Malta and Sicily THY 5 Nights New Year’s Special (FLY019)

Tour details
1st Day: ISTANBUL – MALTA | Popeye Village & Marsaxlokk We start our tour by meeting our guide at Istanbul New Airport International Terminal at 05:15 in the morning. After ticket and luggage procedures, we take Turkish Airlines flight TK1369 at 08:15 from Istanbul to Malta. We arrive in Malta at 08:50 local time and then we will have a panoramic tour of 3 cities. Sit back and explore Vittoriosa, Cospicua, and Senglea, known as Cottonera, built and supported by the Knights of Malta. After our bus tour in Cospicua, we will walk through the mystical and mysterious narrow streets of Vittorosa, where we will see historical churches and palaces. Finally, we will be welcomed by Senglea, located in the center of the Grand Harbor with its observation tower offering a magnificent harbor view. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and check-in. Guests who wish can join the optional tour organized by the guide, visiting Popeye Village and the fishing village of Marsaxlokk (60 Euros). We arrive in Popeye Village, where the movie Popeye was filmed in 1980. Here, we explore the village and watch shows of Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto. Then, we will continue our tour by visiting the fishing village called Marsaxlokk. Don't miss the view of the small charming fishing boats, known as Luzzo, unique to Malta. You will also have free time in this lovely fishing village to taste fresh fish and seafood. At the end of the tour, we return to our hotel. Accommodation is at our hotel. 2nd Day: MALTA | Mosta & Rabat & Mdina & Valletta After breakfast at our hotel, we have free time for the entire day. Guests who wish can join the optional tour organized by the guide to Mosta & Rabat & Mdina & Valletta (65 Euros). Our first stop is Mosta. In this tour, we will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, which has the third-largest dome in Europe. The massive basilica has a dome with an external diameter of 56.2 meters, and the interior paintings were notably created by the artist Giuseppe Cali. We will see a replica of the 200 kg bomb that was dropped by Nazi planes in 1942 during World War II, which penetrated the dome but did not explode, and we will learn about the interior and exterior architecture of the church. After leaving Mosta, we will head towards Rabat, with its historical narrow streets dating back to 700 BC when it was colonized, surrounding Mdina. After seeing Rabat, we will walk to Mdina, the old capital of Malta, known as "the silent city," which has been the natural set for many scenes from the famous series Game of Thrones. As we wander through the narrow streets of this medieval city, we will see the magnificent St. Paul's Cathedral, the Falson Palace built by Maltese noble family Falson in the 13th century, the Carmelite Monastery built in Baroque style in the 17th century, Vilhena Palace, and the old houses of Mdina. After our free time, we will head towards Valletta. We will conduct a city tour of Valletta, which was selected as the European Capital of Culture in 2018 by the European Union Council. During our tour, we will have the opportunity to see the beautifully walled city of Valletta from the outside. After a driving tour by bus, we will explore Valletta's vibrant streets with our guide. Our first stop will be the Upper Barracca Gardens, built on the upper section of the defensive walls surrounding this magnificent city, offering a superb view of the Grand Harbor and three historical cities surrounded by walls. After our break in Valletta, we return to our hotel. Accommodation is at our hotel. 3rd Day: MALTA – CATANIA | Siracusa & Noto Transfer to Malta Luqa Airport. After ticket and luggage procedures, we depart for Catania with Ryan Air at 07:35. After arriving in Catania at 08:25, we will conduct a panoramic city tour, seeing the Fontana dell’Elefante, Republic Square, Etna Street, and Duomo Cathedral. Guests who wish can join the Siracusa and Noto tour (50 Euros). We will start our tour in Siracusa, the city where the famous mathematician Archimedes lived. We will cross to the Ortygia peninsula, linked by bridges to Siracusa, starting at the main square, Duomo Square, where we will see the Siracusa Cathedral, built on the ruins of the Temple of Athena, and the church of Santa Lucia, known as the saint of the city. After that, we will visit the Arethusa Fountain, the Archimedes Square, and get lost in the narrow streets lined with cafes and shops. After free time, we will go to Noto, one of the most important Baroque towns in Sicily. After being completely destroyed by the earthquake in 1693, it was rebuilt in the 18th century, and we will explore many historical buildings and architectural wonders. Then we will head back to Catania. After arriving in Catania, we will check into our hotel. After some free time and resting, guests who wish can welcome the new year at recommended venues for a happy and healthy New Year’s Eve. Accommodation is at our hotel. 