Though summer was officially over on the 21st of September, we are still enjoying blue skies and warm temperatures here in Malta. All the grapes have been harvested and the wine makers are now busy monitoring their new wines. Pomegranates are ripening and it will soon be time to harvest the olives with which the new olive oil will be made.
We're happy to announce that our network is getting bigger! We now have 20 farmers and artisans around Malta who form part of the Merill Rural Network.
Tess Gauci - an expert of Maltese local delicacies
All our partners forming the network are authentic farmers and herdsmen, while some are artisans. During the eco and agri experiences we organise, we visit farm venues with guests who wish to enjoy agri-tourism activities, or simply to relax, or to learn about the Maltese culture.
Nenu Farrugia - One of the very few
Karozzini (horse-cabs) makers left in Malta
Here are some photos of some members of the network. More coming up soon!
Stay in touch through our website or facebook fan page, or drop us a line on info@merillecotours.com.
Se vi interessa Malta come destinazione per vacanza o lavoro,
avrete di sicuro intenzione di visitare la Valletta u Mdina. Queste due città
sono una chicca di storia e cultura, piene di chiese, monumenti e piazze.
Non molti italiani sanno che a Malta c'e tanto altro da vedere e
visitare, come ad esempio i villaggi e la costa, molto interessanti.
Il paesaggio rurale, offre una scelta di attivita
agro-turistiche e sportive. Noi di Merill Eco Tours, siamo specializzati
nell'organizzare esperienze agri ed eco turistiche, per piccoli gruppi (10 - 40
persone).
Lasciatevi immergere nelle zone rurali di Malta, tra fitti bosci e muretti. Guidati da una guida esperta, vi porteremo in
posti che non si vedono sulle cartoline di Malta, perchè solo in
pochi conoscono i tesori nascosti di Malta.
Le nostre gite sono un'assaggio di quello che
ha da offrire la terra di Malta. Potrete gustare delle delizie popolari
prodotte dagli stessi maltesi e godere di panorami mozzafiato.
I villaggi più belli sono quelli in cui gli agricoltori
coltivano la terra ancora con pratiche tradizionali. Ci sono venti agricoltori
e artigiani nel nostro network. Con loro organizziamo esperienze di
degustazione, e attività di recreazione e relax. I vigneti, oliveti,
allevamenti di capre e bovini, sono luoghi eccellenti per vedere il cuore di
Malta e assaggiare prodotti tipici maltesi. La nostra cucina è un cocktail di
sapori mediterranei e di sicuro troverete la nostra ospitalità molto
gradevole.
Se in caso volete contattarci, lo potete fare tramite il nostro sito web o
dalla pagine su Facebook.
We have updated our brochure and guess what...a new Eco Tour is finally dedicated to Gozo. It is very different from all the other conventional Gozo tours commonly promoted. We visit locations that are off the beaten track, while making sure that group sizes do not compromise the livelihood and fragile ecosystems in the areas.
The lush green valleys, traditional agriculture and genuine local products produced in Gozo form an excellent combination for all those who want to experience the Mediterreanean. The short trip with the ferry exposes the beauty of the coastline of Malta, Gozo and Comino.
Once you're in Gozo, leave it to us to take you to secluded areas where you can enjoy the best views and taste the best goodies on the island.
Here we are, proud to celebrate our first anniversary!
Today was sunny and cloudless, unlike a year ago, when it was raining cats and dogs at 9am, as guests where arriving in Buskett for the inauguration of Merill Eco Tours. Must have been a sign of good luck :) Dr. Mario de Marco, who was recently appointed Minister for Tourism and Culture, officially inaugurated the enterprise.
We are constantly improving and creating new packages that are in demand in an ever changing tourism industry. Many still view Malta as an island where summer is the only time to go on holiday. However, with all the attractions available on the island, and the many activities one can do, it is surely not the case. The eco element in Malta is pronounced especially in rural villages where agriculture is still alive. This is why we continuously build new opportunities with more farmers, to ensure the livelihood of our countryside. For more details about eco tours and activities, send us an email on info@merillecotours.com or visit our website.
For more real time information, "like" our Facebook fan page and join other fans.
A big thank you goes to all those who have supported us during the past year!
