MEDITERRANEAN MALTA
Where Europeans go to the beach
History, heat and fantastic beaches best describe a vacation in Malta, a sun-soaked archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea that’s a popular destination for many Europeans.
Malta actually consists of three inhabited islands — Malta, Comino and Gozo — which are situated south of Italy and north of the African country Libya in the Mediterranean Sea.
The country’s location has historically given it great strategic importance as a naval base, and a succession of powers, including the Turks, Knights of St. John, French and British, have ruled. The southern European island nation is now part of the European Union.
Military forts, inland and on the coasts, dot the islands and offer a fascinating insight into the country’s history. The walled city of Mdina and St. Elmo’s Fort in Valletta, where the island was defended against invaders, are worth a visit.
Churches are must-see attractions. The Mosta Dome, also known as the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Mosta, has a spectacular high-domed ceiling that was bombed in the Second World War but miraculously remained intact.
The St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, the country’s capital, is home to the Knights (Grand Masters) of Malta. It contains many important works of art sanctioned by the Knights, including the painting The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, by the Italian painter Caravaggio.
With summer temperatures consistently in the 30s with no rain, beaches are popular destinations for tourists and locals alike.
The stunning Blue Lagoon on Comino is a must-do when you are on the island. Boat tours make regular runs to Comino, but if you go you’ll want to make a day trip out of it. Likewise, the Azure Window on Gozo, a natural limestone arch, offers fantastic swimming on the rock beach below it.
One beach off the beaten track is St. Peter’s Pool near Marsaxlokk on Malta. It’s a natural pool in a sheltered cove where jumping off four-metre cliffs into crystal-clear waters is easier than negotiating the rough, one-lane road to get to the attraction.
Marsaxlokk’s daily fish market offers many delicacies caught the same day by local fishermen in their “luzzus,” small, brightly painted fishing boats.
The narrow, hilly streets of Valletta have many shops and cafés popular with tourists, with regular bus and ferry service feeding the country’s capital.
From the boardwalks of Sliema, which are lined with restaurants and cafés, it’s an easy stroll to the beach for a quick dip in the sea.
Getting around the islands can be a challenge, although there is a reliable bus and ferry system. We were fortunate enough to rent a couple of cars and had drivers experienced at using the left-hand drive system and the abundant roundabouts where choosing the correct turn was often a challenge.