Although I visited nearly sixty countries, and almost all EU states, Malta was still missing on my list. Therefore, when Marijn found a trip to Malta including flight and a week in all inclusive hotel for less than 300 hundred euros, I of course said yes.
And so, on a cold February day, we left Brussels and flew to sunny Malta. The flight with Ryanair was three hours, and at 11PM we arrived at the Malta airport. There, we were already awaited by a driver who took us to the San Antonio hotel in Bugibba. Quick check-in, and we're ready to sleep.
MONDAY
The hotel turned out to be a big resort hotel, which - despite the fact it was not the summer season yet - seemed to be full of tourists. It was my first time in an all inclusive hotel, but now, when I have a baby, I can appreciate how it makes my life easier when I don't have to worry about food. And no, in this hotel I certainly did not have to worry about food. The choice was huge - for breakfast, but also (what we will discover later) - for lunch, and dinner. In addition, we could also dine for free in two restaurants belonging to the hotel - one a la carte, and another serving Indian and Moroccan dishes.
After a short breakfast we decided to hit Malta's capital - Valletta. It was founded in 1565 by the Order of St John as a refuge for soldiers returning from the crusades. The city was officially recognised as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980.
It turned out that our hotel was located just a few minutes away from the bus stop, from which buses departed into all directions. And given an easy access by bus to many Maltese sites, as well as a very competitive price of the ticket (1,50 euro) we concluded it will be our mean of transport in Malta, and now to Valetta. And so Valletta was our plan for the first day. The day was warm, and the bus was hot. But most importantly the road was very long. We got stuck in the traffic which was nearly not moving on. Later on we learned there was some bomb explosion - apparently some mafia accounts. And I expected Malta to be so calm!
We were going all the time through the built-up area - I was convinced it was all the time the same city (Valetta?), and was quite surprised to discover that we passed through many cities, they were basically all connected one to another. Finally the bus arrived to the main bus station in Valletta. From here, all the buses arrive and depart all over Malta.
We did not really had a plan for today. We were still a bit tired after the trip, and in addition it was already afternoon. We just wanted to take it slowly, enjoy the sun, relax and see a little bit of the city.
Therefore after a short walk on Valletta's main street - Republic Street, we went for a lunch to the Rampila restaurant - a small, cosy restaurant a little away from the main road. This place was quite special, as it was located within the walls of Valletta, and the interior was located in the sort of tunnel. However, given a very nice weather which we were so much missing, we chose a table on the terrace. Food was very good, and so was the service - and as it turned out, the waiter was Polish.
After the lunch, we continued our walk, we descended on the sea shore and walked along the sea. I cannot though say that this walk was very pleasant, as traffic fumes were very disturbing. Yes, given the high density in Malta, and thus a big number of vehicules per square meter, a fresh air is not that common in Malta.
A walk back to the bus station was a bit more challenging given several stairs which we had to conquer with the pram. This aspect does not make travelling in Malta very easy.
The hotel turned out to be a big resort hotel, which - despite the fact it was not the summer season yet - seemed to be full of tourists. It was my first time in an all inclusive hotel, but now, when I have a baby, I can appreciate how it makes my life easier when I don't have to worry about food. And no, in this hotel I certainly did not have to worry about food. The choice was huge - for breakfast, but also (what we will discover later) - for lunch, and dinner. In addition, we could also dine for free in two restaurants belonging to the hotel - one a la carte, and another serving Indian and Moroccan dishes.
After a short breakfast we decided to hit Malta's capital - Valletta. It was founded in 1565 by the Order of St John as a refuge for soldiers returning from the crusades. The city was officially recognised as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980.
It turned out that our hotel was located just a few minutes away from the bus stop, from which buses departed into all directions. And given an easy access by bus to many Maltese sites, as well as a very competitive price of the ticket (1,50 euro) we concluded it will be our mean of transport in Malta, and now to Valetta. And so Valletta was our plan for the first day. The day was warm, and the bus was hot. But most importantly the road was very long. We got stuck in the traffic which was nearly not moving on. Later on we learned there was some bomb explosion - apparently some mafia accounts. And I expected Malta to be so calm!
We were going all the time through the built-up area - I was convinced it was all the time the same city (Valetta?), and was quite surprised to discover that we passed through many cities, they were basically all connected one to another. Finally the bus arrived to the main bus station in Valletta. From here, all the buses arrive and depart all over Malta.
We did not really had a plan for today. We were still a bit tired after the trip, and in addition it was already afternoon. We just wanted to take it slowly, enjoy the sun, relax and see a little bit of the city.
Therefore after a short walk on Valletta's main street - Republic Street, we went for a lunch to the Rampila restaurant - a small, cosy restaurant a little away from the main road. This place was quite special, as it was located within the walls of Valletta, and the interior was located in the sort of tunnel. However, given a very nice weather which we were so much missing, we chose a table on the terrace. Food was very good, and so was the service - and as it turned out, the waiter was Polish.
