Wine & War On Fortress Malta

Following on from our previous wine and war tours, Clive Harris and Bob Brook from the Wine Buffs group, invite you to a tour the island fortress of Malta. Staying in the 4* Excelsior Hotel, our tours spans the islands centuries of history alongside its wine and food culture.

Limited to just 20 spaces the tour will be arranged by Battle Honours Ltd, a longstanding tour operator who are Atol protected and members of the Travel Trust Association.

Tour Dates: 7 – 12 June 2026

Price Per Person: £1725:00
Deposit: £300:00
Non Flight Price: £1475:000
Single Supplement: £180:00

Included –

• Return scheduled flights from London to Malta

• Hotel as follows: 5 nights at the 4* Hotel Excelsior, Valetta

• Maltese coach and driver throughout, all fuel and tolls

• 3 x Winery visits, all museum entries included

• Cocktail Reception in Valetta

Key Information

Following on from our club tours to the Champagne Region, the Loire Valley, the Dardanelles, and the Peninsular War, 2026 focuses on the rich wine and military history of the Island of Malta.

Alonsgide the visits to vineyards, our tour will take you through the arrival of the Normans in 1081, through the Sieges of the 15th and 16th Centuries involving The Knights Templars with catapult’s cannons and castles and on to its more recent role, first as floating Hospital for the Mediterranean Forces in the Great War and as George Cross, fortress island in World War Two.

The tour, based in Valletta will visit the walled City of Mdina, Xutu Tower, Mosta, the Three Cities and the Victoria Lines 19th Century defensive walls. The central role the Island played in Allied strategy of World War Two will be looked at in depth including the Italian and Luftwaffe Air Raids, supply convoys to Malta and the deadly Submarines attacks they often attracted. Malta was home also to the invasion Headquarters of Italy in 1943 (Operation Husky) in the Lascaris War rooms which we also visit.

A marriage of Mediterranean, Arabic and British cultures on a sun kissed island rich in archaeology, art and cuisine awaits. As in previous years the tour will be led by club wine buff members Bob Brook and and Clive Harris.

Itinerary

Sunday 7 June

After our flight to Malta, we transfer the short journey to Valletta and check in to the Grand Excelsior Hotel just five minutes’ walk from the bustling heart of the city. Valletta was home to a Royal Navy fleet for more than 100 years and the old streets saw many a shore party, with all that entailed on hand. Today dozens of bars and restaurants for all budgets abound.

Monday 8 June

We begin in old Valletta for an insight into the famous Great Siege of 1565 when Ottoman forces fought the Knights Hospitaller. Much of the original Three Cities was destroyed in the failed four-month siege. We finish the day with a look at how the Knights developed an early warning guard tower system, a potent of things to come.

After lunch we head to the peaceful Migra-I-Ferha Bay on the west coast we first see where the Normans landed in 1081 before a visit to the Islands former capital, the walled city of Mdina. In the “silent city” we visit the wonderful 12th Century St. Pauls Cathedral (who was supposedly shipwrecked on the Island). We also hear of the siege of 1429 when Tunisian Hafsid forces tried to wrestle Malta from Sicilian Control.

We then visit the Ta’ Betta Wine Estate for a tasting and tour.

Tuesday 9 June

Through the Victorian era British power and influence was exerted and demonstrated through Malta, and the islands importance was underlined with the building of the Victoria Lines to aid in its defence. The 10 miles of walls and towers guarded the populated south and its main harbours from attacks from the North. After lunch we look at the evidence of Malta’s role in the Great War by visits to Kalkara Naval Cemetery and Pieta War cemetery with its many Salonika and Gallipoli casualties. At the Barrakka Gardens we see and hear how the WW2 aerial assault on Malta began in 1941. See where Valletta suffered its own Blitz and was so severely damaged.

A local wine tasting concludes our day.

Wednesday 10 June The people of Malta suffered terrible conditions, including 154 days of continual bombing in 1942, during the siege of Malta and their bravery was honoured by the award of the George Cross in April 1942 by King George VI. This tour day focuses on the experiences of the Maltese population and the RAF squadrons fighting to prevent collapse of the island. We see the site of the beleaguered Ta’Qali Airfield, the Air Raid shelters at Mellieha and hear of the miracle of Mosta Church. With some treachery and tragedy thrown in, this is sure to be a memorable day.

