Malta- The George Cross Island
Valetta, Gozo and Vittoriosa, Grand Harbour
Historic buildings, picturesque villages, and a dramatic coastline make Malta a perfect place for a painting holiday.
Malta’s ancient landscape, beautifully preserved Baroque architecture, terracotta beaches and azure blue see offers many opportunities for the amateur painter as well as others with more experience. See it ‘through the artist’s eye’. on a painting trip organised by Indus Tours. Group holidays are offered for every level of painting expertise. If you have a yen to paint but haven’t a clue this would be a good start.
Malta - Valetta
Painting takes up about two to three hours a day, but this is flexible, it depends on the group, and there is plenty of time for sight-seeing. As you explore the islands your tutor will keep an eye out for likely painting subjects. A popular choice to start is often the Upper Barracca Gardens in Valletta, from which there’s a panoramic view across the Grand Harbour.
Looking out over the amazing towers and ancient battlements, you realise that the whole island is one huge fortress, built to withstand the onslaught of invaders over the centuries. Turn away from the view and the gardens are a place of peace and tranquility.
A good way to get a feeling of what Malta was all about over the centuries is to walk around Valletta’s mighty ramparts This great defence system of bastions and forts was one of history’s most amazing military architectural feats. The sheer scale of everything is extraordinary in such a tiny part of the world. The complete walk takes about two hours, allowing for stops.
Malta - Vittoriosa
A good subject for painting is the old capital city of Vittoriosa. The narrow streets are lined with beautiful old houses, flowers and plants decorate the entrances and caged songbirds fill the air with their music. This was the home of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem who came to Malta in 1530 and stayed for 268 years. Some of their elegant houses, known as auberges, have
survived in excellent condition.
Malta - Gozo
A twenty-minute ferry trip brings you to Malta’s sister island of Gozo. Six miles off the coast of Malta, Gozo is a rocky island with rust-red soil and apple-green cactus laden with pinkish prickly pears. Nice subtle colours for your artistic endeavours. On the hillsides shepherds guard their sheep and the tiny patches of arable land are sheltered by stone walls and the usual masses of cactus.
In the 18th-century Gozo was covered with windmills, of which a few remain - the best preserved one is at Xaghra, where the Ggantija Temples are. Forget the Parthenon, the Pyramids and even Stonehenge - these structures are older than all of them. They date from 3600-3000 BC and account for four of thefive World Heritage Sites in Malta.The fifth is the entire city of Valletta.
Malta - Marsaxlokk
Back on the ferry and a visit to Marsaxlokk, one of the island’s prettiest fishing villages. The bay is full of colourful traditional fishing boats and when the late afternoon sun turns the warm sandstone buildings to gold the place is a perfect subject for the artist’s eye.
Malta - Dining
You will have plenty of time to discover some excellent restaurants and bars. The island’s proximity to Italy means that pasta dishes are available everywhere, but there are also many ethnic restaurants, with the largest selection being in St. Julian’s, just across the Grand Harbour from Valletta. Here you candine on everything from French haute cuisine to fish and chips. It is also the place to go for the best nightlife and bars.
Malta - Painting Success
You will learn some basic techniques as well as understanding the need to, at first, choose simple subjects, such as a small house sitting on a hilltop, or perhaps the clean lines of an ancient viaduct sweeping across the landscape. You will have some some very nice souvenirs to take home with you.
