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Maltese Bus Tour To The Aviation Museum, Mosta Dome & World War II Shelters (Half Day)
Take a nostalgic step back in time and enjoy a ride on a vintage traditional Maltese bus. These lovely buses with their unique design and customization can only be found in Malta.
During this tour, you will travel onboard a traditional Maltese bus known by the locals as ''xarabank'' or ''karozza tal-linja''.
These buses were built by the locals between the 1950's to the 1970's and came in different colours - red, purple, green, orange, blue... all depending on the route they served. This structure existed until eventually bus coloured routes were replaced by number based routes. Maltese traditional buses were characterised by their high level of customisation and detailing, these included increased use of chrome parts, high polishing of chrome parts, such as hubcaps and grilles, paint detailing, both generally, and of parts such as indicators and filler caps, custom passenger messages, both in the interior and exterior of the bus, names relating to the village patron saint, monarchs or other notable objects, trimmings and hangings, especially inside the front window, slogans, murals, quotations and lucky charms (such as the horseshoe).
These traditional buses remained in operational service as recently as 2011, prior to the bus reform in Malta. Nowadays, these colourful buses are rarely seen on the streets and are used only on special occasions, mostly hired for special occasions such as weddings, specific activities and tourist events.
During this tour you will first visit the Malta Aviation Museum, an aircraft museum situated on the site of the former Royal Air Force airfield in the village of Ta' Qali. The museum, based in three hangars, covers more than 100 years of aviation history in Malta with exhibits, particularly from the Second World War and post-war periods. The museum is also involved in the preservation and restoration of aircrafts, some of which are still in airworthy condition.
You will then visit the Sanctuary Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady commonly known as the Rotunda of Mosta or the Mosta Dome, a Roman Catholic parish church and Minor Basilica located in the city of Mosta. It was built between 1833 and the 1860's to neoclassical designs, the design of the present church is based on the Pantheon in Rome, the church is renowned for having the third largest unsupported dome in the world and is also Malta's largest church.
The church narrowly avoided destruction during World War II when on the 9th of April 1942 the German Luftwaffe dropped a bomb on the church, the bomb pierced the dome and entered the church but failed to explode, thus sparing the lives of more than 300 people who were attending the early evening mass. This event was interpreted by the locals as a miracle.
The interior of the church is just spellbinding with its size, design and décor. A coffered ceiling of gilded stone-carved flowers set on a blue background and a floor on inlaid marble gives a feeling of rich splendour. There are eight splendid side altars and a magnificent high altar. The murals behind the side altars, painted by the famous Maltese artist, Giuseppe Cali, are simply beautiful. The whole interior, lavishly decorated by local artists and trimmed with gold leaf is a joy to behold, inside you can also see a large-scale model of the church and a replica of the bomb. You will also go up to the portico, to the bell tower and enter in the inner gallery of the church.
Your last stop will be the World War II Shelter that skirts the Mosta Church parvis. The Shelter which was opened to the public only recently, was dug by hand in 1940 by 15 highly-skilled workmen. Families used this shelter during World War II to protect themselves from the many and continuous air raids. The complex also boasts an exhibition of tools and implements related to old trades.
At the end of the tour, you will also enjoy some local savouries.
During the entire duration of the tour, our knowledgeable and experienced guides will be providing you with riveting information and enhance your experience through narration and engaging storytelling.
These buses were built by the locals between the 1950's to the 1970's and came in different colours - red, purple, green, orange, blue... all depending on the route they served. This structure existed until eventually bus coloured routes were replaced by number based routes. Maltese traditional buses were characterised by their high level of customisation and detailing, these included increased use of chrome parts, high polishing of chrome parts, such as hubcaps and grilles, paint detailing, both generally, and of parts such as indicators and filler caps, custom passenger messages, both in the interior and exterior of the bus, names relating to the village patron saint, monarchs or other notable objects, trimmings and hangings, especially inside the front window, slogans, murals, quotations and lucky charms (such as the horseshoe).
These traditional buses remained in operational service as recently as 2011, prior to the bus reform in Malta. Nowadays, these colourful buses are rarely seen on the streets and are used only on special occasions, mostly hired for special occasions such as weddings, specific activities and tourist events.
During this tour you will first visit the Malta Aviation Museum, an aircraft museum situated on the site of the former Royal Air Force airfield in the village of Ta' Qali. The museum, based in three hangars, covers more than 100 years of aviation history in Malta with exhibits, particularly from the Second World War and post-war periods. The museum is also involved in the preservation and restoration of aircrafts, some of which are still in airworthy condition.
You will then visit the Sanctuary Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady commonly known as the Rotunda of Mosta or the Mosta Dome, a Roman Catholic parish church and Minor Basilica located in the city of Mosta. It was built between 1833 and the 1860's to neoclassical designs, the design of the present church is based on the Pantheon in Rome, the church is renowned for having the third largest unsupported dome in the world and is also Malta's largest church.
The church narrowly avoided destruction during World War II when on the 9th of April 1942 the German Luftwaffe dropped a bomb on the church, the bomb pierced the dome and entered the church but failed to explode, thus sparing the lives of more than 300 people who were attending the early evening mass. This event was interpreted by the locals as a miracle.
The interior of the church is just spellbinding with its size, design and décor. A coffered ceiling of gilded stone-carved flowers set on a blue background and a floor on inlaid marble gives a feeling of rich splendour. There are eight splendid side altars and a magnificent high altar. The murals behind the side altars, painted by the famous Maltese artist, Giuseppe Cali, are simply beautiful. The whole interior, lavishly decorated by local artists and trimmed with gold leaf is a joy to behold, inside you can also see a large-scale model of the church and a replica of the bomb. You will also go up to the portico, to the bell tower and enter in the inner gallery of the church.
Your last stop will be the World War II Shelter that skirts the Mosta Church parvis. The Shelter which was opened to the public only recently, was dug by hand in 1940 by 15 highly-skilled workmen. Families used this shelter during World War II to protect themselves from the many and continuous air raids. The complex also boasts an exhibition of tools and implements related to old trades.
At the end of the tour, you will also enjoy some local savouries.
During the entire duration of the tour, our knowledgeable and experienced guides will be providing you with riveting information and enhance your experience through narration and engaging storytelling.