posted by Travel Cat on Aug 26
Having just returned from Malta, I thought I would pop down some of my favorite bits incase you had ever wondered whether it was worth visiting such a small island.
Well, I loved it, but it has changed a bit since I was last there - mainly in 2 ‘bad’ respects. It’s a lot dirtier than I remember and there is a lot more ‘touristy’ parts.
However, I still had a great 2 weeks there and would recommend a short trip there for someone who loves architecture and walking around a lot!
1) Valletta.
A visit to the historic city is recommended to everyone as it is the very essence of what makes Malta Malta!
The lengthy straight streets and steps running up and down the length of the city are a site worth seeing in themselves. There are some amazing views across the harbours and up to the elaborate balconies and huge double doors that are ubiquitous in this country.
Suprisingly there are some beautiful parks dotted about the bastions that are ideal for relaxing in while you eat that delicious fresh slice of pizza and read your favorite book to the sound of the horses feet on the streets behind you.
2) Gozo.
A ferry ride to the little sister island will make for a very different day out.
Although a bit of a trek from the main tourist zone (about 2 hours travel time on the bus then ferry) it is well worth the effort. Not only do you get to see the country as you travel north, but Gozo is so very different. A world apart.
Set on a different soil, this is much more fertile and is so much less populated. Buses run for the locals here and the stores seem much more aimed at families and self catering rather than fast-food tourists! So it is more peaceful…..
There are also some delightful little coves here which we spent many hours in - hiding in a shaded cave overlooking the crystal clears Mediterranean waters where little boats bobbed past.
3) Mdina.
Just a short hop from the new capital to this ancient capital - and it is so much more peaceful.
Even though tourists visit here too, they tend to stick to the 1 main road through to the viewpoint where you can see Mt Etna on a clear day! All the other streets and the parks outside seem to be waiting for you to sit down and watch the little lizards scoot around the trees!
Just down the road from here are the famous catacombs where you can descend beneath the streets and wander around meters and meters of pathways carved out of the very earth. St Agatha’s tombs have great frescoes as well.
Worth a visit - but don’t plan for 2 weeks there unless you are sailing there on your own boat!
