Making Memories in Malta
I visited Malta in September 2017 visiting both the main island of Malta as well as its sister islands of Gozo and Comino, which are a short ferry ride away. September is a lovely time to visit the country as it is sunny, warm, and dry at this time of year, the average temperature starts off at 25.5°C at the beginning of the month and gradually drops to 23°C during the final few days.
Flying time from London is just over 3 hours and when we visited, the arrival airport was appeared organised, immigration was easy. Our transfer company was waiting for us just outside of customs, took care of our luggage and took us to the lovely Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa which is situated in San Anton, just by the botanical gardens and Presidential Palace. A good location for exploring the islands but also to relax and wind down.
Our first day took us to St John’s Co-Cathedral. The fabulous interior is one of the best examples of baroque style in Europe which for those of us with a love of history and art was a double delight! After a delicious lunch, in the afternoon we visited the Upper Barrakka Gardens, a stunning public garden in Valletta. The gardens offer an amazing panoramic view of the Grand Harbour which date back to 1661. Afterwards, we took a water taxi to view the “Three Cities” which consist of Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua which form part of the old quarter of Malta. The winding streets, small shops, cafes, and artisan stores are a definite “must see” and being right next to the waterfront, we were able to admire the collection of millionaire’s yachts docked harbourside whilst sipping our refreshments.
Another attraction we visited during our stay were the Catacombs of St Paul, which I must admit I found a little scary. The tunnels leading down to the crypts are extremely small and although the tour is escorted, it is certainly not for the faint hearted; I turned around and waited outside for my group but if you like things spooky, you will love this attraction!
My favourite event of the 5-day trip was a visit around Mdina on a Segway which I had never ridden on before. Eight of us following each other around narrow streets trying not to fall off or break the speed limit was hilarious. Mdina is one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city and unusual in its mix of medieval and Baroque architecture and at night it is lit up with lights and nicknamed “The Silent City”.
Malta is not all history and culture. There are some lovely beaches albeit mostly pebbled however there are some which are sand at Mellieha and St Pauls which can get busy in the summer months.
No trip to Malta should miss a visit to the famous Blue Grotto which is a complex of caves reached by water boat. Once inside, the water is clear bright blue when the sand from below is reflected up to the caves. It is a camera moment but be careful not to drop it as the water is deep. It is a great place for divers and many of the visitors were adorning their masks and flippers.
On day 4 we took the ferry across to Gozo where there are more shops, cafes, hotels, apartments, villas, and history. It really was a bustling little place, and I could easily have stayed longer as it was very peaceful and relaxed despite some crowds getting off the ferry.
We did lots of things I had never done before such as the Segway tour, Quad Biking and driving a golf cart around the Old Quarter! Malta offers so many activities and accommodation options in all price ranges and I would love to return to make some more memories. If you like the idea of a Malta short break do get in touch to see how I can help you plan a visit.