Travel to Malta: 5 places to visit, 5 interesting facts, 5 tips

5 great places to visit in Malta:

1. Valletta

There are more beautiful cities than Valletta, but none quite like it. You can't take this one by storm. Imagine a 16-storey building dug into the ground, with only a monumental 3-4 storey top sticking out on the surface. This is approximately how the fortress city looks today from the side of the central gate. On the other three sides, the sandy, but still strong walls of the city, melded with the rock, are washed by the sea. The width of the walls is as impressive as the height. The width was enough to pave a two-lane highway along the fortress ridge. There are several pretty square parks against the wall, of which the most well-maintained are the Barraca Gardens - there are Upper and Lower Gardens

The landscape inside is a separate song. Going deep into the core of Valletta, it is as if you are falling into the crater of a man-made volcano. The walls are its shell. Streets - furrows, then smoothly, then steeply descending to the central depression. And in 10 minutes you are already at the bottom of the stone funnel, from where the sky is the size of a sheepskin. This effect is especially felt somewhere at the intersection of Old Bakery and Old Theater. Yeah, and the neighboring intersections, too.

In general, Valletta is a bit disheveled. But Saint John's Co-Cathedral is as opulent as not only the Vatican, but Eldorado itself. All that was gained by hard labor in the Crusades, the knights invested in their temple. Inside, the gilded Maltese crosses twitch the eye. To recoup their investment, tourists are now charged 10 euros per entry.

At the back of the cathedral, on Triq Il-Merkanti, you can get a fairly tasty meal at reasonable prices at Luciano's Restaurant. An added bonus is that the waiters are a whole brigade of waiters, either from Slovakia or Slovenia. And they are more prompt in their service than the never hurried native Maltese.

For memorable acquaintance with Malta we recommend to go on excursion "Welcome to Malta!", where you will not be bored with historical facts, but only plunge into the real, modern life of the Maltese.

2. Mdina

There is no sea here at all. Mdina rises beautifully right in the center of the island, like the navel of this tiny land. Or the birthmark of the Maghreb on Malta's Christian face. In fact, the Arabs have left their mark all over the country, but somewhere only a light dash of their touch remains, and in Mdina their former presence is very tangible. The thin ditches of the streets, the rumbling, trampled sidewalk, the bougainvillea bush that has a dead grip on the white wall - Mdina is called one of the most beautiful cities in Malta.

It's empty. Only faded signs hint that someone lives here: no noise, no entry, no disturbance for the next 500 years. But what people. The entire population of Mdina is 400 - including cats.

The common people moved to Rabat a long time ago. It's a neighboring town - just across the road. In Rabat, life is booming, if you can say that about the relaxed Maltese lifestyle. Old men on porches drinking coffee and playing checkers, from the bakeries smells of hot pastries, from the catacombs - dampness. Rabat has well-preserved dungeons where the first Christians, particularly St. Paul, gathered. Now it is a museum object. True, the schedule of its work, as our experience showed, is observed very conditionally. The castles met us an hour before the official closing time. Therefore, there are more chances to get into the catacombs if you come here in the first half of the day.

But you won't go hungry in deserted Mdina. Stores and restaurants are all open. We liked Rosmarino near Palazzo Falzon on Triq IL Villegaignon. The place is very conveniently located: one room is a patio in a stone tube without a roof, with a fountain and vases - fresh, pleasant, relaxing; the second is a regular indoor room; the third is a terrace on the city wall, where in 5 minutes you will die from the exhausting heat, enjoying the unrivaled view.

3. Bugibba

Bugibba is just a resort, not an antiquities shop. In a good way. Not overloaded with big hotels - that's the prerogative of neighboring Aura. Not too youthful and disco - for that go to Paceville. In Bugibba on the promenade, pensioners light up. Charleston or foxtrot - who can tell? In the other direction is a health trail with street exercise equipment. Very close by is the bay where, according to legend, St. Paul landed when his ship was wrecked. The sunsets here are especially beautiful. Rectangular tubs carved into the stone shore are often found. They are not spas - ancient Romans boiled sea salt in them. In general, the city has everything for a pleasant pastime, even a few sandy beaches, which is rare for Malta. Since Bugibba is also one of the largest bus hubs in the country, it has excellent transportation links with all the sights, the capital and the airport.

