If I had to describe Malta with one word, I would say “liveable”. Malta is an island between Sicily and the North African coast. It’s so close to Sicily, it only takes an hour and a half to get there by ferry.
Malta has so many sides to it. On one hand, there are the old streets where the typical Maltese houses with colourful window boxes are lined up; on the other hand, there are modern neighbourhoods where tall buildings are rising to the sky. At first glance, it doesn’t look like a big island but there are so many places to see, a long weekend may not be enough to see them all. For example, we didn’t have time to go to Gozo, which is another Maltese island. Another reason for us to go back to Malta.
Sliema
We stayed on Tower Road in Sliema, which is one of these modern areas I’ve told you about. The long promenade on the waterfront is what we enjoyed most during our stay. You can walk towards either St. Julian’s or Valetta and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants where you can sit and enjoy the view. It-Torri Restaurant is just one of them. We had a very nice ciabatta sandwich with a glass of wine there.
We walked around the back streets of Sliema too and there were so many beautifully renovated Maltese houses. Stella Maris Parish Church, which dates back to 1853, was also very impressive.
Valetta
The capital of Malta is Valetta. From Sliema to Valetta, it takes about 20 minutes by bus. There are plenty of restaurants, bars and shops in Valetta, which makes it the liveliest part of the island. You can enjoy Valetta’s ambiance by sitting on the terrace of Café Cordina (244, Republic Street) where you can taste the traditional Maltese sweet delicacies, especially the Maltese fruit cake. I must add that the gelateria was delicious too.
Zero Sei is a great pasta restaurant in Valetta but you have to book in advance.
I have a recommendation for those who love shopping too. La Perruche (St. Lucy Street) is a cute little shop owned by a young French lady. She only sells French brands and the prices are very reasonable.
Birgu
Another pretty place was Birgu, just across the Grand Harbour. Birgu is the oldest of the Three Cities, the other two being Senglea and Bormla. We, first, walked alongside the waterfront and took lots of photos as you can imagine. Then, we walked to the other side of the fort, where we were surprised to find a cute square and narrow streets opening onto it. Birgu is a great place to spend half a day.
Mdina, the Silent City
Mdina used to be the capital of Malta. Its location and the fortified walls that surrounded it made it easier to defend the capital. Apart from some exceptions for locals, no car is allowed within Mdina. I’d recommend you to go there early in the morning to avoid the crowds and walk peacefully around the streets.
Marsaxlokk
Marsaxlokk is the cutest fishing village I’ve ever seen. The colourful traditional Maltese boats were so picturesque we had to stop on each step to take a photo. We went there on a Sunday morning when there was the open market. By lunch time, it was so crowded it was almost impossible to find an available table. So if I were you, I’d go there during the week and enjoy lunch peacefully with a cold Cisk, which is the local beer.
From Valetta to Marsaxlokk, it takes about 45 minutes by bus and 20 minutes by taxi.
