Why you must-see Malta
The quirky island nation has both history and beauty
VALLETTA, Malta — It would either be the best 2 euros I’d ever spent, or the worst.
The driver of the dg ajsa tal-pass, the traditional Maltese water taxi, grabbed my hand and guided me into the rocking wooden boat. I squeezed in with a German family about to take the same quick voyage. These distinctive 21-foot boats, which look like a distant cousin of the gondola, zip through Valletta Grand Harbour all day, ferrying passengers from the capital city of Valletta to three smaller cities nearby.
If I didn’t slip and break a hip while boarding, then I assumed the boat would likely capsize in the harbor, which is nearly a mile deep. I didn’t spot any life jackets, and my swimming skills are akin to that of a hydrophobic chinchil
la. I began wondering about the boat’s structural integrity and whether I had paid my last life insurance bill. In the end, there were no fractures and the boat did not capsize, which should have come as no surprise. They have been used in one form or another since the 17 th century.
Final verdict, my quick jaunt across the harbor in the dg ajsa tal-pass was the best 2 euros (that’s about $2.20) I’d ever spent. These colorful, traditional vessels offer the best views of the capital city. When you go to Malta, add this to your extensive list of activities.
My mini-adventure on a dg ajsa talpass was one of many memorable Maltese moments. I’m not one who tosses out superlatives lightly, but I encountered many bests in Malta, which is an archipelago in the Mediterranean about 50 miles from southern Italy. Several Mediterranean cruises dock in Malta for a day, but I’m here to convince you that this independent republic is worth more than a quick excursion from your ship. I was equal parts charmed and fascinated by Malta and its history.
Let’s hit the highlights first. I’ve been to a lot of historic churches in Europe, because that’s what one does in Europe. But St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta was the most beautiful church I’ve ever stepped foot in. The 16th-century cathedral is ornate, opulent, and about as Baroque as you can get. It’s so extravagant that even Caravaggio’s masterpiece “The Beheading of St. John the Baptist” is here (take that, Vatican!). It was painted for the cathedral and is the only canvas the artist ever signed.
The church also offers a glimpse into Malta’s deep, ever-changing history. The cathedral has nine chapels, eight of them dedicated to the Order of the Knights of Malta. These were the beloved knights who fought off the Ottoman Empire and preserved Christianity in Malta. The church gifted them a small fortune as a thank you.
The Knights may have come to Malta in 1530, but the country had a lot happening before Christianity arrived. You can visit the ruins of two Megalithic Temples of Malta, which are older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Egypt. They are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Construction on the temples began in 3,500 BC. Surviving temples that are open to the public can be found on the main island of Malta, and the country’s second-largest island, Gozo. The purpose of the temples is vague to scholars, at least according to a tour guide I spoke with. They could have been used by a death cult, or used to hold fertility or agricultural rituals. Also unknown is what happened to the thriving Maltese society that frequented the temples. By 2,500 BC they were gone.
While not as impressive in scale as the pyramids, they are nonetheless worth visiting for bragging rights alone. Each site has a museum that displays artifacts found in the temples.
After the cathedral and the temples, I needed a break from history, so I decided to investigate one of Malta’s most important cultural contributions: movie locations. If you visit Malta this summer, you’ll be able to see the movie set for “Gladiator 2,” which just began filming. I spotted it from the harbor. A replica of the Colosseum was constructed this spring, along with a re-creation of a Roman town. The original “Gladiator” was filmed in Malta as well. The country’s tourism minister said that the set will remain in place when filming is complete and become a tourist attraction.
If you’ve seen “Game of Thrones,” “Troy,” “Jurassic Park: Dominion,” “Captain Phillips,” or “The Spy Who Loved Me,” then you’ve gotten a glimpse of the country. “The Maltese Falcon” was not filmed here, so please don’t ask. Also, the Maltese Falcon is not real, although there was a man charging tourists to take a picture with a live falcon, so technically, I guess there is a real Maltese falcon.
The Maltese movie set I was most excited to explore was Popeye Village. Robert Altman’s 1980 cinematic bomb “Popeye” was shot in Malta, and when the movie wrapped, the abandoned set was turned into an attraction. After reading a piece in the Daily Beast that described Popeye Village as an “overpriced, morbidly offbeat tourist trap full of stoners” it went high (pun intended) on my must-see list. Even in official photos, the characters in Popeye Village look better suited for Times Square.
