Crystal Cruises has created a unique, different and limited availability for their new Malta Tour called "Prehistoric Sites". This tour is offered during their cruises dated July 28-August 3, 2013. Crystal's 6 Days tour starts at $2,565 per person in Kusadasi, Turkey and ends in Rome, Italy; the tour is called: Empires of Art and Beauty: Crystal's Getaway. While cruising the Mediterranean, stops will include, Valletta, Malta; Sicily/Taormina, Italy and Sorrento, Italy (overnight).
The tour "Malta's Prehistoric Sites" excites me and personally I feel is something not to miss. It adds richness to the Mediterranean histories. Ancient times will always be a mystery to us and we are forever trying to organize pieces of history so that we can understand that special time period. I have quoted directly from Crystal Cruises Website the details involved in this tour:
Malta’s Prehistoric Sites
| Excursion Code | VAL-B |
| Highlights | Three of Malta’s, and indeed, some of the world’s, most significant prehistoric sites are the focus of today’s outing, which takes you to the impressive Tarxien Temples, unique Hal Saflieni Hyopgeum and fascinating Ghar Dalam Cave & Museum. |
| Activity Level | Moderate Adventure |
| Walking Type |  Strenuous |
| Activity Type |      |
| Age Appropriateness | 8 & Above |
| Duration | Approximately 4½ Hours |
| Price | $129 |
NEW for 2013
Begin your journey into prehistory with a half-hour transfer towards the village of Tarxien, where you will visit the Tarxien Temples.
Begin your journey into prehistory with a half-hour transfer towards the village of Tarxien, where you will visit the Tarxien Temples.
Dating from 3600 to 2500 BC, the three separate but attached temple structures are extraordinary for their complexity in design and decoration. Altars, detailed carvings of domestic animals and screens decorated with spiral designs and other patterns adorn the temple walls and spaces. A relief of two bulls and a sow carved into the chamber located between the South and Central temples is particularly impressive. Revealing considerable skills in construction and embellishment, it is no wonder the Tarxien Temples, as part of the Megalithic Temples of Malta, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A short walk from the temples takes you to another archaeological wonder, the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, which enjoys its own individual UNESCO World Heritage Site listing. Meaning “underground” in Greek, the Hypogeum was discovered in 1902 when workers laying housing foundations accidentally came across the subterranean labyrinth of chambers and passages. Dating to about 2500 BC, the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is the only known example of a Bronze Age subterranean structure.
View an introductory exhibition and film about the site and then begin your guided discovery of some of its principal rooms constructed with large, irregular blocks of stone assembled without mortar. The site was closed to visitors between 1992 and 1996 and since has been open to only 80 visitors per day, making you one of the fortunate few to marvel at the Hypogeum’s construction and history.
Rejoining your motor coach, next venture to the Ghar Dalam Cave, a site first explored in 1885. Containing the bone remains of animals stranded during the Ice Age, the caves also bear the earliest evidence of human settlement on Malta, which goes back some 7,400 years. At the cave’s entrance is a museum displaying a wealth of finds, ranging from animal bones to human artifacts.
Emerging from the cave and back into the current millennium, board your motor coach for the approximately 40-minute return to the pier.
Important Notes: Although the suggested age appropriateness of this excursion is 8 & Above, guests who are 7 years of age may participate. As this excursion involves extensive walking over extremely uneven surfaces and the negotiation of approximately 20 steps, some of which may be irregular and slippery, it is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. The Hypogeum is located within an enclosed space; therefore, the visit to this archaeological site may not be suitable for guests prone to claustrophobia. It is recommended that guests wear flat, comfortable nonslip shoes. Guests are also encouraged to bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. The order of sights visited may vary. Transport is not allowed alongside the vessel. Therefore, guests will be required to walk from their motor coach or minivan through the terminal to the ship.
Availability: Extremely Limited
Source: crystalcruises.com
