TRADITIONAL SLIEMA & GRAND HARBOURS CRUISE
EXPLORE MALTA’S NATURAL HARBOURS SURROUNDING VALLETTA
Valletta is Malta’s capital city and unique as the only capital of a country designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was designed and constructed by the Knights of Saint John after the Great Seige of Malta against the Turks in 1565 using thousands of slaves and Maltese workmen. The fortified city only took 25 years to build and is famous for its magnificent, towering bastions that make up the city walls.
Marsamxett Harbour lies to the north and is bordered by cosmopolitan Sliema with its great selection of shops, cafés and restaurants and the marinas of Gzira and Pietá which are home to beautiful boats of all shapes and sizes. The restored fortress on Manoel Island overlooks the harbour and provides an impressive backdrop to your gentle cruise around the inlets.
You then head east round the point of Valletta and the imposing Fort Saint Elmo to pass through the breakwater into the Grand Harbour, overlooked by the southern side of the city.
Your first view of the capital’s huge walls as you enter the harbour is unforgettable and fills you with awe and wonder! The Grand Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the Mediterranean and provides haven and shelter to visiting cruise liners, luxury pleasure craft, commercial cargo ships and local fishing boats. We sail deep into the harbour’s many inlets, enjoying sights of the bastion walls, the large variety of shipping, the recently-restored Valletta Waterfront, the Malta/Gozo seaplane, the fantastic, brand- new Sicily catamaran and the giant cranes and dockyards of the inner harbour.
A real treat is the course taken in and around the medieval Three Cities that date back to the Norman times of the 11th Century. Each city has a modern and ancient name; Senglea (L’Isla), Cospicua (Bormla) and Vittoriosa (Birgu). The enormous Fort Saint Angelo stands proudly on guard in the middle of the Grand Harbour and symbolises Malta’s courageous defence against its many would-be invaders!
The Traditional Harbour Cruise lasts just under two hours and is complimented with detailed commentary. It’s an excellent way to spend a relaxing afternoon, learning all about Malta’s varied history and culture while appreciating the grandeur and magnificence of Valletta from the sea.