Sadly, before my arrival, tragedy struck! Torrential rain caused a boulder to crash into one of the buildings in the park. As a result, it was closed when I visited in May. It has since reopened, but my dreams of visiting a place that has been described as “tacky,” and “don’t waste your money” were dashed. Please, dear reader, go in my stead and give me a full report.
Disenchanted, but determined to go on, I spent a day exploring the island with a driver. You can rent a car in Malta, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re adept at driving on the left side of the road (Malta was most recently a Crown Colony of England before gaining independence) and can confidently navigate the famously narrow European roads. If you come as a family or group, you can rent a van with a driver for eight hours for about $250. You can also hire a guide with a car, which is less expensive. If you’re more patient (and also cheap), you can opt to use the country’s bus system. Daytime bus fare is 2 euros, at night it’s 3 euros.
Hiring a driver or taking the bus is a good way to see attractions such as the aforementioned Megalithic Temples of Malta, or natural features such as the Blue Grotto, a complex of seven sea caves where the blue Mediterranean pops in the sunlight. There are several boat tours available that will take you around the main island to see features such as the Grotto, and also to the two other islands in the archipelago, Gozo and Comino.
On my day with a driver, I also went to Mdina, an ancient town about 20 minutes from Valletta. Mdina actually looks like a movie set. It’s a fortified medieval village enclosed in bastions. No cars are allowed, with the exception of vehicles of those who live there, so it’s a bit like a living museum with hotels, shops, and restaurants. When I learned that the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the country was located in Mdina, I made a reservation and returned that evening. As a party of one, I find it’s generally easy to get a table. The downside is that as a party of one, I’m usually stuck at the worst table.
The restaurant, called de Mondion, is located on top of a 17th-century Baroque palazzo and has panoramic views of the countryside all the way to the ocean. Maltese cuisine reflects the country’s diverse cultural history, its warm climate, and, of course, the sea. The menu at de Mondion played with all of those elements. I opted for the scottona beef filet, which was served with Bahrija onion, oxtail, and rarebit, but what truly blew me away were the endlessly creative amuse-bouche courses that seemed to follow each dish. When I asked the waiter if he could write them all down for me, he got the chef, who instead offered to autograph the menu for me. If you’re a Michelinstarred chef, I think you have the right to start autographing menus.
The prices were not astronomical (my meal, with wine, was under $120). If you go, make sure you order the lemon soufflé. You can thank me later.
I spent the remainder of the trip focused on the charming streets of Valletta. This is why I recommend at least three or four days in Malta. You’ll need a day or two outside of the capital to explore, and then a few more days to hit the highlights of Valetta and the adjacent villages of Birgu (also known as Vittoriosa), Senglea, and Cospicua. Take the water taxi from Valletta to Birgu to spend time at the Malta at War Museum. I’m going to toss out another superlative. Malta at War is one of the most intense museums you’ll ever encounter.
Because of its strategic position, countries and empires have been fighting over Malta for centuries. One of Mussolini’s first targets at the onset of World War II was Malta, which was under British control at the time. Germany and Italy flew a total of 3,000 bombing missions over the country. Malta at War has displays about life in the hard-hit country during WWII. More importantly, it includes an underground air raid shelter, which is more like an underground city. Hundreds sought shelter in the claustrophobia-inducing rooms and tunnels. The tunnels are so extensive that I got lost and started panicking. My advice is don’t go solo.
If you need more war tunnels, there are the Lascaris War Rooms, where defense plans for the country were drafted during WWII. Later, NATO used the rooms.
But there is more to Malta than war, and I suggest spending more time outside than underground. OK, one more superlative and I’ll stop. The Malta Postal Museum is the best (and only) postal museum I’ve visited. I ducked in to avoid a quick rain shower, but ended up staying and learning about the country through the museum’s smartly curated displays.
Malta also has a fantastic cafe culture, there are beautiful beaches on Gozo, and there’s fun shopping in Valletta. Follow my lead and visit off-season when it’s not as hot, the crowds are thinner, and accommodations are less expensive. Just make sure a boulder hasn’t crushed Popeye Village before you go.
Several Mediterranean cruises dock in Malta for a day, but I’m here to convince you that this independent republic is worth more than a quick excursion from your ship.