Malta travel guide

The Blue Grotto is a series of natural caverns and rock arches on the south coast of Malta Island. They can best be seen from the sea side, where you need buy a ticket for a trip in a little dingy packed with other tourists. If the sea is rough, the ride can seem a bit dangerous, as the clashing waves throw the boat nerve-racking close to the rocks, but the boatmen have done the trip a million times.

The prehistoric megalithic temples at Hagar Qim and Mnajdra is Malta's Stonehenge, just older. They date back to about 3200 BC, predating both the Pyramids and Stonehenge, making them the oldest freestanding stone structures in the world. The huge slaps of rocks, which make up the temple complexes, stand tall on a ridge which breaks off into the Mediterranean Sea. Large tents have been erected over the temples to protect then from weather erosion. Surprisingly, little is known about these temples and the civilization who built them, but there are several others megalithic temples on Malta and Gozo: The Ġgantija Temples (Gozo), Tarxien Temples (Malta), Ta' Hagrat temples (Malta), and Skorba Temples. All of them are, of course, UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The eastern fishing village of Marsaxlokk is more than just an accumulation of bizarre consonant combinations. This sleepy little place is a very laid-back and chilled out place on an already laid-back island of Malta. Walking down the village's esplanade, speckled with technicolour boats, it's easy to see what the main activity in town is... fishing. For lovers of fresh fish, this is the place to go as there are boatloads of swordfish, tuna and the local lampuki. All the fish used to be sent to the capital Valletta. But local merchants have figured "Why go to a market, when you can bring the market to you?" Increasingly, tourists head directly to the source and more than a handful of shops, restaurants and stalls are there to meet the demand. Most certainly, you will be demanding more of whatever's on the menu!!

Dating back as far as 700 BC, the ancient city of Mdina once served as the capital of the tiny island nation. Today, divided into separate villages, Mdina, with only a couple hundred inhabitants, is often referred to as the "Silent City". Wandering the well-restored cobblestone streets virtually alone with only the clip-clop echo of horse-drawn carriages, it's easy to see why. With a seemingly endless supply of churches, chapels and monasteries, it is the central Piazza San Paul that seems to be at the centre of it all. Very easily accessible by Malta's comprehensive public bus system, a visit to Mdina makes for an interesting half-day trip.

This natural limestone arch was the biggest tourist attraction on Gozo. It was ridicously picturesque and tourists used to flock here. However, all this is past tense as the arch crashed into the sea in 2017 (the photo is pre 2017). Despite the missing arch, tour buses still stop here. Take a dip into the swimable rock pools below the rock plateau, as they are as refreshing as they have always been. If you want to see an unbroken (but less impressive) rock arched, head further north to Wied il-Għasri.

Ramla Beach is not only the largest sandy beach on Gozo, it's also the most popular. The wide beach is set in rather unspoilt bay with golden-reddish sand and is flanked by rocks and boulders on either side. There are a few beach cafes, a ice cream van, and a strange white statue of Virgin Mary erected in 1881 in commemoration of a local shipwreck.

A beautiful small beach with almost orange coloured sand set at San Blas Bay. The location is fairly secluded with a steep path as the only way down to the beach. Maybe that is the reason why San Blas Beach isn't as crowded as Ramla Beach. Snorkeling is also good at either side at the rocks.

Across the water from Valletta peninsula lies the pretty suburb of Sliema. It was once an affluent neighbourhood, but today the long seaside front has surrendered to tourism with lots of hotels and restaurants, making Sliema a great place to be based. There are no particular sights in here, but the view of fortified Valletta is sublime. Below the promenade, you can find several rocky outcrops which locals and tourists alike use as city beaches, either soaking up the sun or taking a dip into the sea. Away from the waterfront, in the back streets, Sliema is mostly a local's affair.

One of the main sights in Valletta is St. Johns Co-Cathedral built by the Knights of Malta in the 16-century. From the outside the grand cathedral is rather plain, but the inside is a mind blowing mix of golden colours, vivid murals, and carved ornamentation. The whole floor is made up of about 375 tombs, each housing a dead knight and covered with a richly inlaid marble tombstone, some rather morbid with lots of skeletons, skulls, and bones. The cathedral is also rich in more traditional religious art like altars and paintings.

Across the harbour from Valletta are two small fortified peninsulas sticking out. They are respectively the cities of Senglea (earlier name L-Isla) and Vittorisa (Birgu), with a third city, Cospicua (Bormla), as backdrop on the main land. Today these towns blend together as one with Valletta, but back in the days they were independent towns with their own city walls. The beautiful waterfront has recently been done up, and Vittoriosa is now home to the super yachts, but if you venture into the back alleys, it's are surprisingly laid back and with locals doing their things. There are lots of ancient churches, forts and bastions as the Three Cities actually are older than Valletta – and the views of Valletta is spectacular from here, particular at sunrise.