A Trip to Malta

What Malta has to offer

Those who have already been to Malta say that every visitor is either enthusiastic about it or disappointed, but the longer one stays on the island, the more likely it is for them to fall in love with it. Not just because of the nice weather, the crystal-clear sea and the busy activities Malta offers to holiday-makers, but also because of its incredibly rich history and numerous cultural treasures. What, in my opinion, comes as a disappointment, though, is mostly the polluted part of the island due to the port, the hustle and bustle at the beaches and the bad traffic, as well as the way the Maltese drive through the already narrow streets. Lots of young people visit Malta through language schools, and even more decide to pick Malta as the destination for their senior trips.

The group of islands, the largest of which is Malta, followed by half as large Gozo and the exotic, yet uninhabited Comino, lies in the heart of the Mediterranean, approximately 100 kilometres south of Sicily and twice as much to the north of Tunisia. Main sea routes cross here, and Malta’s strategic location has always played an important role, so it had always been conquered by nations who wanted to extend their power. This resulted in the construction of massive fortresses and mighty walls that helped the brave Maltese in their chequered history to force numerous great nations to surrender. Catholic Arabs live here, driving on the left side of the road, which is the result of a hundred years of English rule. In 1964, Malta became independent. The island had already been inhabited in the prehistoric times, which is evidenced by the free-standing buildings that are the oldest in the world, and St. Paul was also shipwrecked on the island.

Just 15 kilometres west of Malta’s capital is St. Paul’s Bay with numerous small towns, such as Qawra and Buġibba, which are located around 20 kilometres from the airport. The Bay is full of mysterious caves and rocky beaches that also attract divers.

You can find cheap accommodation options in HI hostels, where HI members get 10% off bookings. Due to the island’s small size and great public transport connections, the location of your accommodation doesn’t really play an important role. We could ride in old buses without doors and with a right-side wheel in Malta.

Things to do in Malta

Beautiful sandy beaches, such as Golden Bay and Mellieha Bay, are very popular both with young people and families. Malta’s coastline is rugged, and most islands and their beaches have a rocky coast, making them quite different from the boring and monotonous sandy beaches around the world, and the sea floor makes for a true diver’s paradise. Typical features include rocky cliffs, hidden coves with sandy beaches and the always warm sea. All beaches are tourist-oriented, and there are plenty of opportunities for fun, recreation, sports...

When we had quenched our thirst for the sun and the sea after a few days, we went on a trip to Malta’s capital. Valletta is a beautiful city that was built by the Knights of Malta. Even though neglected for a long time, the city’s sumptuous architecture is now visible again in all its splendour. It’s surrounded by walls that was built by the crusaders in the mid-16th century. The Maltese are very proud of their capital city, as it’s the only city in Europe that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our route to Valletta took us through Mosta in the heart of the island, which boasts a famous church with one of the world’s largest domes. The planners of the 37-metre dome from 1860 took inspiration from the Roman Pantheon. It’s the third largest dome in Europe.

Places you need to visit in Malta

The next day, we continued exploring Malta. We arranged for a trip to the island of Gozo with a local tourist operator. If only I had known GetYourGuide back then, I could have accessed all the important information about the possible adventures, tours and trips with a few simple clicks... Hostelling International members also get 10% off each booking! It took us a half-an-hour ferry ride to arrive to the neighbouring island of Gozo which, according to an old legend, used to be the residence of the goddess Calypso. We also visited the cave where Calypso was said to have been keeping Odysseus for seven years using her love charms. The island’s cathedral was also worth visiting. The prices were cheaper there than on the island of Malta, the atmosphere was calmer, there was no tourist hustle and bustle, and the island also offers beautiful beaches, so, all in all, it felt nice to experience “the different side of Malta”.

Comino is another island situated between the islands of Malta and Gozo, and one we wanted to visit. This time, too, we went on a trip in the company of local guides, which was actually cheaper than choosing a Slovenian tourist agency. We went to the island by boat and sailed along the beautiful Maltese coastline. We soon reached our destination, the gorgeous small island of Comino. In Comino, we had time to enjoy ourselves and swim in the clean, turquoise waters. The island is known for its famous Blue Lagoon and its incredible blue colour, and it’s also the place where the eponymous movie was filmed. I really liked the island, even though I think there were as many people there as there were stones, which means we laid on our towels almost on top of each other. Maybe a little bit of shade could’ve come in handy as well, as there was none on the island.

Malta’s landscape is really gorgeous. Even in areas that become almost barren in the hot July and August become abundant in yellow daisies and lush vegetation later on. There are also a few olive tree plantations on the island.

We had enough opportunities to try the Maltese delicacies in numerous restaurants as well. In some places, the dishes are still prepared according to the recipes that originated in the olden days. The Maltese cuisine is very diverse. Dishes from the English, Italian, Arab and various other cuisines can be found on almost every menu. The array of fresh fish, vegetables and fruit is also vast. The traditional Maltese cuisine consists of soups, pasta, sea food and baked goods. The Maltese love all kinds of stuffed dishes, and their national dish is the rabbit stew (stuffat tal-fenek). Malta has a vibrant nightlife; the streets are lively and full of bars, pubs and discos.