4th Day: CATANIA | Savoca & Taormina After breakfast at our hotel, guests who wish can join the optional tour to Savoca, where the movie Godfather was filmed, and Taormina, a favorite spot of famous figures like Oscar Wilde and Richard Wagner (70 Euros). We will start our tour in Savoca, where some of the most important scenes of Godfather Part II were filmed. While listening to stories about the famous mafia families of Sicily, you can visualize scenes from the movie at Bar Vitelli, adorned with photos of characters Michael and Apollonia. After that, we will take a narrow cobblestone path to see the San Nicolo church from the 14th century, where Michael and Apollonia got married in the movie. Then we will head to Taormina via Naxos. The beautiful beach and nature of Naxos will captivate you. After arriving in Taormina, Sicily's most luxurious town, we will see Chiesa di San Giuseppe, Porta Catania, and Porta Messina. I recommend trying local delicacies like Pasta alla Norma and Cannolo Siciliano in Taormina. After the tour, we return to our hotel for accommodation. 5th Day: CATANIA | Cefalu & Palermo After breakfast at our hotel, guests who wish can join the optional tour to the fishing village of Cefalu and Palermo (80 Euros). Cefalu is a historic and beautiful fishing village located on the northern coast of Sicily, known for its historical streets, stunning beaches, and the famous Cefalu Cathedral. After enjoying the view of the city from the Rocca di Cefalu hilltop, we will descend into the historical town center with its narrow streets. We will see the magnificent Cefalu Cathedral, featuring a unique blend of Arab and Norman architecture. After resting in the coastal cafes, we will transfer to Palermo. Upon arrival in Palermo, we will have a panoramic city tour, visiting Via Liberta and Via Roma streets, Quattro Canti, the Fountain of Shame, Norman Palace, Teatro Massimo, Teatro Politeama Garibaldi, and Palermo Cathedral. After our free time, we return to our hotel in Catania for accommodation. 6th Day: CATANIA – ISTANBUL | Etna After breakfast at our hotel, we check out and leave our room keys at the reception. After that, guests who wish can join the optional tour to Mount Etna (35 Euros). Our tour begins with Mount Etna, the largest and highest volcano in Europe at 3350 meters, which has been active for about half a million years and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We will ascend to Silvestri Craters, situated at 1900 meters, where there are extinct craters covered with lava. After the tour, we return to Catania and have free time before transferring to the airport where we will pick up guests who did not join the tour. After ticket and luggage procedures, we will depart for Istanbul on Turkish Airlines flight TK1396 at 19:25. We arrive in Istanbul at 23:50 local time, concluding our tour.
What's included
- Economy class flight ticket with Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to Malta // Catania to Istanbul - 2 nights accommodation with breakfast in Malta in 3* and 4* hotel categories, and 3 nights in Catania - Airport-hotel-airport transfers - One-way flight ticket from Malta to Catania with Ryan Air - Panoramic city tours of Malta and Catania - Professional Turkish guiding services - Travel health insurance covering the duration of the trip. A 100% surcharge applies for those over 70 years old (25€)
Not included
- Visa fee, service charge - Lunch and dinner not specified in the program - All personal expenses and hotel extras - Exit tax for traveling abroad - Extra tours - Driver tips 5 Euros per person (optional) - 2€ Eco Tax per night per person to be collected at the reception in Malta and 3€ city tax per night per person in Catania
Need to Know

