Tour to the old capital of Mdina, walk through
the
silent
city streets ,visit the imposing bastions to admire a panoramic
view of the island. On leaving the city through the Greek gate
stop at the catacombs. Lunch. Proceeding to Dingli Cliffs. Then
to Craft’s Centre Ta’Qali, Mosta Church and finally to the
botanic Gardens of San Anton.
The Mdina Church (Cathedral):
The cathedral was designed by the well-known Maltese architect,
Lorenzo Gafa. By this time he had already designed several
churches in Malta and was at the height of his career. The
perfectly proportioned façade and the dynamic dome (by far his
boldest and arguably the finest in Malta) make this the most
impressive of all his churches. The work took just five years to
complete and a number of houses were demolished at the same time
to make way for a pjazza appropriate to the size and
splendour of the
church.
The streets of Mdina:
In Mdina there are two kinds of streets. The curved streets were
built during the time of the Arabs as a form of defense. Going
up these narrow curved streets, one cannot gauge how long they
are or, who is waiting at the other end. The streets built
during the time of the Order of St John in the 16th century are
built straight. The Arabs also built bastions, but the bastions
built by the Arabs differ from the bastions built during the
time of the Order of St John. The bastions built during the time
of the Arabs are built vertically, because at the time of the
Arab rule people used to climb up the walls and they would be
thrown down to their death, whereas when the Order of St John
came to Malta, gunpowder started being used and so the bastions
were built slightly at an angle, so that the cannon ball would
ricochet back on the person who fired it.
Dingli Cliffs
Dingli Cliffs are an impressive sight, especially if view them
from sea level on an island cruise. They are the Island's
natural fortress, one bastion the Knights did not have to build
to protect themselves. From the cliff tops, one of the most
striking views and sheerest drops is just west of Dingli
village. Another atmospheric view is over to the uninhabited
isle of Fifla. Dingli Cliffs seem to exude a mysterious charm
especially late evening on calm summer days when the sunsets
here can be dramatic. Following recent restoration works, this
historic building is now used as a Government Guest Palace.
Ta’ Qali Crafts Village
The former World War II military aerodrome was converted into a
local hand-crafts centre. It's the ideal place to buy ceramics,
jewelry and knitwear, pottery and see glass blowing and molding
as well as other craftspeople at work. Here one can buy
something completely unique and original to take home. Within
the craft centre one can find the Aviation Museum displaying
aircrafts.
Prices include Fully Licensed Guide, together with lunch, and
entrance tickets to places of interest where applicable.