Malta, 2019

We had long talked about visiting Malta, as we had heard great things from numerous people. We finally made it happen, and we were not disappointed!

The flight from Spain to Malta was uneventful, but we were surprised to find no evidence of Customs at the airport (there was on the way out – shades of Cambodia!). 

We grabbed a taxi (no Uber on Malta!) from the airport to our hotel, and it turned out to be quite the adventure. Our Taxi Driver displayed some rarely seen skills, in that he was able to navigate the busy streets and highways at break-neck speeds. One-handed. Whilst using the same hand to smoke a cigarette, tune his radio, and talk on his mobile phone. Simultaneously. 

Formula One should be looking to Malta for their drivers, I suggest.

Sliema

When we (gratefully) arrived at our Hotel in Sliema, it turned out to be really nice, helpful and friendly staff, and was just a few minutes walk (down a steep hill!) to the harbour of Sliema, which would be the base for our adventures around Malta!

Valetta

Across the bay from Sliema is the beautiful, vibrant city of Valetta! You can take the Ferry (about 15 minutes) or the Bus – about 2 hours. We got to know the Ferry very well!

Knights Hospitaller

A Catholic Military Order devoted to caring for the sick, poor and injured, they inhabited this wonderful old building!

War Museum

As the most-bombed area in World War II, the Maltese have a bit of a fascination with the war, and built this museum to display their artefacts.

Bugibba Bay

We walked through Bugibba Bay on our way to the Car Museum. VERY pretty!

Car Museum

My last Museum visit for the holiday 🙁 But it was a beauty.. A really nice little private collection, very well laid out with some very nice cars!

Floriana

Floriana is a fortified town just outside of Valetta!

The Cruise to Gozo

We took a day cruise over to Gozo, which is a very cool island off Malta.. Beautiful place!  

Gozo

We had a great day on Gozo, our guide was a real character, and had us in fits at times. He was also very knowledgeable, and took us to some great places! Many scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed on Gozo – which can you spot?

Blue Lagoon

Another fairytale setting, the Blue Lagoon is a breathtaking spot! Unfortunately we weren’t given the opportunity to explore the rest of the island (Comino) but it looked amazing!

Mosta

We’d heard a bit about Mosta and the story of the church with the unexploded bomb! The Church (called the Rotunda) is just stunning, and boasts one of the worlds’ largest unsupported domes. During WWI (when Malta was subjected to a massive bombing campaign by the Nazis) the church was full of people seeking refuge – and a bomb came in through the roof, hitting the floor and not exploding! There is a replica of the Bomb in the church, and the climb up to the walkway around the dome is very satisfying, providing magnificent views of the area.

Marsaxlokk

We heard from several locals that we should visit the fishing village of Marsaxlokk. So off we went! Another Bus adventure later, and we were free to wander around and take in the colourful sights. The local Ice Cream is great!

Rabat

Used for numerous scenes in Game of Thrones, we had to visit Rabat! And it was definitely worth the bother, an amazing place to finish our trip!