingly deep.
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