Malta
Malta – The Crown Jewel of the Mediterranean
Article and photography by Michael Morcos
Our guide said he could sum up Malta in one sentence: ‘where else in the world can you see an ancient megalithic site, visit a historic walled town, go to the beach, get unbelievable ocean views and visit a world-class winery in the same day’? The answer, as we would find out, was nowhere else.
Our first day of a weeklong tour of Malta was nothing short of spectacular. Always on the run, we would enjoy the best that Malta had to offer, but then, as we would find out, there is still plenty more to see and do on this small island nation.
Marsaxlokk Bay
On our first night, we would take a short trip, (most places in Malta are a short distance away) to enjoy a fabulous seafood meal at the Tartarun Restaurant. Situated on the waterfront, the food was almost secondary, as it offered a view of one of the most magnificent harbors I have ever seen. Imagine this… a perfect, star- filled night with a warm breeze and perfect temperatures plus a view on hundreds of colorful little fishing boats known as luzzu. If this was amazing at night, then I had to come back when the sun was up, and that is exactly what I did. In the morning I was hypnotized by the beauty of what looked like a professional postcard. This was an essential Malta moment that I had dreamed about for decades!
Corinthia Palace
I can only describe this beautiful hotel as a ‘Grand Dame’. It has an imposing look at first glance but within a very short time, she warms you up to feeling like a home away from home.
The Corinthia Palace is part of a chain of Corinthia hotels that span the world, and the brand always offers high quality stays and a great attention to detail. This hotel would be our base for four days and we enjoyed the large, posh rooms that come with balconies that gave a view of the lush private gardens surrounding us. Our meals were superb and included both full breakfast buffets and gourmet suppers at the Villa Corinthia. All the meals were memorable as we feasted like royalty and were served by an attentive staff. In keeping with Malta’s British heritage, afternoon tea was served daily in a private room, the tea was top rated and the canapes were so delicious that I kept on asking for more.
Athenaeum Spa
This is the perfect fit to a tiring day of touring. The newly renovated Athenaeum Spa was exactly what would soothe our bodies, calm the mind and rejuvenate the soul. Their services ranged from facials to full body treatments. My message was better than most others and Dmitri, my masseur, was even able to get a kink out of my neck. What followed was access to the workout room, Spa facilities that included two pools, a sauna, steam room, multi jet showers and a private garden where we were served tea, water and small tasty amuse-bouches. I made full use of this but reluctantly left so as to keep with the program.
Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples
On top of a lovely hill overlooking the sea is the small temple of Hagar Qim. Even though it is a very small site, the history and complexity of it took a good half-hour to fully take in. But in all honesty, it is also the surroundings that are just as much of an attraction as the temple itself. A few steps away is another UNESCO World Heritage site, Mnajdra. These 3 buildings, dating back some 5000 years, are filled with mystery that even today’s archeologists are still learning about. Facing each other in an oval forecourt, they each have several irregularities which have been the focus of many studies and theories on their possible meaning. Luckily there is a visitor centere that offered us information on these theories in an interactive and fun way.
Blue Grotto
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Malta is the Blue Grotto and I could see why once I was there. This side of the island had sheer limestone cliffs that literally dropped straight down to the aqua-blue waters. Besides the viewpoint from on top, visitors can take boat rides and even descend to walk along the rocky beaches and waves.
Mdina
Also known as the ‘silent City’ Mdina is a gem on its own. Touring here at night was magical! This former capital city was charming, impeccably clean and the well-kept historic architecture mesmerizing. The entire night we felt a relaxed, happy feeling. I could almost feel the presence of the Knights of Malta. Mdina offers visitors many treasures, including a Natural History Museum with an impressive collection with over 10,000 items. The 17th century Carmelite Church and Priory both have impressive works of art that can be admired for hours and the Palazzo Falzon, which dates back to 1495, it has an incredible collection of antiques.
Markus Divinus Winery
Wine was not something I thought had any significance in Malta but a stop for wine tasting at this small boutique winery proved me wrong. Not only was wine good, but the total of all bottles also processed on the island are mostly consumed locally, and Malta still has to import wines. Owner Markus would be our host and enthusiastically explained how he turned a hobby and his love of wine in to a wine business. He would serve us seven different wines, red, white and even sparkling wines made from many different grape varieties. Served with a multitude of tasty local finger foods, the atmosphere was joyous as we learnt all about the operations, the growing season, and harvest and even about the island of Malta.