This will be our last blog article for 2011! Oh what a year!
Merill Eco Tours will soon be a year old and we're so proud of the way it's been growing so far.
It's nice to look back at what we have been up to this year. We started off the venture and the year with the Press Launch which took place on the 12th of January. It was raining cats and dogs before and during the presentation, but still a nice crowd of around 50 attended the launch. Hon. Dr Mario De Marco officially inaugurated Merill Eco Tours as the first licensed ecotourism venture operating in the Maltese Islands. (Click here to view the clips of the TV coverage; TVM and NET TV.)
Following the launch we immediately started cooperating with various tour operators and local DMCs to fine-tune our eco and agri tours, which are offered both for tourists and locals. The exclusive locations, together with the delicious products enjoyed during the tours, have been an asset to put forward a positive and attractive image of Malta as a rural tourism destination.
Our farmers have been kept very busy producing local products and other delicacies for our guests. Along the year we also branded a range of traditional processed products which were brought direct from the farmers and promoted at a number of different occasions and venues. In September we were also pleased to discover that our honey was featured in an official EU publication, amongst many other food products from all around Europe.
Traditional food products from all EU Countries
Sea Salt mini jars as souvenirs
To raise awareness about the richness of the Maltese rural areas, we are now producing short video clips, which we named '90 eco seconds', capturing the very best scenes and activities in local villages. Our first clip features Mgarr, which is truly an agricultural hub of the Maltese Islands.
We sincerely wish a prosperous new year to all our fans all around the world, especially to our dear Maltese expats who follow us regularly. Our special thanks go to our families and friends as well as all our business partners who have been part of this amazing journey.
hope you're all doing fine! We thought of featuring the red breasted robin as it will soon be Christmas. It is a lovely time to be in the countryside here in Malta. So many winter birds singing and the weather is still nice and warm. Christmas holiday makers are keeping us busy and so are the eco hampers.
the best seller for Christmas 2011
Though the Maltese people are very price conscious this season, we still had many customers asking for tailor made hampers with their favourite local ingredients. For sweet tooth clients, we included locally made mince pies and treacle tarts, perfect while enjoying a nice cup of tea or coffee. We're proud of these two items in our eco hampers as they are traditionally made with lots of passion and dedication by the staff at Maypole Bakeries. I was personally amazed about the genuineness of these items as they taste just like home made.
This week, I had the opportunity to visit the brand new Maypole Bakery in Tal-Handaq, where dozens of bakers and pastry chefs are busy preparing yummy cakes and pies. Was also pleased to get to know that hundreds of Cassatella tarts are being prepared with local ricotta cheese. The secret ratio between ricotta, sugar, chocolate chips and other ingredients make the Cassatella superb in taste and texture.
Guess I will have to follow a strict diet soon after Christmas, considering all the bountiful items I am obliged to taste on a regular basis...this make me love my job :)
We will keep you posted with more eco news and look forward to have a merry merill Christmas.
Autumn is here and we're already feeling Christmas in the air! For many, Christmas is a period of dread - hectic shopping, cooking and get-togethers and to top it all choosing the right gifts for family and friends can easily become a nightmare. We live in times when it's becoming increasingly difficult to buy gifts that are appreciated by others.
This year you can hit two birds with one stone; buy a gift, and contribute towards the Maltese environment. The packaging used in our Eco-Hampers is entirely reused or fair trade, while all the products are strictly local. We work closely with farmers who produce genuine delicacies and are also committed towards the greening of our countryside. Honey and olive oil are by far the most popular products chosen by the Maltese people. Price also matters; this is why we have developed a whole range of packages between 6 and 40 Euros! We can even tailor make your ideal hamper according to your needs.
To view the whole range of eco-hampers click here!
Feel free to send us an email on info@merillecotours.com or give us a call on 79411388. We'd love to hear from you!
Visit our stand at The Point Shopping Complex in Tigne on Sunday 20th November between 11am and 8pm.
We can now say goodbye to "September" and welcome to "October". Autumn look busy at Merill...eco tours and local products are keeping us on the go. We're very excited working on the new Eco-Hampers catalogue which will introduce a new range of delicacies and eco gifts that are strictly local and fair-trade :)
At the moment eco tours featuring the culinary aspects of Malta are going strong. Appreciation of the local landscape goes part and parcel with this gourmet niche. In the meantime we pray for some rain to irrigate the fields and replenish the aquifers after a long dry summer.
