MALTA's MUST DO'S
Do invest in a guide book, especially if you are driving around the island. Lonely Planet is always a good choice but if you’d like to go slightly off-piste then do treat yourself to Uncommon Malta + Gozo.
Our favourite things to do:
Explore the noble city of Mdina – Mdina is the historic capital of Malta, a place that’s been in existence for well over 4,000 years and came to be known as the ‘noble city’ in medieval times.
The whole city is stunning and completely unique. Mdina almost feels like a fort city that watches over the island of Malta. Although it’s relatively small compared to other cities, it’s a spot you can easily walk away a sunny afternoon.
Once there, pop through the Main Gate, explore St. Paul’s Cathedral museum and catacombs, pop inside the Metropolitan Cathedral, Natural History Museum and have afternoon tea at Fontanella. If you’re up for some gelato, pop into Fior Di Latte. If you’re looking for something a little more savoury, head to the Bacchus Restaurant for a Maltese platter, filled with everything from: sundried tomatoes, octopus, bigilla and aljoli dip, olives and home-made kunserva.
Wander around Valletta – over the past few years, the capital city of Valletta has regained its spark and is one of our favourite spots in Malta, truly giving you a feel of the Maltese charm.
Once in the city, make sure to spend a sunny afternoon wandering the cobbled streets and historic centre. Visit the Grandmaster’s Palace (that’s still used for state receptions), St. John’s Co-Cathedral, the Upper Barrakka Gardens and the Valletta waterfront, which is amazing at sunset.
Explore Marsaxlokk – perched in the south of Malta, Marsaxlokk is one of the best places to visit in Malta, especially if you want a little escape to a historic fishing village. It’s great to visit this spot late morning or early in the evening to enjoy the catch of the day (we recommend 'The Three Sisters')! This is Sheragime’ s favourite wind-down spot. After a wander around the waterfront, we usually head over to St. Peter’s pool for a little dip.
Take a boat trip to the Blue Grotto – on the south-east coast of Malta, the Blue Grotto is a stunning mix of sea caves that have naturally formed on this part of Malta. If you’re driving by car, it will take you around 25 minutes from Valletta. There’s a great view of the cave system on your drive down to Ta Sciuta Tower. There’s a little stopping point just as you turn off the main road.
The 30-minute or so boat trips cost around 8 EUR – be prepared for a little choppy water when entering the grottos themselves. Daylight does make a different to how blue the crystal-clear cave systems look, so we’d recommend visiting at around 1pm or 2pm; it’ll be spectacular!
Spend a couple of days on the island of Gozo – this island is the perfect middle ground between bustling Malta and quiet Comino. It has enough amenities and activities to keep you busy for a couple of days and is the perfect place to unwind. To get there, head to Cirkewwa ferry terminal – ferries run frequently and it’s a quick, 25-minute journey, arriving at Mgarr Gozo.
Visit the capital Victoria, a citadel from the Neolithic ages. Other places worth a look are Dwejra, Xewkija, Ramla Bay, Dwejra and villages such as Xaghra and Sannat. Whilst there, make sure to sample gbjeniet (a cheese of Gozo) and Ftira Ta’ Ghawdex (Gozitan pizza) - we'd recommend trying the one from Maxokk Bakery.
Enjoy the little island of Comino – if you enjoy diving or snorkelling, Comino is your heaven on earth; the crystalline water of the Blue Lagoon is breath-taking, especially in the autumn. Comino if one of three islands in the archipelago, the smallest one that can be reached from either Malta or Gozo by boat for a few euros. Apart from swimming, you can enjoy hiking across the island and exploring its caves.
Take everything you need with you, as there aren’t many amenities on this idyllic island. If you’re up for it, we’d recommend crossing over in the afternoon and setting up a tent; you’ll wake in the morning with the lovely blue lagoon all to yourself!
AMY & SHERAGIME 06 | 10 | 18
Get in touch: galeakesh@gmail.com