Malta 2023

Photo by Silviu Alexandru Avram

Who would have thought that Malta during August is so hot and humid? If you voted "not Silviu", congratulations, 10 points to Gryffindor.

I can't say Malta was on my bucket list this year, or for the next few years. But hey, I could say the same for Perugia and Oslo, and look how that went. For lack of better words, 2023 has been spontaneous in terms of travelling. And it's only just September.

But back to the island in question. For such a small place, Malta is packed with things to do. Wondering through narrow streets in the old towns of Valletta and Mdina? Checked. Eating seafood on the waterfront of Marsaxlokk? Checked. Going for a boat ride to ... anywhere, really? Not checked, but you always need a reason to come back, right? Well, I don't know, it may be so, since I never got to see the Last Supper and I've been to Milan three times already. The 4th time's a charm, as they say.

But back to the island in question, again. We only got to see a handful of places, true, but the trip was really short to begin with. And that wasn't actually the worst part. Who would have thought that Malta during August is so hot and humid? If you voted "not Silviu", congratulations, 10 points to Gryffindor.

And, just like that, my list has ran out of complaints.

Valletta

The old city is just so beautiful, authentic and unique. I had a feeling that the whole scenery there just fits the place perfectly. The only other city where I had this same feeling is Venice. There was nothing out of place, the hustle and bustle seemed so natural, and it was so easy to blend in. I felt that everyone had something to do no matter what their purpose or personality. There were sights to see, ice cream to eat, Starbucks to enjoy, speciality coffee shops to enjoy arrogantly, stores to shop, restaurants to eat out and bars to drink. We did most of these things, as there was no more free space in our bags to buy and pack anything extra.

Valletta Sea View	Valletta Street

First things first. The entrance to the old city is spectacular. The Triton Fountain, followed by the City Gate, is Valletta's way of saying that it was worth the effort. And it's not just all mouth and no trousers. Once inside the city, you feel like you're in another world in another century. As I already mentioned above, it felt unique, and that everything blends in with the island. Our hotel was just between the city gate and the main attaction, St. John's Co-Cathedral. Sadly, we had to postpone going inside, since there was a queue already in front of the church when we arrived, and melting in the sun waiting was a bit extreme for us. From the outside, though, the cathedral is imposing, but it is said that the interior is way better. Top of the list for the next trip, I guess.

What the city lacks is the amount of trees and shade, given the general lack of real estate. Consequently, the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens feel like a couple of oases on the outskirts of the desert. There are some larger parks near the old city as well, like the Mall or the Argotti Botanic Gardens, just in case you need more greenery. There are, of course, more sites to visit in Valletta, but we tried not to rush for a full day of attractions, given the fact that we also planned to visit Mdina during the second part of the day. What definitely won our hearts was the Valletta architecture, with warm honey limestone buildings boasting ornamental balconies known as gallarija.

Upper Barrakka Gardens	The Triton Fountain

I strongly recommend a couple of places to go while in Valletta. Firstly, if you enjoy cocktails as much as me, definitely check out Kamy Cocktail Bar, and try some of their own trademark cocktails. The standard ones are not that impressive, or maybe my Margarita is just out of this world. The owner of place is a proud Liverpool fan and has a good taste in music, apart from the fact that he knows his cocktails. And secondly, if you're in love with coffe like myself, try Coffee Circus Lisboa, for great speciality coffee and Pasteis de Nata. Their cold brew is fantastic. The Pasteis, I've had better, but only in Lisbon. Which reminds me of my upcoming Lisbon trip, and I'm going to be all over those cakes.

Mdina and Rabat

Famous for the castle, the narrow streets and the blue door on Instagram, Mdina is a must see. The nearby Rabat is also quite nice, as it shares the narrow streets theme with its fortified neighbour. We explored the cities during the second part of the first day and it was just so much better outside. I believe the air is not as humid there, otherwise I cannot explain why it felt significantly better than the capital. The towns are also a short ride by bus from Valletta, plus there is always the cab option. The buses have air con, and the Ubers are not expensive at all, which helps a lot if your itinerary involves a lot of moving around.

Mdina Street View	Mdina Blue Door

The famous blue door is not the only picturesque spot in Mdina. There are other colorful doors as well. And the buildings are also well maintained and tastefully built. It's the kind of place where James Bond would get away from his job with Madelaine. Just go through the gate with the Aston, drive casually by St. Paul's Cathedral, park outside the house near Wesgha Ta' Sant' Agata, grab ice cream, and enjoy life. Speaking of the cathedral, we happened across a wedding there, and we waited to see the bride as it brings good fortune.

The Three Cities and Marsaxlokk

The second day was hotter than the first, so we made the obvious decision and went for a walk to the Three Cities. Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua are also a must see while in Malta, and they are only a short bus ride away from the capital, just across the Valletta harbour. We got off in Cospicua and went by foot towards Senglea until we reached its northern end and the Safe Heaven Gardens. There are quite a few scenic spots here, where we could admire Valletta in all its splendor. Senglea is particularly beautiful and has a romantic gateaway kind of vibe, with small boutique hotels, restaurants by the waterfront filled with boats, big and small, old and new.

The third city, Vittoriosa, is actually the peninsula next to Senglea, boasting the impressive Fort St. Angelo, the fortified city of Birgu and its harbour full of luxury yacths and super boats. The walk was very relaxing, and if the weather would have been cooler, I think it would have been absolotely perfect. Not sure if I mentioned this, but maybe not go to Malta in the summer. We went for a coffee break at the Cafe Riche and then ordered a Bolt to Marsaxlokk.

Senglea Harbour	Marsaxlokk Harbour

This small fishing town on the Western Malta coast is a great place to go for dinner and enjoy a fish or a seafood course right next to the sea. The harbour offers great views, but this time it's mostly filled with fishing boats rather than luxury yachts. There is also one of those big LNG ships anchored here, and it's quite visible from the shore. It's the first time I've seen one in real life, and I immediately recognised it, due to its recent popularity. As the sun set, we went for dinner, then took a walk to the beach, and in the end waited for the bus to Valletta and called it a day.

Final Thoughts

Malta is a great place and I am super happy to have been there. Without a doubt it deserves at least one more visit, since it has so much more to offer. There's also the Blue Grotto, the town of Zurrieq, the catamaran ride to the Blue Lagoon, the megalithic temples and the list continues. Apart from the weather in the summer, there was absolutely no inconvenience whatsoever, there is always something to do, somewhere to go, public transport is great and overall it's not very expensive. Definitely a place worth checking out, by all means.