After the lunch, we continued our walk, we descended on the sea shore and walked along the sea. I cannot though say that this walk was very pleasant, as traffic fumes were very disturbing. Yes, given the high density in Malta, and thus a big number of vehicules per square meter, a fresh air is not that common in Malta.
TUESDAY
On our second day in Malta we decided to come back to Valletta, as we did not see much on the previous day. This time there was no bomb explosion, and so we arrived to Valletta in less than one hour.
First place on our list was the St John's Co Cathedral, which was built by the Order of St. John between 1572 and 1577. Initially it was just a conventual church, however with time it gained importance, equal to the prominence of Cathedral of Mdina (which was the main Maltese cathedral), and in 1820 the Bishop of Malta was allowed to use St John's as an alternative see and thus it formally became a Co-Cathedral.
The entrance ticket costed 10 euro, and it was definitely a very well spent money (also because the the price comprised an audio-guide). While the facade of the Cathedral did no look very special, the baroque interior was totally amazing. Beautiful ornaments, the ceiling with frescos presenting life of John Baptiste and the most incredible richly decorated marble floor I've ever seen, housing graves of 400 knights and officers to the Order.
Also, the Cathedral contains nine chapels, one dedicated to Our Lady of Philermos, and the rest dedicated to the patron saints of each of the Order's eight langues.
Last but not least, the cathedral is hosting two Caravaggio's paintings: The Beaheading of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome Writing. The first one is one of Caravaggio's biggest masterpieces.
After the Cathedral we went for a coffee and pastizzi to the famous Cafe Cordina, which was followed by a walk to the Upper Barrakka Gardens. From here we could admire the view at the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities - Vittoriosa (aka Birgu), Cospicua (aka Bormla) and Senglea (aka L'Isla).
We went down, we walked toward Valletta Waterfront, which was rather quiet at that time (otherwise with its big number of restaurants I guess it's rather a very popular place) and we decided to take a ferry to one of the Three Cities - Vittoriosa. The ferries depart every half an hour and the ticket costs 1,50 euro. Vittoriosa was a Phoenician/Carthaginian settlement, and most probably its the oldest inhabited part of Malta. In the past it was Malta's main port town.
We did not have a plan for this journey, but since it was getting late, we only walked toward the Fort St Angelo, which unfortunately was closed at that time. On the way back to the ferry we were admiring amazing yachts.
On our second day in Malta we decided to come back to Valletta, as we did not see much on the previous day. This time there was no bomb explosion, and so we arrived to Valletta in less than one hour.
First place on our list was the St John's Co Cathedral, which was built by the Order of St. John between 1572 and 1577. Initially it was just a conventual church, however with time it gained importance, equal to the prominence of Cathedral of Mdina (which was the main Maltese cathedral), and in 1820 the Bishop of Malta was allowed to use St John's as an alternative see and thus it formally became a Co-Cathedral.
The entrance ticket costed 10 euro, and it was definitely a very well spent money (also because the the price comprised an audio-guide). While the facade of the Cathedral did no look very special, the baroque interior was totally amazing. Beautiful ornaments, the ceiling with frescos presenting life of John Baptiste and the most incredible richly decorated marble floor I've ever seen, housing graves of 400 knights and officers to the Order.
Also, the Cathedral contains nine chapels, one dedicated to Our Lady of Philermos, and the rest dedicated to the patron saints of each of the Order's eight langues.
Last but not least, the cathedral is hosting two Caravaggio's paintings: The Beaheading of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome Writing. The first one is one of Caravaggio's biggest masterpieces.
WEDNESDAY
A "must see" in Malta recommended by two Maltese friends of mine was the city of Mdina. Also Marijn - when I proposed him one of the two cities gave - Mdina and Marsaxlokk - to visit, chose Mdina, therefore it is our plan for Wednesday. It turned out that Mdina is located relatively close to Bugiba Bay, and there was a direct bus to get there.
Mdina - also called the Silent City - is a fortified city, which was founded by Phoenician settlers as Maleth in the eighth century BC. It was the island's capital from antiquity to medieval period. Currently Mdina is sill confined within its walls and it is inhabited by around 300 people.
Main attraction of Mdina is Mdina itself - with is narrow alleys it's a perfect place to wander around and get lost. Well, getting lost is not really possible given the very small size of the city, which actually can be walked around in 10 minutes ;-) And so after ten minutes we decided to drink something, so we sat at the terrace of the Palazzo De Piro. Main advantage of this place was its terrace, from which spectacular views of Malta could be seen. I have to admit I never imagined before that Malta was so green. In some places it reminded me of Ireland - with its green grass and stony walls.
After a coffee, Marijn wanted to come back to our hotel, but I preferred to continue to walk around Mdina and discover hidden gems such as beautiful door handles and images of the Holy Family placed on the walls of the buildings. We also discovered a not so hidden gem - the St Paul's Cathedral. It was funded in the twelvth century, was rebuilt after the earthquake at the end of seventeenth century, and it was Malta's main cathedral until the nineteenth century (since when the function of the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta has been shared with St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valetta.
