Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary
Trip Reviews
MALTA planned by
Jason and Damon Camilleri Allan
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The Fisher Family enjoying a picnic lunch in Malta
Family fun in the Maltese Islands—our group of nine just returned from a weeklong Spring break trip to Malta organized by Damon. The trip included grandparents, children and grandchildren ages 16 to 10. The trip was exceptionally well organized due to the time Damon spent prior to the trip determining what our interests were and how to maximize time spent making memories with our grandchildren. The itinerary was heavy in outdoor activities and we spent minimal time indoors to keep the grandkids engaged. Our activities included an all-morning quad biking experience on Gozo, a multi-course picnic lunch with wine on a secluded bay, followed by bocci ball with local players. The next day we toured the ruins of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra temples and then spent an amazing afternoon with the local falconer who brought an owl, Harris hawk and Maltese falcon to share with the entire group. His enthusiasm was contagious and for a large portion of our group, this event was the highlight of the trip. The next day we took a private tour of underground Valletta, and that afternoon we took a private dghajsa boat ride across the Valletta harbor for more exploration. The next day we started by visiting a baker and his wife where we made a local pastry called pastizzi, spent time with a local artisan who made musical instruments, visited a honey farm and ended the day with a visit to a sheep farm where we sampled some delicious cheeses. The last night of the trip we had Chef Carl come to our lodging and prepare a meal with the four grandkids. I’m not sure if Carl or the grandkids had more fun. The entire itinerary was wonderful, but two things made this trip exceptional: the lodging and our driver. We stayed at a beautiful villa in Gozo that was very well appointed and included a heated indoor swimming pool! You can imagine how excited the grandkids were when they walked in the front door and saw an indoor pool. Our lodging in Valletta was equally impressive but in a different way. It was a castle-like structure built in the late 1500s that had been updated to include all the amenities of the current day. There was an outdoor pool, but since it was not heated it saw very limited use. Our driver throughout our adventure was Super Mario. He was absolutely delightful! Always on time, always helpful, and always attentive to everyone’s needs, which were often a challenge. The entire experience was exceptional. If you ever think about going to Malta, contact Damon…he’ll craft an amazing trip for you.
The nine-day itinerary Jason created for us to Malta and Sardinia in March was crammed with memorable experiences: entrance to the 4000 BC Hypogeum underground burial complex (tickets difficult to come by); a fascinating visit with a sixth-generation gilder; the tastiest private tour of a food market I’ve ever been on; a walk in the Sardinian countryside to see the island’s wild four-foot-tall horses; and—my favorite—a fabulous multi-course lunch set up just for us on an isolated cliff in Gozo above the crashing waves. Jason’s ground teams were as interesting as the sights and scenery—our Malta guide, Martin, is a practicing Knight of Malta whose title goes back generations, as well as a professional photographer and former coach of Australia’s Olympic bobsled team (go figure); our driver there, Mario, is a former comptroller and auditor in addition to being an all-around great guy; guide Paola got her start translating for Tony Ryan when he was setting up his Ryanair empire in Sardinia; Marcello, our driver in Sardinia, had recently returned from the Polish border as a volunteer transporting Ukrainian orphans by bus to safety. And if you ever want to feel like Bill Gates, now is your moment: Thanks to the VIP service Jason arranges at the airport, you wait in a private lounge before being escorted past the frenzied crowds to a town car on the tarmac that drives you to your plane, all before boarding officially begins.
My girlfriend and I travelled to Malta for eight days from after Christmas 2022 through the New Year. Quite simply the trip was extraordinary, and we cannot recommend Malta, and Damon and his team, more highly. Malta is an extraordinary place, with magnificent history, art, culture, food, scenery and people. To start with, Damon spent a significant amount of time prior to the trip working iteratively with us to plan the itinerary based on various ideas he proposed and what we wanted to do. He really distinguished himself with his ability to figure out from our conversations exactly the kind of experiences and touring we wanted to do. He gave equal time, thought and care to the choice of lodging and restaurants. Our guide executed the plan wonderfully, making it even better as we got to know one another. Her knowledge of the history and culture of Malta gave us a real window into the lives of the Maltese people past and present. We had a number of truly extraordinary experiences, such as making a local delicacy and having lunch at an olive grove, a private tour of St. John’s Cathedral including viewing the stunning Caravaggio by ourselves, meeting a restorer of 18th-century organs and 16th-century art and seeing their work, dinner with some of the current Knights of Malta, touring a private home in the magical walled city of Mdina and an ATV tour followed by a private seaside picnic in Gozo. The highlight of the trip for me was exploring World War II in Malta, including a private visit with a remarkable local collector of World War II artifacts, a private tour of the Lascaris War Rooms and seeing the tunnels and chambers in which the Maltese sheltered during the Axis bombings. Our guide also spent time showing us and providing us with valuable perspective on other Maltese sights such as the Hypogeum and megalithic temples, which are older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids. The island itself was gorgeous, with dramatic views, romantic vistas and stunning architecture. We were particularly glad to be there during the bustling holiday season where many Maltese were celebrating and even saw the local Eurovision winner perform on New Year’s Eve.
Our recent trip to Malta in February 2023 exceeded our expectations. Even though the trip was planned at the last minute, every detail was handled perfectly. Jason and his team did a great job of putting together a great itinerary, recommending a fabulous hotel, and providing excellent restaurant recommendations (right down to handling all the reservations). Our guide, Martin, and driver, Mario, were two of the most delightful and knowledgeable individuals. They went above and beyond to ensure that our time in Malta was memorable. We would not hesitate to recommend Jason and his team to anyone thinking of visiting this beautiful country.
