Malta

 First time in Malta, July 2021

I have heard controversial opinions about Malta, who loved it, who hated it, thought it's boring or dull.. well I loved it! Valletta is pretty, but it's a city as a city is. The rest of Malta tho.. crystal clear water, boats boats boats, cool rock formations, fresh seafood, lovely little towns and tropical weather.. 

I mean, what's not to love?

Malta is a small and vibrant Mediterranean island-country. It has been independent since 1964. Before it was under British rule. In many ways and thanks to a long history it is a mixture of many places: Middle East, North Africa, Europe or even South America. At leat that's what it resembled to me. 

Malta was first inhabited in around 5900 BC and again repopulated in around 3850 BC by a civilization which also built the Megalithic Temples, that are considered among the oldest surviving buildings in the world. 

Parts of Malta look straight outta ancient times.. explains why shows and films like Game of Thrones, Troy or Gladiator were filmed there.

So much fresh seafood with incredibly decent prices. 

I'm highly recommending 'Ocean Basket' restaurant!

We were staying at Qawra area close to Bugibba and Mellieha. The area was great, the hotel so-so. We had some issues, and for a 4-star hotel it was quite dated, but the location was good - directly at the seaside, it had a pool and a bar and was close to bus stops. 

Took the hop on - hop off bus to explore the country. As Malta is small (population ca 525,000, total area   316 km2), this is a really good way to go. 24 hours of two different routes cost 15 EUR. There are different companies that do this, so look it over, and book directly from one of the stands not online, as it was more expensive on the site. 

The temperatures were in mid thirties and there was not a cloud in the sky (okay, there was one!! The one visible on the photo). At times we were hiding ourselves in thin scarves to protect us from the tropical heat and sun but avoid going inside the bus to continue enjoying the views.

First stop Valletta. 

Valletta is Europe’s smallest capital, surrounded by sea and 16th-century bastion walls. Valletta was built by the Knights of Saint John in the 16th century, and lots of original buildings are still standing.

Lovely promenades and lots of narrow winding hilly streets to get lost on. 

Lower Barrakka gardens

And twinning Upper Barakka gardens that offer a panoramic view over Grand Harbour. 

Directly below the main terrace and garden is the Saluting Battery, twice a day: at noon and at 4 pm a cannon is fired with a brief ceremony. 

We happened to be there exactly at noon and had no idea it was gonna happen, lots of people were standing on the edge of the gardens and pointing their cameras on the cannons, I was about to get irritated that they were holding the spot for that long when the cannon blasted. 

Marsaxlokk. 

We stopped in this lovely fishing village for lunch with the view of all these colourful luzzu  boats. Another of Maltese spots I would happily return for a vacation. As we did not take the trip to St Peter’s Pool, there's an excuse!

There are plenty of restaurants to choose from in the harbour, all offering fresh seafood and daily specials. 

Mdina and Rabat. 

I need to go back there to explore the trails of Game of Thrones more!

The beautiful island of Gozo. 

Gozo is the second largest island of the 21 islands that make up the Maltese archipelago. It's a quieter, more laid back version of Malta with the same exciting architecture and archeological sites and scenic views. We did not spend too long on Gozo, but it definitely deserves at least a day or two of exploring. 

The streets of Nadur.

Nadur is one of the largest localities on Gozo island. Known as the 'second city' after Victoria. 

Blue lagoon, Comino island.

Cannot really call it a hidden gem, but a gem for sure! 

Comino, formerly called Ephaestia is a small island between Malta and Gozo with only two permanent residents nowadays. It's touristic as hell, but still such a paradise! Already the journey there is picturesque,  on the island there are various lagoons and tiny beaches between the cliffs. There are no restaurants in the Blue Lagoon area but many stands and kiosks are set up during day time to buy snacks, cocktails, refreshments and everything else you might need. Most boats leave around seven and the island falls into silence. Only the boats docking there at the time, stay. We almost forgot ourselves on the island. Drunk British guys saved us with their loud discussions over what time the last boat was leaving. Another tip to self, always listen to other peoples discussions. :)

Crystal lagoon.

Another gorgeous lagoon on the other side of Comino. Worth the little hike (or going by boat). 

Malta is even more easily accessible from Estonia starting from November. A direct, cheap 4 hour flight with Ryanair. We traveled through Latvia as there were no direct flights in the summer, it was not that difficult either.