Recently John and I took a few days out to visit Malta. One of my bucket list items is to visit every European capital so it was time to tick Valletta off the list. FYI there are 51 capitals in Europe and so far, I’ve visited 16 – quite a long way to go! Mainly Eastern European and Baltic capitals however. Think I need to take more holidays LOL.
Why holiday in Malta
Just a short three-hour journey from London lies a destination that may feel like a home away from home. In some aspects, it might even seem very familiar. The Maltese drive on the left, just like at home. Everyone speaks English and you buy beer in pints. No need to take plug adapters either, they use UK plugs. Temperatures don’t get unbearably hot – July is the hottest month with temperatures around 27 degrees. January is the coldest at around 13 degrees – so warmer than the UK.
History
With monuments older than Stonehenge, Malta has a long history. Its strategically placed in the Med and that means it was a much-desired location. The Knights of St John were the rulers of the island from 1530 until 1798. They inspired much growth on the island, as well encouraging the arts and architecture. One of the cultural highlights is the Caravaggio painting in the Cathedral. There are several forts in Valletta protecting the city and these proved very successful against various invaders, especially the Ottomans. Napoleon landed in Malta in 1798, on the pretext of wanting fresh water and held the island until 1800. The island became a British colony in 1813 and gained independence in 1964, remaining a member of the Commonwealth. King 
George Vl awarded the island the George Cross in 1942 in recognition of their heroic struggle against the German invasion. The island was effectively under siege until May 1943.
Food
As you might expect, fish and seafood form a big part of local cuisine. Other delicacies include rabbit and horsemeat. There’s a big Italian influence here though as Malta is close to Italy – so you’ll find lots of pasta dishes too. As we were in Valletta mainly, one of the big pleasures was to sit outside in a square with a coffee watching the world go by. Lots of little bars and cafes in the side streets – especially on the eastern side of the city on steep stairs leading down to the Grand Harbour.
Top 10 things to do
- Caravaggio’s painting “Beheading of St. John the Baptist” is located in the Oratory in the Co-Cathedral of St John. The painting has been restored and looks like there are lights shining on parts of it, but in fact it is just the brilliance of the artist. After you’ve viewed the painting, go upstairs to “meet Caravaggio”. There’s a display of some other
works of his. There are also displays showing the detail of some areas of the work – made more obvious from the restoration. The floor of the Cathedral is unique as it is filled with marble tombstones. Each of the Knights designed their own tombstone, showing off how religious and caring they were (even if that wasn’t true). Makes for a very colourful floor 
Brewhouse visit. On the bus route from Valletta to Mdina, about half way along, you’ll come to the Brewhouse. We thought it might not be the right place as it was very quiet, however I guess unless there is a coach party turning up, it will be. But it is a great tour, with your own audio guide so you go at your own pace. The tour covers the history of the brewery and how it changed over the past 100 or so years – no views of the brewery at work. At the end of the tour, possibly a highlight is a trip to their rooftop bar. As part of your ticket, you get a pint of beer or a beer flight. We opted for the beer flight and a good chat with the barman (we were the only ones there). Very good value.- Blue Grotto – disclaimer, we didn’t actually make it down there. The bus drops passengers opposite the viewing area and then you go back to the main road and
turn left down the hill to the village where the boats leave from. The water was very choppy as it was still windy, so we stuck to the view, rather than the boat trip that takes you through the caves. - Harbour cruise. Leaving from Sliema (in our case) and taking a cruise out to the lighthouse before turning into the Grand Harbour. There are several creeks
within the harbour itself, and the boat takes you round each. Great views of Valletta from all directions from the sea. Takes around 90 minutes. As you can tell from the photo – it was a very windy day and probably the last cruise that day due to weather conditions (it was a bit bouncy as we headed out to sea to turn into the Grand Harbour. - Walking tour of Valletta – takes around 2.5-3 hours. Great way to see the capital and learn more about its history. Our guide took us around the route at a pace to suit the group. It was excellent value for money, booked through Viator.
Gun salute – every day at noon and 4pm, plus selected cruise ship sailings get a salute. Get there in plenty of time or you won’t see anything, the railing above the guns (in the Upper Barrakka Gardens) gets very busy – less so for the late afternoon salute. You can also visit the Saluting Battery, War Tunnels and Museum.- Mdina – the former capital. Its history goes back 4000 years and its rumoured that St Paul lived here, after his shipwreck. We were there on a cool and windy day, but the views from the walls are beautiful and you can see most of the island as you move around. Lots of beautiful buildings to enjoy and little cafes tucked away in small alleyways.
- Rabat is the town next door to Mdina – a modern town, but still with archaeological and historical sites to discover.
- Take a boat trip to Comino. It is great for diving through caves. The island is uninhabited. Definitely visit the Blue Lagoon Beach but visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds.
- Gozo is around 20 minutes or so by ferry and much quieter than the main island. Like Malta, it has its own fortified city with Victoria. Smaller and intriguing to visit.
Where to stay – City break or beach break?
We treated our recent trip as a city break as we get bored easily on a sunlounger! There are some hotels in the walled city of Valletta but we stayed just outside – just a 15 minute uphill walk to the City Gate. Means you’re away from the noise – live music at weekends can keep you awake if you’re not a nightbird. However, the city has lots of hotels away from the hustle and bustle of the centre. The island doesn’t have a lot of sandy beaches, be aware that some are manmade beaches. Resorts are modern, with good facilities within hotels and around the area. Malta has become a great place for nightlife – Paceville in St Julians is the main hub here. Other areas tend to focus on bars and restaurants for night-time entertainment.
Top Tips
Check when cruise ships are moored in Valletta – the city and popular attractions like Mdina and the Blue Grotto get really busy, so choose another day for your sightseeing. Us
e a website like this to check – https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/valletta-port-724
The bus network is good and comprehensive. Get a bus map online from https://www.publictransport.com.mt/en/news-details/malta-public-transport-route-map However check the timetable – the bus from Valletta to the Blue Grotto is just once an hour. Research your things to do and match them to the bus timetable
There are various sightseeing buses which take you round either the southern or northern parts of the island. This is a great way to see lots of places quickly but you’ll probably need a 48 hour ticket to see (almost) everything. Each bus trip costs 2 euros 50 and the day ticket costs 6 euros.
There is a bar called The Pub just round the corner from the Grand Master’s Palace. This is a very traditional British bar and where actor Oliver Reed challenged some British sailors to a drinking competition. Unfortunately, this resulted in his death, please don’t try his last bar tab! On his last night, Ollie was said to have downed eight pints of lager, some rum and whisky, won an arm-wrestling contest and insisted on paying for the round. The Pub is a cosy bar inside, with seating upstairs as well and seats outside. Very friendly.
Ready to try a break in Malta – city or beach, or maybe both in the same trip? Just call me or send me a message on Whatsapp