ACCOMMODATION AND FLIGHT NOTES

 

  • Hotel check-in times are between 15:00 – 17:00 / Check-out times are between 10:00 – 12:00.
  • Departure and arrival times are in local times.
  • Flights marked with an asterisk (*) arrive at the destination 1 calendar day after the departure date.The actual arrival takes place.to the destination.
  • Inquire about domestic connection details and price differences.
  • Prices are not valid for groups; please inquire about our special prices.
  • A Schengen visa is required for the program. No visa is required for green passport holders.
  • Flight Information:

IST MLA 08:15 – 08:50 – TK1369

CTA IST 19:25 – 23:50 – TK1396

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTES

  • Our tour program is organized with a minimum participation requirement of 40 people.  If sufficient participation is not achieved for the trip, the final cancellation notification date is 21 days before the tour departure. The canceled tour due to insufficient participation will be communicated to you through your agency.
  • When only category information is provided without specifying names, and/or alternative options exist for the same destination, hotel(s) will be informed by your agency 48 hours before the trip departure.
  • During fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments, etc., hotels may be used at distances greater than the specified km. In such cases, your agency will inform you 15 days before the tour departure.
  • Triple rooms are allocated depending on hotel availability, and the bed assigned to the 3rd person in these types of rooms is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Since extra beds consist of foldable beds and so-called coach beds, the participating passenger agrees to the potential crowding and bed type in triple room and/or child reservations. Children's discounts are valid for one child in the age group staying with 2 adults.
  • The breakfasts included in the tour program are generally served as limited menus consisting of butter, jam, bread, tea, or coffee, appropriate to the breakfast culture of the country visited, and may be served in a separate room designated for the group.
  • The panoramic city tours included in the tour package are organized for the general introduction of the cities and are made as a panoramic tour with commentaries from the guide inside the vehicle, not including museum or historical site entries, lasting a maximum of 2-3 hours. Panoramic tours, along with other tours specified in the program, are subject to cancellation if the local authorities do not permit visitation due to closed roads or other events on the scheduled day and time, or due to weather conditions that render it impossible to carry out the tour; Fly Express bears no responsibility for these cancellations. Some tours can be conducted via public transportation or on foot where vehicle access is restricted or roads are closed.
  • Extra tours are organized by our local agency with a minimum participation requirement of 20 people. If sufficient number is not achieved, excursions cannot be conducted or extra tour prices, content, and modes of transportation may vary according to the number of participants. Furthermore, the days and times of tours may be subject to change by the guide according to the open/closed status of museums and archaeological sites at the destinations and weather conditions.
  • Participation in extra tours is at the discretion of the participant and is not mandatory. Passengers who do not wish to participate in extra tours organized during the trip are considered to have agreed to wait at a suitable rest area on the route. These passengers are dropped off at the rest area before the start of the extra tour and picked up from the point they were dropped off after the tour is completed.
  • You can learn about the hotel(s) you will stay in 48 hours before departure if only category information is provided and/or alternative information exists for the same destination.
  • Promotional and Early Booking campaign tours cannot be canceled or changed by the guest.
  • Fly Express acts as an intermediary between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the La Hague Protocol of 28.09.1955. There may be a risk of delay for chartered and scheduled flights, or the time may change before the existing trip and flights. Fly Express is obliged to inform you of these changes as soon as possible. Our passengers have purchased the tour knowing and accepting that flight details may change. Children aged 0-2 do not pay airport taxes and airport service fees.

 

 

VISA

  • There is a visa requirement for Turkish citizens. For visa applications, it is necessary to apply with valid documents listed in the "Required Documents for Visa" list provided by our agency at least 6 months before the travel end date with a passport that is valid for at least 6 months.
  • Guests traveling with a T.C green passport must renew their passports if the issuance date of their passports is older than 10 years. Otherwise, they may not be accepted into the country they are going to or their flights may not be carried out by the airline. In such cases, the responsibility lies with the passenger. 
  • There is no visa requirement for green passport holders, and a valid passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the travel end date is sufficient.
  • Having a visa does not guarantee entry into the country, as the passport police have the authority to deny entry. Fly Express is not responsible for this situation; the responsibility lies with the passenger.
  • To avoid issues with customs police at the border of the country to be visited due to torn, worn, wet, and/or damaged passports; it is necessary to renew those passports and, if a visa is required by a country that applies visa to T.C. citizens, the relevant visa must be on the new passport. Otherwise, the responsibility lies with the passenger.
  • It is recommended that our guests under the age of 18 traveling alone or with only one parent are aware that they may be asked for a joint consent document showing the approval of both parents at country entry and exit points.