A 8 day trip to Malta was my birthday present from Debeli and it was the Most Anprepared Leisure Trip Aver.
We just got back from Christmas holidays in Croatia and form some reason I didn’t think too much about it, in a way of planning and organizing. I was expecting extremely warm weather, got some tips from friends that have been in Malta in summer, and expected the tings to sort out itself.
And that was the biggest mistake ever.
Combined with all present climate and weather changes the first few days in Valletta were windy, rainy and freezing cold. As I did not pack adequately for M that hopped in every puddle along the way, and they were numerous as the streets are cracked, we ended up taking a bus to the suburbs to get wellies for the kid.
Later we found out, from the locals, that winter was the most unusual ever, even for them. They have never experienced such strong winds in that period of the year. Thank you climate change.
Anyway, when we got the wellies, our tensions broke and started to enjoy the city and once the sun appeared it was actually nice. 😉
Republic of Malta is the most southern EU member and it’s actually two islands combining one country, where the smaller islands, Comino and Gozo, are very popular summer beach destinations.
Numerous temples scattered around the island are witness to the early settlement of Malta, and it’s geographic position on the crossing of the trade routes between East, South and West have left permanent mark in local culture, food and language.
Together with English, the Maltese language is one of the two official languages on the in island and it is such an incredible mixture of Italian and Arabic.
One of the most impeccable things to notice the color of the island. It is oh so very beige.
The buildings and landscape are dominated by local globigerina limestone, a soft, pale-yellow or golden-beige stone used for construction that pictures Malta as a blank coloring book ready to be drawn. Under the warm sun the beige color brightness even more, just as we had the chance to witness our cruise between the Three Cities and during the visit to Mdina.
The fortified city of Mdina was the island’s capital from antiquity to the medieval period and it’s interesting that the city has not spread beyond its ancient walls, counting today a population of just 250 inhabitants.
Upon arrival to Malta we rented a car, as we were planning to take some trips outside the city, however during our stay in Valletta, there was no need for it as the public transport works quite decent.
Valletta is the capital of Malta, a large commercial and a port center of the island. With abundance of historical sites, dating from 16th to 18th century and a size of just 0.6 square kilometers, it is very much an open air museum . Wherever you go, and you can transverse the city in just half an hour, you will stumble upon a palace, church or fortification of some kind .
My biggest obsession were the hanging balconies and colorful doors. The iconic gallariji are enclosed wooden structures painted in vibrant colors built for privacy & fresh air blending Arab (muxrabija) and baroque styles.
Malta has been renowned for being a film set location for a 1980 musical staring Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall. Located in the Ancor Bay the, Popeye Village, also known as Sweethaven Village, was built on purpose and later converted into a fun park, consisting of a rustic wooden buildings used for filming. Today the village operated year around with employed actors that imitate scenes from the movie. We thought this would be per our toddler likening but he was not impressed as much as I was. No wonder for his boredom as he still didn’t get to know the Popeye cartoon.
The aquarium and the science center and loads of ice cream were more of his kind.
Esplora Interactive Science Centre offers hands-on science and tech exhibits, with a planetarium and educational theater programs. It was a great way to entertain our toddler or let him entertain himself. Running around, stacking puzzles or riding a bike was the highlight for him.
Many of the cities on Malta have that ancient charm, however the cities on the north western coast of the island, like St. Pauls Bay and St Julian’s are major residential and commercial areas with shopping centers, bars, restaurants, night clubs and gigantic tower buildings. Total opposite of the historic charm of Valletta. And total opposite feeling to it. Especially in the winter when deserted, absent of tourist and all the fun that follows it.
Out of season means fewer restaurants open or different opening hours, however we did not starve and we had some decent food. All except the bad experience at St Peters Bay. But that will be in another post to read about it. Stay tuned!
