“An avid traveller, Darius loves an exotic and unusual adventure. Some of his adventures include chasing after crop circles in UK, looking for Northern lights in Finland, and seeing Macchu Picchu in Peru. He has travelled upwards of 30 countries and this list continues to grow... For some of his travel stories, go to: https://elevenasia.com/about-us/darius-soon/”
The megalithic temples of Malta are one of the most ancient religious sites in the world and represent "unique architecture masterpieces" as defined by UNESCO. These temples are believed to be built 3700 to 3200 BC, and thus are believed to be even older than the Egyptian pyramids and England's Stonehenge. They represent a neolithic culture which still baffles scholars and archaeologists. We would be exploring many of these sites and mysteries in this trip!
The decorative South Temple, besides containing this unique statue showing a fertility goddess with a pleated skirt, contains a large collection of other art, including reliefs depicting goats, pigs, bulls and a ram.
The statue of Sleeping Lady is found originally at the Hypogeum, and estimated to be around 5000 years old. It shows a woman with her head propped on one arm, apparently deep in slumber.
Valletta, the walled capital city of the island, was the first-ever planned city in Europe and built by the Knights of St. John, and has also been inscribed as an UNESCO Heritage Site. The city has been under the rule of Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginian, Romans, Byzantine and Arabs, and therefore the architecture of the city offers an eclectic mix of these cultures.
We will spend one full day in the Island of Gozo. It's reached via a picturesque ferry ride. In Gozo, we would get to visit the amazing Ggantija Ancient Temples, Ta' Kola Windmill, Xlendi Bay for lunch, Victoria Ancient Citadel and the Museum of Archaeology there
A miracle occurred during WWII, when a bomb fell through the massive dome, but did not explode, so that the gathered congregation came out safe and sound!
Church Of St Mary Magdalen Church Dingli Cliffs Free Photo by kirkandmimi licensed by BY CC 1.0
Mdina Malta Gates Castle Bridge by kirkandmimi licensed by BY CC 1.0
For those who have watched Game of Thrones, the walled city of Mdina is King’s Landing in season 1. It's also used for scenes like the farewell scene between Catelyn and Ned Stark, the fight between Jaime Lannister and Ned Stark that led to the latter's capture, etc.