Guided tours

Arts & Culture

The Three Cities is a collective description of the three fortified cities of Cospicua, Vittoriosa and Senglea. The oldest of the Three Cities is Vittoriosa, which has existed since the Middle Ages. The other two cities, Senglea and Cospicua, were both founded by the Order of the Knights of Saint John in the 16th and 17th centuries respectively. We start our tour with a panoramic drive past the city of Cospicua, a double fortified harbour city and the largest of the Three Cities, flanked by Senglea on the West and Vittoriosa on the East; Cospicua is well known for its large dockyard and its impressive fortifications known as the Santa Margherita Lines and the Cottonera Lines. A short stretch away from Cospicua lies the city of Vittoriosa, the city occupies a promontory of land with the impressive Fort Saint Angelo at its head and the city of Cospicua at its base. The origins of this glorious city date back to the Medieval times, over the centuries Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, the Angevines, the Aragonese and the Order of the Knights of Saint John all contributed to the development of this magnificent city. Ideally situated for safe anchorage, Vittoriosa has a very long history with maritime, mercantile, and military activities. Prior to the establishment of Valletta as the capital and main city of Malta, military powers that wanted to rule the Maltese islands always endeavoured to obtain control of Vittoriosa due to its significant position in the Grand Harbour. In fact, it served as the base of the Order of the Knights of Saint John and “de facto” capital city of Malta from 1530 to 1571. Vittoriosa is well known for its vital role in the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. The third city is Senglea, named after Claude De La Sengle, the Grand Master who founded the city, Senglea is also known as “Civitas Invicta” a name given to the city for managing to resist the Ottoman invasion during the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. The island on which Senglea lies was joined by a land bridge to Cospicua during the time of the Knights of St. John and as a result, it became peninsular in shape. During the tour we will enjoy a fascinating walk through the distinctive narrow winding streets of the Three Cities, admiring and appreciating all the historic churches, buildings and captivating treasures found at every twist and turn. After our visit to the Three Cities, we will drive to “1743 Razzett L-Antik” for our wine tasting experience, situated in the medieval baker’s village of “Casal Curmi” (today known as the village of Ħal Qormi), “1743 Razzett L-Antik” takes pride in promoting Malta’s deep-rooted culinary heritage and rich culture. The restaurant is set in what was once a milling factory to grind grain to flour for daily bread and is over 400 hundred years old! In addition, its wine cellars are home to many varieties of premium and private estate wines of the Maltese islands. Trained staff will guide guests through a wine tasting session to sample different Maltese wines accompanied by a selection of local savouries such as Maltese bread and cheese. During the whole tour our knowledgeable and experienced guides will be providing you with riveting information and enhance your experience through narration and engaging storytelling. ► Important Information: • If due to any unforeseen circumstances the wine tasting experience cannot be held at “1743 Razzett L-Antik”, the provider reserves the right to change the location of the wine tasting experience without any prior notice.

The Three Cities & Wine Tasting Tour (Half Day)

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Hosted By Robert Arrigo and Sons Ltd