When looking for food in Bugibba, I recommend going to San Antin Street. This is one of the rays from the center patch. The further away from the center, the lower the prices and tastier the food. On the way you can stock up on delicious ice cream in gelateria Sottozero, and at the end of the street (bar De Niro) in general cooked mostly for their own. But they won't chase away a tourist either.

4. Mosta

On the way from Bugibba to Mdina, it's worth getting off at Mosta. A single bus ticket is valid for 120 minutes, and there is only one thing to see in the city - the Rotunda. But it's a must. The Rotunda is a huge colonnaded church in Mosta with the third largest dome in the world after Rome and London. Inside, you'll be shown the place where a German bomb hit in World War II. It got stuck in the wall but didn't explode. There were several thousand worshippers in the church at the time. Their prayers worked. The Rotunda looks most spectacular in the evening illumination. The light seems to stream from inside, from under the dome.

Next to the nearest bus stop to the church (Triq Il-Kostituzzjoni. 29), there is a very small but very homely café called Mellows. Here you can order a specialty pizza "Rotunda", which seems to be baked with everything found in the kitchen. But it turns out not only tasty, but also incredibly nourishing. If you are short of time, you can simply limit yourself to a glass of local beer Cisk (not a masterpiece, but quite edible) or soda Kinnie. The latter is made of bitter oranges and herbs. That's why the first sip is perplexing. The third one is addictive.

5. Sliema

The city with Malta's only skyscraper and all its implications. Business, shopping, unisex - it's all here. The perimeter is flanked by an endlessly curving promenade littered with modern sculpture.

You can start your promenade at Place Balutta (formally St. Julian's). Its landmark is a long ornate Art Nouveau structure with three figurative passages. It looks interesting, but strange. It looks as if it was carried somewhere to Brussels or Vienna, but lost on the way. Under the feet of the building is a bay with a beach slightly larger than an inflatable swimming pool. The other end of the promenade is crowned by the Point shopping mall with a full set of all European brands. There are the same in Kiev TSUM. Therefore, not reaching the mole, you can safely turn to the ferry crossing, connecting Sliema with Valletta. It is from this side that the Maltese capital turns its most photogenic profile to the guests. You have 15 minutes to take the best pictures of Valletta, which is about how long the ferry boat is on the way. The main thing is to take a comfortable position on the top deck. The cost of a photo session, i.e. a ticket for one trip, is 1.5 euros.

Restaurant life in Sliema is subject to the laws of the big city. That's why everything here is slightly more expensive than average, and more standard than soulful. Only U Bistrot in the mentioned Balutta Bay can be recommended, more for its lovely sea view than for its cuisine. Well, and they are not as overpriced as their competitors.

5 interesting things to see in Malta:

1. Order of Malta

Knights in Malta have not gone anywhere. They've only changed a bit, swapping out their ringlets for suits. But the Order of Malta still exists. And although today its headquarters are in Rome, it remains quite influential in its historic cradle. Take a look at the knight's residence in Valletta, in the Place Jean De Valletta (First Master). Such an impregnable bunker could withstand a nuclear attack. The activities of the Order of Malta ovita a certain veil of mystery. Someone considers them patrons of the arts, some are Freemasons. But for tourists - it is mainly a variety of souvenirs and costume shows. The most lavish is the In Guardia parade, which traditionally takes place in June.

2. Festas

In addition to knightly, colorful religious processions - festas - are also very popular in Malta. You would think that life on the islands is a holiday. Every weekend, or even on weekdays, in some Maltese village there is a festa. The action is dedicated either to a local or global saint, and the preparation for it for a week or two becomes the chamber tone of the whole city life.

A few days before the start of the celebration, big men drag weighty 3-meter figures around the central square, hang flags and illumination, argue and go to the pub to make peace - in general, not to sit at home. And when all the entourage is ready, the thousandth procession with the largest sculpture at the head, orchestra and choir rolls out onto the streets. It all ends with copious refreshments and fireworks. For an exact list of all major knights' parades and festivals by date and item, see the calendar here.

