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Malta

Malta & Gozo: A Tale of Two Islands in the Mediterranean

Program No. 24069RJ
Experience the rich history of Malta and Gozo, sister islands in the Mediterranean that have welcomed visitors to their shores through ancient, medieval and modern times.

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Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Sep 22 - Oct 2, 2023
Starting at
4,599
Oct 6 - Oct 16, 2023
Starting at
4,799
Oct 20 - Oct 30, 2023
Starting at
4,799
Apr 12 - Apr 22, 2024
Starting at
5,749
Apr 26 - May 6, 2024
Starting at
5,749
Sep 20 - Sep 30, 2024
Starting at
5,449
Oct 4 - Oct 14, 2024
Starting at
5,649
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Sep 22 - Oct 2, 2023
Starting at
6,259
Oct 6 - Oct 16, 2023
Starting at
6,339
Oct 20 - Oct 30, 2023
Starting at
6,339
Apr 12 - Apr 22, 2024
Starting at
5,989
Apr 26 - May 6, 2024
Starting at
5,989
Sep 20 - Sep 30, 2024
Starting at
7,169
Oct 4 - Oct 14, 2024
Starting at
7,249

At a Glance

To explore the islands of Malta and Gozo is to journey through thousands of years of history. Walk in the footsteps of Romans, Greeks, Phoenicians, British and others who once sought to rule this island nation, while getting a local’s look into community, cuisine and much more. Immerse yourself in mythology and ancient history as you explore Gozo, believed to be the island of Ogygia where Calypso held Odysseus prisoner for seven years. In Malta, continue your studies as you explore catacombs, trace World War II history and learn about the treasures of the National Museum of Archaeology. Along the way, be inspired by the incredible Mediterranean Sea, the resilience of the local people and the charm of Malta’s modern life.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to three miles daily over paved and varied, often rugged terrain. Some stairs and steep inclines.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Spend three nights in Gozo where you’ll explore the megalithic temples of Ggantija — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and admire the coastline that was once home to the picturesque Azure Window.
  • Enjoy a private boat ride along the coastline of Malta, followed by a walking exploration of Mdina, an ancient walled city once occupied by the Phoenicians.
  • Join a local expert for a walking exploration of Valletta, Malta’s capital city and home to the National Library, Manoel Theatre and the Lascaris War Rooms.
Featured Expert
All Experts
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Leonardo Mastropasqua
Leonardo Mastropasqua graduated from a private high school in Rome before enlisting for military service. After completing his service as an artillery lieutenant, he began leading safaris in East Africa. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro several times with a variety of groups. While he makes his home in Italy, Leonardo also feels at home in Scandinavia thanks to his Swedish mother, and he leads groups there every summer. Leonardo is eager to share his knowledge and passion for Europe with Road Scholar participants.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Leonardo Mastropasqua
Leonardo Mastropasqua View biography
Leonardo Mastropasqua graduated from a private high school in Rome before enlisting for military service. After completing his service as an artillery lieutenant, he began leading safaris in East Africa. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro several times with a variety of groups. While he makes his home in Italy, Leonardo also feels at home in Scandinavia thanks to his Swedish mother, and he leads groups there every summer. Leonardo is eager to share his knowledge and passion for Europe with Road Scholar participants.
Profile Image of Arianna Meschia
Arianna Meschia View biography
Arianna Meschia was born and raised in Genoa, Italy. She moved to London to study and work in film production, which greatly developed her organizational and logistical skills. In 2018, she moved to Malawi and volunteered for a year, an experience that improved her communication skills. She travelled across East Africa, covering 5,000 miles from Malawi to Egypt. She also collaborated with several publications, writing articles and reviews of places she visited. Arianna has been leading Road Scholar participants around the Cinque Terre since 2019.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Kappillan of Malta
by Nicholas Monsarrat
This most powerful of Nicholas Monsarrat's novels is an achievement in two separate dimensions: as a sublime portrait of a humble priest who brought faith and hope to his people, and as the story of an island whose violent history began before the Phoenicians and which suffered its most terrible agony in the Second World War.
Treason’s Harbour
by Patrick O’Brian
Stephen Maturin, Jack Aubrey and the crew of the H.M.S. Surprise contend with pirates and Napoleon's spies in this splendid novel set on and around Malta.
Ironfire, A Novel of the Knights of Malta and the Last Battle of the Crusades
by David Ball
In this rousing historical novel the fates of a young boy, his sister, one of the Knights of Malta and an inquisitor play out against the backdrop of the 16th-century Ottoman assault on Malta, the formidable citadel of the Knights of St. John.
Maltese Prehistoric Art, 5000-2500 BC
by EDITOR: Tony Pace
A compendium of articles, illustrations and photos documenting recent discoveries at the Gozo Stone Circle. The volume contains a catalog of over 150 important pieces in the collection of the Malta National Museum of Archaeology.
The Disorderly Knights
by Dorothy Dunnett
The third volume in the Lymond Chronicles follows Francis Crawford of Lymond to Malta, where he has been sent to help the Knights of Hospitallers defend their island against the invading Turks. He soon finds, however, that the greatest danger to the Knights comes from within their own order.
Masters of the Great Stones
by Linda Eneix
A simple introduction to Malta’s Prehistoric Monuments: the World’s Oldest Freestanding Buildings, and the Mediterranean’s Earliest Civilization. This book represents a sampling of what people seem to want to know. Easy language and original full color photos present a mysterious island society of accomplished architects and builders whose engineering artistry flourished a thousand years before the pyramids! (Formerly available only in Europe.)
The Middle Sea, A History of the Mediterranean
by John Julius Norwich
A marvelous writer who has already tackled Byzantium, the Normans in Sicily and Venice, Norwich spins his magic in this story of culture, trade and politics, royalty and rulers, wars and religion in the Mediterranean from antiquity to the end of the First World War.
Listening for Ancient Gods
by Linda C. Eneix
A new perspective for anyone with an interest in unraveling the secrets of antiquity toward a more complete rendering of human development in its most pivotal days. From Gobekli Tepe in Anatolia to the megalithic temples of Malta to the passage tombs of Ireland, the world’s oldest buildings and the latest neurological research combine to buttress a look at the Neolithic Revolution that goes where no one has gone before. This book takes scientific data from the worlds of Archaeology, Architecture, Anthropology, Genetics, Physics, Physiology, and stands them up where we can see them -- like megaliths in an unspoiled landscape. When the pieces of evidence are set side by side, the result is a stunning premise.
Blue Guide Malta and Gozo
by Geoffrey Aquilina Ross
A comprehensive guide in the well-known series, this book provides detailed coverage of the history, culture and architecture of these Mediterranean islands.
Paul, The Mind of an Apostle
by N. Wilson
A richly detailed portrait of the apostle Paul, firmly grounded in the everyday details of life in the Roman Empire. It's a mind-opening, partly historical study of the culture, politics and religion of the early years of Christianity.
Fortress Malta, An Island Under Siege 1940-43
by James Holland
In this powerful, intimate book British journalist James Holland draws on letters, diaries and interviews to bring to life the military campaigns, heroism and drama of Malta during WWII
Malta – An Archaeological Paradise
by Anthony Bonanno
Head of the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta. Prof. Bonanno describes many of the artifacts and remains of Malta's Prehistory.





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