Senior Tour Consultant, Joanna Matthews, and Tour Co-ordinator, Katie Matthews, have recently returned from a 5-day choir tour to Malta with Mount St Mary’s College with a whopping 143 travellers (yes, 143)! Take a look at what the choir got up to and how they got on touring with such a large group…
Day One
Arriving early at Heathrow, we were ready and waiting for all members of the Mount St Mary’s College group to arrive to start the checking in process which, as you can imagine with 100+ people, was a long process. We managed to get everyone checked in and through passport control without any glitches, allowing everyone to relax in the departure lounge before boarding the plane.
Landing at Luqa airport in Malta we collected our luggage and headed to our hotel for some food and relaxation so we could prepare for the very busy days ahead.
Day Two
Up bright and early and ready for the first performance! We headed out to visit the capital of Malta, Valletta for a few hours of sightseeing and shopping before we arrived at the Triton Fountain to set up for the first concert. Performing in the centre of Valletta, as part of the 2018 Capital of Culture Celebrations, was a once in a lifetime opportunity and Mount St Mary’s College certainly didn’t disappoint!
After the performance we were off to see Valletta’s famous saluting battery and the beautiful views of the Grand Harbour and Three Cities – a great finish to a great first day!
Day Four
Another busy day today started off with a group visit to the Mnajdra and Hagar Qim Neolithic Temples – they even snuck in another performance at the Temples!
After a hearty lunch at the hotel, the children were whisked off to enjoy an afternoon on the beach playing a number of fun and interactive beach games. These games were great because the students were split off into smaller groups and allowed them to mix with different students on the trip who they might not have spoken to otherwise.
Then back to the hotel for a quick change and we were off again. This evening the choir produced a wonderful concert at Siggewi Parish Church. The clergy were very appreciative for their concert, and congratulated them for such an amazing performance.
Day Three
Another early start today, heading across the water to Gozo, Malta’s sister island. The first performance of the day was held outside Ta Pinu Basilica, an absolutely beautiful outdoor area perfect for large groups! After a buffet lunch we headed to Citadel and Victoria for some sightseeing, before preparing for the evening performance at Xaghra Parish Church. The choir performed wonderfully, and the locals really appreciated the music they had prepared and performed.
Day Five
A very early start, we headed down for breakfast at 6:45 and loaded everything on to the coaches ready for the journey back to the UK. But not before a final performance at Mdina Catherdral as part of the televised mass which was screened to the whole island! It was such an incredible experience for everyone – we even got to meet the Archbishop of Malta!
After the mass we had some spare time to explore the walled city of Mdina and to buy the last souviners, and then we had a big lunch together in a local restaurant. Having everyone together in our own private room was a really nice way to celebrate such a brilliant tour!
For more information of tours to Malta for how we can help you take your large group international, visit our website or call us on 01332 347 828!