Palazzo Parisio
Over the course of my years writing for Travelers, I have come to appreciate historical monuments, castles and homes. The Palazzo Parisio is a walled compound and has for centuries been one of Malta’s finest private residences. Grand statues, a magnificent marble staircase and an opulent ballroom highlight this destination for weddings, celebrations, fine dining, and tours.
Valletta
At first glance, I could not tell that Valletta had once been heavily bombed. As a strategic point in the shipping routes of the Mediterranean, who ever held Malta was to have a great advantage in business and battle. But Valletta was not only restored to its former beauty, it has also been built up with fantastic new buildings that complement this historic and charming destination.
Valletta is Malta’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage City. There are so many looks to Valletta that it would almost seem like many towns were put together in one small space. There is plenty to see and do here that to do it justice one must allow enough time.
Our visit started with the dramatic City Gate, an amazing recreation of the 1633 original, which allowed us to have the impression of crossing a real bridge to the past. The gate is framed by a pair of huge metal blades that look like knights’ sabers. Those swords were in honor of the Order of the Knights of St John, a Catholic Military Order established in 603. By 1530, they settled in Malta, after being given the island by the King of Sicily and they ruled and built up the island for 250 years.
St. John’s Co-Cathedral
Although the outside of the building was very simple looking with hardly any art work or sculptures on its façade, I would find out that this was by design so that its riches would not stand out to any on looking invaders. But amazing, over the top opulence, was my first impression when entering this grand cathedral. There was not a single inch of space on any of the four walls to add even an additional religious décor. Its richness was beyond comparison to anything I have ever seen and I stood there for long periods of time trying to take it all in.
Gondola ride
If you have ever seen a Venetian gondola, then you will understand what a traditional Maltese dghajsa gondola might be. We would traverse the two sides of Valletta on such a boat. The ride was short but it gave another perspective on the beautiful city.
Caffe Cordina
In the heart of town, we enjoyed an alfresco lunch in a small square with magnificent views of the surrounding historic buildings. Over the generations, this Maltese icon, Caffe Cordina, has surely made its mark in Valletta and is a local favorite as it has traditional as well as international servings. Their take out counter was perfect for gifts, where I would stock up on locally made jars of olives and tapenades to bring home.
Shopping
One can spend the whole time in Malta just on shopping, there are many offerings here that are not only unique to the islands but are an absolute delight to visit. On this tour we did just that and naming just a few of the outstanding boutiques would include: Stephanie Borg Studio Boutique: Charles & Ron Maltese fashion designers and Stephen Cordina Aroma & Therapy Perfume Atelier. Each one was different from the other and made our trip that much more complete as we would buy those all so charming gifts and souvenirs.
Gozo
This island, the second biggest of the three Maltese sister islands, was in complete contrast to the main island of Malta. It was laid back, more open land and greenery, had outstanding vistas, charming small towns and villages and generally speaking felt like a retreat from it all. We would cross the busy channel by public ferry and return on an exhilarating small but powerful boat that brought us to the spectacular Blue Lagoon that is both famous and well visited.
Comino and the Blue Lagoon
As a fan of blue water and sandy beaches, Malta is a marvelous example of both, the best of it being the Blue Lagoon. You’ll have to visit it, as it is one of Malta‘s top locations and anyone who visits the Islands will have to explore it. It’s rightfully been called a paradise on earth and it has some of the clearest waters I have ever seen.
Rabat (Victoria)
What a site to see. Rabat (or Victoria) is the capital of Gozo and what a spectacular place to visit. This charming little town has historic architecture to drool over. Our starting point was at the delightful Cathedral Square with its imposing yet comforting lime stone buildings that had steps that lead in two directions upwards. From on top was one of the most breathtaking panoramas on the island that even photos cannot describe.
L-Ghar tal-Mixta (Mixta Cave)
Another day and another outstanding site. This time we would head down a farmers road, down a cave like entrance to an unforgettable and spectacular opening in the cave that gave way to the surrounding sea, beaches and hills of Gozo. Needless to say the Mixta Cave is a popular place, a must see and you should prepare yourself to take turns getting a selfie.
This compact little gem in the Mediterranean is a special place in Europe. So much so that it has been conquered by many major powers from different continents over the centuries. They all knew it was a truly unique island and placed it in their empires. Be forewarned, once here, you will be reluctant to leave, might stay longer or will eventually return to the ‘Crown Jewel of the Mediterranean’.
