Marvellous Malta

September 27, 2022

Saħħa (Cheers in Maltese!)! I truly don't know how more people haven't made it to this unique island. The Maltese people are so friendly and kind. We felt right at home from the minute we were picked up at the airport. Our first stop was the beautiful island of Gozo where we stayed right by the sea in a small town called Zebbug. We were literally steps away from a lovely port with local restaurants, bars and beaches.

The best part was being able to spend time with my cousins from Portugal (Sandra and Carlos), who met up with us for this leg of our trip. Matteo and his friend Kolton also made a weekend getaway to Malta to be part of the group since the flights are so short and inexpensive from Rome. The weather was absolutely perfect for our boat tour around Gozo with several stops including the famous Blue Lagoon and some magical caves. The colour of the water was unreal and making these memories with some of my favourite people was priceless.

The adventure continued as we left Gozo on a fast ferry for the main island of Malta. The ferry took us right to Valletta which is the capital city with explosions of history on every corner. Even the Portuguese left their mark on this city by constructing one of the most beautiful buildings but in standard Portuguese fashion it didn't end well! In Valletta we took short boat rides to Sliema and the 3 cities, where every corner/street were adorned with breathtaking views. It was so easy to use the local transportation and it made getting around a breeze. One of my recommendations is to take the Valletta Street Food and Culture Walking Tour. Not only did Rob get to hear all the facts about the history behind the city but we got to indulge in trational Maltese food. They had us experience what breakfast, lunch, coffee and dinner would be for typical locals. Rob and Carlos even tried horse stew which tasted better then it sounds. The Maltese cuisine has several influences encluding Italian and Arabic primarily, spices such as anise, thyme, garlic, and parsley are often found in their dishes. I think Ftira has become my new favourite when it comes to Maltese cuisine. They are delicious sandwiches that can even be eaten for breakfast, my favourite was the tuna with sundries tomatoes.

Our final stop was today in the ancient town of Mdina from the 8th century founded by the Phoenicians. It was a €2 bus ride from Valleta and took about 45 mins. This was like Disney for Rob. We also decided to make today even better, as luck would have it an old high school friend of mine Petra happened to be in Malta with her daughters (Abigail one of her daughters joined us too...an even better bonus) and we took in Mdina together. As we caught up and got to know Abigail, we leisurely strolled the charming narrow streets, saw some areas where Game of Thrones was filmed, and took in the architecture within the fortified walls.

So yes, Malta was marvellous and truly an unexpected delight in many ways. Not only does it have 300 days of sunshine a year, clear azure waters and some pretty good food, it is a perfect place to enjoy a small part of the Mediterranean. Thank you to my amazing cousins for being a part of our journey! You make every trip memorable! May we laugh and travel together again soon!