There are few downsides to staying in a luxury hotel, assuming that it does what it says on the tin. But, being picky, you can sometimes feel detached from the world around it, particularly in coastal resorts.
With this in mind, the Corinthia St George’s Bay in Malta has partnered with tourism and educational groups to introduce a “Meet the Locals” programme based in three traditional villages.
Hence on a swelteringly hot summer’s day, we are below ground in Mqabba (population 3,000), on a tour of the Mintna catacombs, which date back to the late third century, according to our expert guide David Cardona, curator of historic sites.
Rarely has diminutive stature proved so beneficial as we venture cautiously around the cramped and darkened subterranean burial area, illuminated by our guide’s explanations of the tombs, etchings and a table where mourners sat down to a funeral meal.