I added some interesting photos to this blog article showing a range of eco items in Malta. The traditional biscuits, known as "Biskuttini tar-Rahal" are still baked in traditional bakeries where the ovens are managed by hardworking bakers who keep recipes alive. Following that is the photo of the rock-cut tombs. These are very particular as their architectural arrangement resemble a set of pigeon holes.
Autumn is a great time for bird watching. This is why I've uploaded a photo of a lovely honey buzzard in flight. Photo is kindly shared by one of our expert birders. Today I was at the Lippija area with some foreigners and came across two hunters. We kept our distances from them and went on. We always adopt this approach during our tours and never encountered any problems so far. When necessary we do change our itineraries to avoid conflicts.
In principle we are against hunting and very much pro bird watching. However we strongly believe that it is only through mutual respect that we can achieve harmony between eco tourists and hunters during the hunting season. It is of no use pointing out a hundred and one negative aspects of hunting without promoting the fun and excitement one can experience while bird watching in Malta.
Enforcement officers are all over Malta, keeping poachers at bay. Enough damage has been done to Malta's reputation because of poaching. Very few, if any, give credit to hunters when it comes to environmental stewardship. How many out there would spend money and time to irrigate trees and keep rubble walls in good shape? In my humble opinion there are only two active categories of stewards in Malta, whether people admit it or not: farmers and to a lesser extent hunters! All those that are not into agreement with this must bear in mind that tourism, especially ecotourism, goes hand in hand with all stakeholders in rural areas.
Last but not least, I added a stunning photo taken by our expert diver and underwater photographer, Sonia. This amazing shoal of Barracudas seems to be coming from a different world. Diving is such an eco-friendly activity for all nature lovers and photographers.
Wild thyme dominates some of the garigue habitat in Malta, Gozo and Comino. It spreads all around an ecosystem that looks barren and yet is very rich in biodiversity. The sun and sea are valid reasons to come to Malta. How about visiting the islands to enjoy nature? Yes we do have nature here in Malta. The diving industry has been going strong for years. Activities on land are picking up and since we started up Merill Eco Tours people ask us, "but what can one do on barren land". Our answer would be "Believe us, there is so much we can offer!!"
For those nature lovers who want to experience the heart of the Mediterranean, I strongly suggest you follow one of our eco tours! The way the nature merges with history and traditions is amazing. The photos in this post portray Wild Thyme, an aromatic herb. Bees forage on such plants to create excellent honey. Walking is not the only activity one can do and let's face it...we won't be doing ecotourism if we would organise just walks! Ecotourism is about conservation and bringing about positive experiences even for the hosts, in this case the farmers, who are always pleased to accept us on their land to directly witness their passion.
We are offering packages with fresh ideas for various tourism sectors. Do not hesitate to contact us on info@merillecotours.com for further details.
Today I happened to visit a garden that is right in the middle of Santa Venera, an urban area in Malta. This locality together with Hamrun, Qormi and Birkirkara are villages that have merged into one big city. Traffic is quite chaotic in main roads, from early morning till late afternoon.
To breath some fresh air and enjoy the chirping of birds...I strongly recommend you visit one of the many gardens around Malta and Gozo. Most of them are pretty landscaped patches in the heart of villages, while others are unfortunately quite abandoned.
Our eco tours often feature gardens depending on the nature of the tour. Guests might have a particular interest in botany, and therefore gardens with a wide variety of endemic species are chosen.
Others might be interested in gardens for their intrinsic historical background and architecture. That is where we're spoiled for choice since the most important gardens have been established by the Knights of St. John. We're so lucky to have such treasures that we feel obliged to give them due importance during our tours.
The Farmers Market - a showcase of culinary richnesses
This term has been around for quite some time but still, it hasn't grown its roots here in Malta. Statistics and other related information about what happens in Malta are limited. Before starting off Merill Eco Tours, I read many books about this topic and accessed a lot of views and methods through social media. Travellers want to have a say before and after their trip. This is positive to us since we are very much focussed to create experiences rather than tours!
