A few days in Malta OCT 2022

We stayed three nights in Malta prior to sailing across the Medterranean to Spain. I wanted to be close to Valletta, where we would sail from and chose to stay in Conspicua, or Bormla, which with Birgu and Senglea, is one of the Three Cities, located within the Grand Harbour to the east of the capital city. It is a very steep and high-density, with ancient buildings stacked up against, and on top of, each other, a place with lots of steps and narrow winding one-way streets. Not suitable for those of limited mobility but fascinating in all of its nooks and crannies. On the water too it is jam-packed with boats and ships of all shapes and sizes, from slick modern super-yachts to rowing boats, with fishing boats and traditional water-taxis zipping back and forth and all around shore there are locals fishing with lines and nets and waterside bars and restaurants to watch the world go by: this place lives on the water! We stay at the Boco Boutique, a small lovingly restored town-house with only 6 rooms, each room is different and ours has a terrace with views over the stacked buildings and across to the Grand Harbour: it’s a quirky place with lots of art on display, and a panoramic lounge on the top floor with an honesty bar and basic kitchen kit: microwave, toaster, kettle, coffee-maker, fridges etc. We like it here. Conspicua has a half-hourly ferry into the heart of Valletta, with a lift up to the Upper Barraka Gardens where the saluting battery has been used for firing ceremonial gun salutes since 16th century and now fires 8 working replicas at 12 noon and 4pm each day, from here it’s an easy walk to just about anywhere in this tiny, crowded, historically rich city. Tthere’s something here for all tastes, with fascinating archaelogical treasures, WW2 artifacts and stories, heritage buildings and museums, with trades from unique craft shops to sleek universal chain stores, even an M&S! From the terrace of our hotel we can see the cruise terminal in Valletta, it hosts ships of all sizes from massive multi-storey modern ships holding thousands of passengers down to our tiny traditional 4-mast barquentine with its maximum 172 guests, huge passenger ferries also go from here to Sicily - an impressive sight when they steam out of the harbour dwarfing everything around them. On our last day we get a taxi to the terminal and store our luggage, in preparation for boarding Star Flyer in the afternoon to set sail that evening across the Med to Malaga. A final lunch in the city and then we say farewell to Valletta - a marvellous place for a short break and only a 3- hour flight from the UK.