Food lovers take a bite out of Malta
A HALF-MALTESE friend once told me you should go to the island just for the food.
On a short break there we quickly discovered she was right.
From the best rum and raisin ice cream I’ve ever tasted, to scrumptious pasta and fish so fresh we saw it being caught, the island is a foodie heaven.
Sat between Sicily and North Africa, Malta has a laid-back Mediterranean vibe but also a reassuring familiarity for Brits.
They drive on the left-hand side and have red phone boxes, harking back to when Malta was a British Crown Colony.
We stayed at the five-star Corinthia Palace Hotel and Spa.
It is a small island but rich in history. Our first trip was to the Three Cities of Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea, where the Knights of St John settled in 1530 after being thrown out of Rhodes by the Turks.
They disdainfully declared Malta was “merely XXXXXXa rock xxxxxxof sandstone” with no running Xxxx water but stayed there for 268 years, building palaces, hospitals, aqueducts and churches.
The Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta, the baroque fortified city they built after the Great Siege of 1565, were the private gardens of the Italian regiment of the Knights but are open to the public.
Due to its strategic location in World War II, Malta suffered a prolonged siege and the bravery shown earned the entire population the George Cross.
Malta’s old capital is Mdina and the medieval fortified city will transport you back in time. It is known as the silent city as no cars are allowed, except those belonging to the 250 residents.
A visit wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Malta’s sister island, Gozo – a 20-minute ferry journey.
Sadly, Gozo’s famous Azure Window, a 92ft natural limestone arch, collapsed into the sea during a storm earlier this year. But you can still take a short boat ride in the Inland Sea to see the Blue Grotto and its neon orange coral.
Back on Malta, the picturesque fishing village Marsaxlokk on the south-east of the island is another trip worth taking. It is home to about 70 per cent of Malta’s fishing fleet and some of the finest seafood restaurants on the island.
It’s a deeply devout country and there are 359 churches on the island. The ornate interior of St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta will make you gasp in awe, but my favourite is the Mosta Dome Church in Mosta.
In 1942, a German bomb pierced the dome and fell into the church during mass. About 300 people were inside but the bomb didn’t explode. It was hailed as a miracle.
With ancient cities, pristine beaches, awe-inspiring temples and glorious weather, it’s not surprising millions of visitors flock to the islands each year, whether for a city break or a stay at one of the all-inclusive resorts.
And Malta’s tourism industry is set to have boost, with Valletta being named European Capital of Culture for 2018.
We’re already planning our second trip and this time I’ll pack elasticated waist trousers to accommodate all that fantastic food.