So how can we put Ecotourism into practice? First of all, we need to understand the real meaning of Ecotourism. Its principles are clear and well spelt out. Minimizing the impact on the environment is on top of the list. Malta is a small island with limited resources. Conservation of our few natural resources such as land (including soil), water and biodiversity should be on top of the agenda of all tourism operators. Then comes the aspect of awareness. I meet many people who are sceptical about Malta and Gozo's potential for eco and agri-tourism acitivities. Wake up people...we are in the middle of the Mediterranean, surrounded by beautiful beaches, our eco-cultural landscape is varied, local people are charming...the "only" thing we need is to build sustainable bridges amongst industries. Let's say, if a restaurant chooses to purchase local foods, then catering industry is embracing the agriculture industry thus supporting rural life and biodiversity. Who will take care of the fields, and thus the landscape, if all the farmers are gone, or all Malta is built up!?
Another example is that of having nature being featured on images representing Malta. Eco is now a buzz word that many use, but how much eco is there in photos of Malta? If one Googles Malta, many images of Valletta, Comino and beaches show up. This is fine, but we have much more to offer. I met a couple of Gozitans last week who were really disappointed when Dwejra is the only place mentioned in many brochures promoting tourism in Gozo. Gozo is still very rural and can showcase farming, nature and village life style.
"What to see" and "what to do" in Malta, Gozo and Comino needs to be changed in order have a more sustainable tourism industry. Having thousands of people visiting Valletta and Mdina is fine. The historical aspect in these locations are fantastic. Shifting some of the activities to rural areas can reduce the pressures onto historical sites, beaches and other popular areas. There again, let's all be careful as not to invade the quite rural areas, and respect the local people. Noise and traffic can disturb rural villages so it needs to be slow and controlled.
Tourism in Malta starts to peak over the Easter holidays, though it's not as busy as July and August. Many visit the islands for a short break to enjoy the sunshine. This year the weather is very stable with very little wind and warm temperatures during the day.
Whether you wish to enjoy the peaceful landscape or be more adventurous, here is a list of activities you can take up while in Malta at this time of the year.
These activities can be enjoyed by individual travelers, couples, families and also groups.
Are you looking for that small gift for your relatives and friends this Easter? How about an Eco Hamper?! Individual products such as local wine, jams and olive oil may be nicely wrapped to make an ideal token. We have a whole range of products bought directly from the farmer. This Merill Eco Tours initiative has already generated a lot of interest amongst both the Maltese community and foreigners who visit our islands. The products do not only look nice but also taste superb :)
Il paesaggio rurale, offre una scelta di attivita
agro-turistiche e sportive. Noi di Merill Eco Tours, siamo specializzati
nell'organizzare esperienze agri ed eco turistiche, per piccoli gruppi (10 - 40
persone).
This year you can hit two birds with one stone; buy a gift, and contribute towards the Maltese environment. The packaging used in our Eco-Hampers is entirely reused or fair trade, while all the products are strictly local. We work closely with farmers who produce genuine delicacies and are also committed towards the greening of our countryside. Honey and olive oil are by far the most popular products chosen by the Maltese people. Price also matters; this is why we have developed a whole range of packages between 6 and 40 Euros! We can even tailor make your ideal hamper according to your needs.
Wild thyme dominates some of the garigue habitat in Malta, Gozo and Comino. It spreads all around an ecosystem that looks barren and yet is very rich in biodiversity. The sun and sea are valid reasons to come to Malta. How about visiting the islands to enjoy nature? Yes we do have nature here in Malta. The diving industry has been going strong for years. Activities on land are picking up and since we started up Merill Eco Tours people ask us, "but what can one do on barren land". Our answer would be "Believe us, there is so much we can offer!!"
For those nature lovers who want to experience the heart of the Mediterranean, I strongly suggest you follow one of our eco tours! The way the nature merges with history and traditions is amazing. The photos in this post portray Wild Thyme, an aromatic herb. Bees forage on such plants to create excellent honey. Walking is not the only activity one can do and let's face it...we won't be doing ecotourism if we would organise just walks! Ecotourism is about conservation and bringing about positive experiences even for the hosts, in this case the farmers, who are always pleased to accept us on their land to directly witness their passion.