So we walked around for one more hour, and we know Mdina by heart now ;-)
Main attraction of Mdina is Mdina itself - with is narrow alleys it's a perfect place to wander around and get lost. Well, getting lost is not really possible given the very small size of the city, which actually can be walked around in 10 minutes ;-) And so after ten minutes we decided to drink something, so we sat at the terrace of the Palazzo De Piro. Main advantage of this place was its terrace, from which spectacular views of Malta could be seen. I have to admit I never imagined before that Malta was so green. In some places it reminded me of Ireland - with its green grass and stony walls.
After a coffee, Marijn wanted to come back to our hotel, but I preferred to continue to walk around Mdina and discover hidden gems such as beautiful door handles and images of the Holy Family placed on the walls of the buildings. We also discovered a not so hidden gem - the St Paul's Cathedral. It was funded in the twelvth century, was rebuilt after the earthquake at the end of seventeenth century, and it was Malta's main cathedral until the nineteenth century (since when the function of the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta has been shared with St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valetta.
So we walked around for one more hour, and we know Mdina by heart now ;-)
THURSDAY
It was our dolce far niente day. We stayed in the hotel, I read a book, then we went for a walk to discover the surroundings.
FRIDAY
Marijn had to leave Malta a bit earlier, and so as of Friday we stayed alone with Nina. Travelling with such a small baby was not easy when Marijn was still here, and I knew it would be ever more complicated on my own. But I didn't want to spend the next two days in the hotel, and most importantly I still wanted to see something in Malta. And this "something" was Marsaxlokk - a traditional fishing village. Getting there was not easy, as I had to take a bus to Valletta, and then take another one to my destination. On the first bus I met some tourists from Wrocław, who helped me to entertain Nina. After a short break for a toilet and a meal, we took another bus eihty one or eighty five, and after more than two hours from leaving the hotel, we arrived to Marsaxlokk.
The village is known for the famous fishmarket, which takes place on Sunday, but the village itself is so lovely, that I did not need any market to enjoy it. Marsaxlokk is very small, its main attraction is a waterfront, along which many restaurants serving seafood are located. I very much wanted to have a seafood lunch too, but Nina refused the cooperation with mum, so I had to content myself rather with visual, and not physical enjoyment of Marsaxlokk. So I enjoyed the picturesque views, the colourful boats, and the sun, after which I took the bus back to Valletta (the driver did not make me pay for the ticket :), and then to Bugibba (and Nina slept :). All in all, I have to say that our very first trip on our own was not that bad. Nina obviously cried a bit, but despite this, I could still enjoy this small travel of ours :-)
SATURDAY
On the last day I wanted to wander a bit on the streets of Valletta, and then to return to the Three Cities. When I went there with Marijn, we had just a very short walk on Vittoriosa, which gave me only a small glimp of the atmosphere of this place. For the last time Nina and I took the bus 45 and we headed to Valletta. Upon arrival I noticed that all the children and many people were dressed up. "Hey... what's happening" I started to wonder, and then I concluded it could be only Carnival!
My initial plan implied that first I will walk around on Valletta streets, and then I will take a boat to the Three Cities. However the more I was walking in Valletta, and the more colorfully dressed people I saw, the less I wanted to leave this place! I concluded that the probability I'll return one day to Malta and thus Three Cities is rather high, while probability it will happen during the carnaval is rather low, therefore I decided to stay in Valletta and enjoy the Maltese Carnival :-)
All Valletta was full of children in costumes running around and beautifully dressed up people. I quickly recognized which ones were "official" representatives of Valletta carnaval, because their clothes were really spectacular and they were all referring to one particular topic (for instance Spain, Vampires etc.). When I walked towards Barakka Gardens, I noticed that there were also several lorries with huge, highly colorful figures on them. Also here, every truck had its topic, and was accompanied by people dressed according to that topic. I was expecting some parade, came back a few times to the main street, but saw only groups of dressed up people walking around. I don't know where did the lorries end up, but even without the parade it was a great and very unexpected experience.
SUNDAY
My very last day in Malta. I could just sit and relax, as the driver was supposed to pick me up around TWO PM, but no, I couldn't really ;-. There was still one more place I had to visit - Malta National Aquarium. I still had memories from the Dubai Aquarium, and I knew that it's impossible this one could be more impressive, but as a huge fan of submarine life, I just couldn't miss this place. The Aquarium was located TEN minutes walk from the hotel. Earlier on Marijn organized some discount for me, so I paid only TEN euro for the entrance. The tanks of the Aquarium were divided into differents zones - from the Maltese water, until Tropical Oceans. I was quite attracted by the Jesus Christ statue, which original version was sunk in Maltese water. It gave me an idea for my next diving holidays :-D
Upon arrival to the hotel, I managed to negotiate a late check-out, which was highly helpful given the fact I was with baby. The driver arrived as planned, and return to Brussels with Ninka was ok. We managed our very first flight on our own :-)