3. Balconies

If the Maltese could, they would start building a house with a balcony. That's where they would end up. Even outright shacks often have shapely loggias jutting out in front of them. Balconies define the architectural image of Valletta (in other cities this exuberance is a little more restrained). They cling to the houses like swallows' nests. They stretch along the streets like necklaces. You want to sing serenades under them all southern night long. But in Mdina, doorknobs are worshipped with almost the same fervor. Some are the size of frying pans. And each one is an installation in metal.

4. Luzzu

This is the name of the colorful Maltese boats. The most common color combination is blue and yellow. On the bow of each is a traditional amulet: the eye of Horus. It is believed that local fishermen have been painting the Egyptian symbol on their boats since the Phoenicians sailed to Malta. For 2 millennia the luzzu has not changed much. You just hitch up an internal combustion engine and you're off to sea. In the evenings luzzu, like Nemo's fish, flock to the coastal marinas and bays. We met them in the largest numbers in Marsaslokk and Msida.

5. Rabbits

Rabbits are not only valuable fur. They are also the largest livestock found in Malta. Larger livestock cannot survive here without water and grass. Accordingly, the Maltese have already accumulated many ways of stewing rabbit. And at least one recipe is worth trying. Rabbit is offered by every self-respecting Maltese restaurant.

5 tips for traveling:

1. How to get there

A direct flight from Kiev to Valletta, at best, will cost about 230-250 euros round-trip. Anyone who considers such prices a robbery, will have to get there with connections. In particular, with Ryanair from Poland or Wizzair from Budapest. If you take care of tickets in advance (for example, in spring for summer), you can find flights for 30 euros. In the season, which lasts until October inclusive, there are no more of them. But by winter the prices will fall again. It happens and below the 30-euro mark. In winter, of course, you will not be able to swim in the sea. But all the beauty of Malta will not go anywhere. True, the weather in winter is a lottery. It can be wonderful sunny +15, and maybe - piercing wind and rain.

2. Buses

The bus service in Malta is a local marvel. There are more than 100 different routes covering an area of 15x30 km and they work like clockwork (unless there are traffic jams). There is only one transportation company in the country and I recommend to look at its website before arrival to make a tentative plan of movement around the island. Most likely, when buying tickets you will be given a free map of all bus lines at the kiosk - also an indispensable thing. A ticket for a 2-hour trip with any number of transfers costs 2 euros in the summer season, for 12 trips - 15 euros, weekly unlimited for an adult - 21 euros. Tickets are composted at the driver's desk, so entry to the bus is strictly through the front door. And, by the way, all buses are air-conditioned, so it is not only a means of transportation, but also a comfortable escape from the Maltese heat.

3. Beaches

There is a perception that Malta is not the best country for a beach vacation. Yes and no. This is not Cyprus, and not the Maldives. But here it is much more interesting. In addition, sandy beaches in Malta (and even more so on the neighboring island of Gozo) are available. The nuance is that the largest of them are remote from civilization. If you do not need it - head to the west of the island, there stretches a whole series of sandy beaches. The east is the port and industrial areas. The north is mostly concrete slabs, especially on both sides of Valletta. The exception - Mellieha, where there is a huge by local standards sandy beach, but to the city from it to stomp three kilometers uphill. The best compromise is Bujibba and Aura, mentioned above. Here concrete piers are interspersed with small sandy inserts. That said, the vast majority of Maltese beaches are municipal, free and clean. But smoking. Beach staff, if they see a cigarette in your hands, immediately comes running with a paper ashtray, so that you suddenly do not throw the ashtrays in the sand.

4. Left-hand drive

Before gaining independence in 1964, Malta was a British protectorate for more than 150 years. In some ways, this has been good for the country. Order here is not as relative as in neighboring Italy. The country still has red phone booths and left-hand traffic from the British. It's very confusing at first. When crossing the road, you constantly turn the wrong way and try to get on the bus in the opposite direction than you should. But in 2-3 days you get used to it.

5. Water

Malta does not have its own water sources, and therefore most of the water for its own needs it gets by desalination. Total, there is always water in the tap, you can wash, wash dishes and even drink in it. But when on the day of arrival we tried to make coffee from it - it turned out to be brackish nasty. So, drinking water will not be too aggravating for your budget, but it is a must for your stay in Malta. Take a closer look at where they carry water home from - it means there's a promotion at the supermarket.