Discovering Malta

In a bid to get a bit of winter sunshine without having to travel too far, it was decided that a trip to Malta was in order. It was only recently that Malta came onto my travel radar, following a strong recommendation from a friend. I’m so glad that we did go because it turned out to be so much better than anticipated. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s one of my new favourite destinations and I’ll show you exactly why…

Valletta

We based ourselves in Malta’s exceedingly small but beautiful capital, Valletta, which is just 20 minutes away from the airport. Valletta is characterised by its honey coloured baroque buildings. In fact, the whole city is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meaning you can expect stunning historic sights at every glance.

In some ways, Valletta reminds me of a mini Barcelona, while also bringing some Cotswolds vibes, with the prolific use of similar limestone for its buildings. If you look closely, you will spot red phone and post boxes, a hangover from Malta’s past as a British colony. Not confined to Valletta, I found that the entirety of Malta was beautifully maintained and clean, and more importantly, I felt safe there. A factor always high on my list when it comes to overall enjoyment of a holiday.

Upper Barrakka Garden

What’s more, Valletta is situated right by the azure waters of the Grand Harbour, of which the best views can be enjoyed from Upper Barrakka Gardens. Here, old traditions are kept alive, with twice daily cannon fire signals from the Saluting Battery. It’s pretty impressive so I’d recommend checking it out.

Mdina

We were already blown away by the beauty of Valletta but the impossibly perfect streets of Mdina were in a league of their own. With all its charm and character, the whole place looks like a film set, which is perhaps why it was earmarked as an apt location for the fictional city of King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. I would recommend spending at least half a day exploring Mdina. Be warned, there are not loads of restaurants there, though we did happen across the loveliest little Italian called Coogi’s Restaurant & Tea Garden (the pasta dishes were 10/10).

Gozo Island

Time was of the essence as we were only in Malta for a few days, however, we did manage to make it over to Gozo island for a day trip.

After a petrifying taxi ride from the airport on arrivial (comprising outrageous speeding) I vowed that I wasn’t getting in another taxi for the rest of the trip. So busing it, it was. If you do fancy driving (and you’re from the UK), you’ll be pleased to know that they drive on the same side of the road in Malta. I digress.

If you do get the bus and ferry from Valletta, it’s worth knowing that it’s a fairly long trip (we’re talking 1.5 to 2 hours at least), especially if you intend to head to one of the island’s main attractions, The Cittadella in Victoria, which is a fair distance from the ferry port.

The Cittadella Gozo

It was getting onto sundown by the time we arrived at the Gozo Cittadella but it was well worth the journey. It is hard to believe that such an impressive structure dates back to 1500 BC. Walking around it was a truly magical experience. Even better, we pretty much had the place to ourselves, which I can’t imagine would be the case in the summertime. With its mild winter climate, winter is a really great time to visit Malta. 

There’s always something that attracts me to destinations that are lesser frequented and Malta turned out to be right up my street. If Malta is a place you’ve never been, or haven’t ever considered going to, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s rare that I feel compelled to return to a destination but Malta is somewhere that I can’t wait to go back to.