Retreat-Holidays
Malta: Holy Week and Easter 2010
In 2010, we shall for the first time be offering a Holy Week and Easter retreat-holiday in Malta. This will give us a chance to focus properly on the astounding events of Holy Week and Easter, with the enrichment of the devout and colourful Maltese processions and displays, all culminating in a joyous celebration of the Resurrection.
We can also arrange individually guided retreats there at any time of year, subject to availability.
Malta is a year-round holiday destination. The average maximum temperature
in January is 14°C (57°F);
in April it is 19°C (67°F)
and in August it is 29°C (84°F).
Don't go in the summer if you can't take the heat because it can get much hotter than that.
The Maltese Republic (which includes Gozo) obtained independence from Britain in 1964 and the general attitude to the British remains positive. Malta is a member of both the Commonwealth and the European Community. The official languages are Maltese and English. The currency is the euro.
Malta uses British-style
3-pin plugs and a 220v power supply. The British heritage is also evident in lovely, old-fashioned, red phone-boxes and blue lamps outside police stations.
The Maltese bus network is cheap, reliable and ... interesting!
Until 1568, the capital of the island was Mdina, a glorious stone city bursting with medieval and Renaissance palaces and churches. With its narrow streets, it is almost traffic-free. You can see Mdina from the retreat-house, so it is only a short bus- or taxi-drive away. Maltese is a Semitic language largely derived from Arabic and "Mdina" is from the Arabic "Medina" (meaning simply "the city").
The island has a strong connection with St Paul: pilgrims visit St Paul's Bay, where it is thought he must have come ashore after his shipwreck (see Acts 27), the church of the Shipwreck of St Paul in Valletta, St Paul's Grotto, where he is said to have been held prisoner, St Paul's Catacombs and St Paul's Cathedral in Mdina.
Malta: Dates, price and flights
Individually Guided Retreats (IGRs)
Printable information sheet 2010