Our first night in the breathtaking country of Malta (named 2018’s Capital of Culture) consisted of a quick introduction to our Valletta waterfront villa by our AirBnb Host, Steve.
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As I’m sure most of you already know, AirBnb is AMAZING and provides you with the unique ability to live amongst the locals.
The villa sat above the famous Scoglitti Restaurant, specializing in fresh seafood. Had we done enough research prior to arriving we absolutely would have made reservations for this spot, however, it was completely booked EVERY single night we were there! So if you’re a fan of upscale seafood, be sure to call a week or two ahead and make your reservation (p.s. this place is $$).
The villa itself was in a great location with unbeatable views. About a ten-minute walk to the city center (the walk from the waterfront to the city is straight hill btw, but so it the rest of Malta), the location is just private enough. Obviously my favorite part of the villa was the rooftop deck. The pictures speak for themselves…a private pool and hot tub overlook Fort Manoel across the water and the breathtaking architecture of the city outskirts to your right. Oh, and you can literally walk thirty seconds to catch the Sliem ferry (located right outside Scoglitti Restaurant) for just a €1.50 ride!
Heads up…if you’re anything like me (a bit of a neat freak) take a second to realize this property dates back to the Knights of St. John. Character screams from every stone, but so do tinnnyy little chips of limestone that break off with the slightest touch. Although historic, flaunting arched doorways and wooden beams, its owners did a fantastic job of transforming the once WWII laboratory barrack into a comfortable, modern villa.
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Also keep in mind that one of the four bedrooms is extremely isolated from the rest – it has a separate entrance from the rest of the house and connects directly to the rooftop deck. This being said, the large communal space (made of up a spacious living room, dinning room and kitchen) is super convenient if you have a large group. We spent countless nights snacking on fresh Maltese cheese platters and downing LaTorre before dinner.
While organizing our trip we continuously heard people say we’d be bored spending more than two days on the tiny Maltese Islands…this couldn’t be FURTHER from the truth. At the end of our ten-day trip we realized we hadn’t completed anywhere close to all there was to do and see. So, before anyone judges this typical cruise stop, don’t! You’ll be amazed at the amount of time you can spend aimlessly walking the stone streets. Keep in mind the city of Valletta itself feels much like an island. You can walk the entire perimeter in just a couple of day excursions; however, you won’t want to rush it. Gozo is an entirely separate island in itself (we’ll get to that later). Let's break it down.
One of my favorite day trips was to the Blue Grotto. Off the South-East coast you can hop on a traditional Maltese fishing boat (they depart from the tiny harbor of Wied iż-Å»urrieq) for an easy €8.00 per person. If the idea of a traditional Maltese fishing boat isn’t enough to entice you, how about this ADORABLE local captain?
The unparalleled beauty of the Grotto brings in over 100,000 visitors per year, however, we were lucky enough to be the only boat in the water. This may have been due to the choppy af waves coming in from an upcoming storm, but the partial seasickness was well worth it.
CRYSTAL. CLEAR. BLUE. HEAVEN.
The Barrakka Gardens are made up of upper and lower segments that offer unique panoramic views of the Grand Harbour. If for no other reason than to take in the view of the Three Cities (Cospicua, Vittoriosa, and Senglea), visit the Gardens.
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Unless you’re a history buff or have a secret love for saluting ceremonies, I would suggest skipping the €3.00 Saluting Battery, which takes place on the lower garden. The ceremony itself lasted under five minutes, and to be quite frank with you I didn’t realize the cannon fired until the audience began clapping. This being said, the view from the lower garden is astonishing and actually quite different from what you see from the upper garden. Another bonus, there is an adorable cat that roams around the ceremony grass! The view and the cat made it worth the €3.00, the cannon, not so much.
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*P.S. That's a Be Bottle! (@be_bottles)
obviously a cat photobombed
Speaking of cats, both Malta and Gozo are FILLED with them. They love to roam the stone streets of Malta and Gozo’s Ramla L-Hamra Beach, in particular. More on this later.
Chances are you’ll want to visit the Three Cities after taking in the view from the Barrakka Gardens. Rather than take the Three Cities Ferry from Valetta over, we opted for a private Luzzu (colorful Maltese fisherman boat) that dropped us directly on Vittoriosa’s marina waterfront. You can catch one of these adorable rides on Valetta’s waterfront at the bottom of the Barrakka Lift and directly across from the Three Cities.
Vittoriosa is a maze of narrow streets and alleys. The initial site of the marina is gorgeous and makes you want marry one of the multi-million dollar yacht daddy’s. Just kidding…kind of. Unfortunately we were BEAT by the time we made it over so we stayed relatively close to the waterfront and didn’t explore the inland of the city too much.
On the other side of Valetta (literally steps away from our villa) you can catch the quick ferry to Sliema (Northeast coast of Malta). The promenade lines the coast and although beautiful, it is typically packed with joggers/tourists. We spent quite some time along the promenade and my final opinion isn’t the most favorable of Sliema. The city doesn’t have the same charm as Valletta, and quite frankly it seems like any other city. If you’re pressed for time, don’t stress visiting Sliema.
Gozo is a beast all in its own. We spent a full day on a Gozo Jeep Tour, which picked us up from our villa, drove North to the ferry, trekked us to the most famous sites on the island, and returned us home.
If you have time to spare, have your guide stop at Popeye Village (along the coast of Anchor Bay) on your way to the ferry. If the sun shines right, the bay water is the most beautiful aqua-blue. Know as a place “for the young and the young at heart”, the village is filled with colorful houses and a Disney-like representation of the 1980 film, Popeye.