Thursday 11 June

Day 1

Name: Wine & War 2026 – Malta
Start: 2026-06-07T00:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-06-12T23:59:59+01:00
Location: Malta

Scheduled flights from London to Istanbul. Transfer to Gallipoli by coach to the Hotel Grand Anzac in Canakkale.

This is a 4 hour transfer on a fully air-conditioned coach. We will stop off for a short snack/toilet break halfway through the journey.

All our transfer coaches have Wi-Fi and complimentary bottled water on board.

Monday 12 May 2025 – Anzac Day

The best way to study an amphibious landing is by boat. Our morning will be spent studying the Gaba Tepe from the sea before we come ashore to walk from Beach Cemetery, via Shrapnel Valley up to the heights of Plugges Plateau, the first ridge captured by the Anzac’s on 25 April 1915.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will continue the Anzac advance from the Second Ridge at Lone Pine, to the furthest advance of the Australian and New Zealand troops on that first day of the landing. This walk will take us over Pine Ridge, down into Legge Valley and up onto the Third Ridge (Gun Ridge), the final objective of the covering force, ending the walk at Mustafa Kemal’s command post on the Scrubby Knoll.

Tuesday 13 May 2025 – Helles Day

Beginning the morning on the top of Achi Baba, where we will experience panoramic views of the Helles battlefield, we will descend down to the beaches. Next stop is Erturgal Fort, trenches and the Ottoman memorial to Sgt Yahya, all overlooking V Beach. We will visit V Beach CWGC Cemetery, the spit of rock where the River Clyde came shore, all under the shadow of Seddulbahir Fort. We will then advance up through the village to Doughty-Wylie’s Grave, and then the Helles Memorial.

After lunch at V Beach Café, we will walk from the French artillery battery onto Hunter-Weston Hill and then Lancashire Landing CWGC Cemetery. From there we will visit W Beach to recount the story of the 6 VC’s Before Breakfast before ascending onto Hill 114 to explore the old base-camp of the MEF.

We end the day with visit to the Bengodi/Asmadan Vinyard for a tasting flight (foot passage ferry option for non-winers).

Wednesday 14 May 2025 – Gully Ravine Day

We will spend the whole day exploring Gully Ravine, starting at the Ottoman Nuri Yamut Memorial we will walk across the seaward cliffs to Gurkha Bluff, just above Y Beach. We will continue along Gully Spur, visiting Geoghegan’s Bluff and the football field for lunch. We will then continue to follow the ravine to Gully Beach. Exiting the ravine we will walk along the West Krithia to finish the day at Pink Farm CWGC Cemetery.

Thursday 15 May 2025 – Suvla Day

We will begin the morning on the once hotly contested Scimitar Hill (Hill 70) before following the Ottoman trench lines on to the top of the W Hills where we will get excellent views of both the Suvla and North Anzac battlefield. Walking down to Hetman Chair and Dead Man’s Gully, we will finish at Chocolate and Green Hill.

After a packed lunch at the museum in Buyuk Anafarta, we will walk from the Jandarma Memorial to Kidney Hill, Caribou Hill and then to Azmak CWGC Cemetery, also visiting the new Ottoman cemetery site on Kiretch Tepe. We will finish the day at Suvla Point and General Stopford’s HQ.

Friday 16 May 2025

Return to Istanbul or, Optional extension to the island of Imbros to explore the sites of Sir Ian Hamilton’s GHQ, Kephalos ‘K’ Beach, the Australian Field Bakery site, RNAS airfields and the journalist camp to name but a few.

Saturday 17 May 2025

Return to Istanbul for those who stayed for the optional day to Imbros.

Booking

Deposits can be paid via BACS transfer (IBAN if overseas) both account details are on the bottom of the booking form.

If you wish to pay by credit card, drop us an email and we will send you the relevant link.

Cheques can be made payable to “Battle Honours Ltd”

Our final tour day allows us to see where the 10th Royal Navy Flotilla operated during 1941-1943 and with only a dozen Submarines sank over 400,000 tons of Axis shipping.

We also visit St Elmo Fort, on the tip of the Valletta peninsular, now home to The National War Museum housing exhibits from the Bronze age through to Gloster Gladiator ‘Faith’ and the actual George Cross awarded to the island people. We lastly study Operation Pedestal, the vital re-supply of Malta during mid 1942 and finish at the Lascaris War rooms which housed defensive headquarters units in the siege and hosted the planners and operational Headquarters for the invasion of Sicily in July 1943.

We end the day with a visit to the Marsovin Wine Cellars, over 100 years old, they remain one of Malta’s leading premium winery’s.