Back to the cats! Ramla L-Hamra Beach, located on the North coast of Gozo, is largely untouched by man. Aside from a few snack trucks, the orange-sand beach is surrounded by nothing but rocky cliffs. Cats of literally every breed roam around where the sand meets the grass, and love to wait for scraps from the food trucks. Obviously this didn’t stop me, but our guide was very grossed out every time I pet a cat. Whatever.
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Some quick stops that deserve mention are the saltpans, ancient limestone quarries, and Azure Window. Just past Obajjar Bay and west of Marsalforn, the north coast of Gozo is covered with 350-year-old saltpans, used in the centuries-old Gozitan tradition of producing sea-salt. I’d bet you haven’t seen something like this before, and most likely won’t anytime soon, so it’s worth the stop.
By now you’re familiar with the look of limestone – the streets, churches, edifices, and just about everything else are constructed using this popular Maltese mineral. Malta is literally known as “a country shaped by limestone.” If this is of any interest to you, check out one of the limestone quarries. You’ll see both the natural shapes of the enormous limestone (if you can find where the water meets the mineral, the sea-glass sort of design is super cool), as well as the process the locals take to extract the stone from the earth.
When you stop at one of the Azure Window lookout points, chances are you’ll be standing on one of those limestone cliffs. LOOK AT YOUR FEET! The cliffs are covered with fossil imprints of marine organisms. Unfortunately, the once-famous sea-arch collapsed in March of 2017 due to heavy storms. The view is still breathtaking, but the arch itself can only be seen on a Maltese postcard, in Game of Thrones, or under the water. Divers now consider the arch to be one of the hottest dive sites in the Mediterranean.
Speaking of scuba diving – there are countless opportunities along the coastlines to explore the ocean. If you’ve never been, Susie’s Pool is a good place to start. Located back on Malta at the northernmost corner, Susie’s Pool connects to Cirkewwa, one of the most visited sites in Malta. A set of steps leads you into the pool, where your instructors will walk you through the basics. If you’re a bit more advanced, sign up to check out Cirkewwa – you won’t be disappointed. Although the colors and marine life aren’t as mesmerizing as other sites may be, the experience is nonetheless one to remember. About half way through the dive I found a conch shell (I think…) the size of two of my heads. The color of the shell was a vibrant purple and was completely in tact (with some big ass clam thing living in there) – by far the largest I’ve ever seen.
Last key point on the island of Gozo was The Citadel. The stone architecture in the pictures above speaks for itself.
Last, and MOST important….FOOD! The Maltese food is a delicious mix of Mediterranean and Italian (literally two of my favorites). I don’t eat meat or seafood, so I definitely missed out on some of the more eclectic meals, however, a girl can never get enough pasta & gelato.
So let’s start with the daily intake of gelato. Heads up – if you’re looking for a calorie-friendly destination, keep looking. Our favorite late-night snack quickly became a MUST after dinner. Amorino, located on the main strip, Triq Ir-Repubblika, was TO DIE FOR. This Italian gelato manufacturer specializes in the classy, Insta-worthy gelato cones, however, I’m all for the basic cup of heaven. One scoop of Dulce de leche (caramel) and one of Nocciola Tonda e Gentile (basically Nutella) did the trick. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Our breakfasts and lunches varied day-to-day. There are adorable, delicious cafes on every corner. You really can’t go wrong. Dinner is another story. Three restaurants in particular stuck out to our entire group.
Pastaus is one of the best, if not THE best, pasta stops on the island. This tiny, vibrant-colored restaurant on Old Theatre Street features a display of homemade pasta; simply walk up to the counter, pick out your pasta and sauce, and anxiously wait. I recommend the homemade Pesto or Cacio e Pepe, however, the meat-eaters in the group vote for the Amatriciana. Don’t be discouraged by the packed, tiny front – the wait is well worth it.
Next up is Cockney’s Restaurant, located a few steps from the Sliema Ferry on Triq II-Lanca. Although Cockney’s is known for their seafood, their singular vegetarian meal, Risotto, was MOUTH WATERING. Our second time visiting, half of the group ordered this dish over the meat and seafood entrees! That says something. Possibly more delicious than the risotto was the array of deserts, specifically, the Banoffee Pie. The most precise combination of toffee and banana flavors paired with a graham crust like no other. I realize I’m describing this as though it was pure magic…because it was. We contemplated replacing our carryon luggage with an entire Banoffee Pie. It was THAT good.
Last but not least is Sciacca Grill. Similar to Pastaus, Sciacca sports a walk-up display of meat for your choosing. Your waiter will talk you through your options of starters and entrees, much like a living menu. The atmosphere is very high-end, yet extremely comfortable ($$$). Their wine selection is superb, offering everything from the local LaTorre to a $2,000 bottle of the good stuff. The staff, including the chef, was one of the most attentive I’ve experienced. The walk-up structure allows you to interact directly with the head chef, who will clarify any questions you have. As probably the singular vegetarian they’ve seen walk into their steak grill, they generously offered the chef’s special Risotto with asparagus and goat cheese. I normally HATE goat cheese. DETEST it. Not sure if they have different goats roaming around this island, but it was one of the best flavors I’ve tasted.
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Needless to say, the Maltese Islands were one of my favorite trips thus far. The historical, European style architecture pairs with the Mediterranean to provide the best of both an island and a city. Whether you’re looking for relaxation or adventure, you can’t go wrong. Unfortunately we did not have enough time to visit Comino Island or a hypogeum, but I will be back to do both. Thanks for having us, Malta.
