A weekend travelling to any new city is a taste. But a weekend in Malta you get the feeling it’s a tease. A real ‘malt’teaser (sorry, not sorry). One, you’re not going to be able to visit Gozo (the north island and according to all accounts the land where time slows down) and two, you’re not going to be able to sample all the delicacies, and three – unless you’ve done some serious research you can’t even begin to delve into the history of the place. Pirates, colonialism, wars against the Turks (to name a few).
So you’ve got a weekend. Stay in Valetta. It’s a world heritage site and it’s has to be one of the prettiest cities in Europe. Accomodation can be expensive but it’s worth it to wander aimlessly around the streets. In doing that we found an amazing dinner spot called Legligin. We got a tasting menu so didn’t feel like we missed out on any local treats! And well priced.
Sitting on the streets at night in the warm, salty air with a beer in hand is dreamy. We found a popular little spot called cafe society that we went to most nights. The local lads all were all sophisticated playing chess but we sat in the alleyway enjoying the views, salted nuts and a glass of rosè.
A trip to Mdina (old town) is worth it – again beautifully preserved architecture and plenty of wandering – imagining what it would have been like living there centuries ago.
If your an early riser, make use of your advantage! Beat all us lazy sods and head down to the fishing village Marsaxxlok for the morning markets. You’ll get the best seafood and snacks/fake sunnies (who doesn’t love some Rey Bahns). We ate at a decent spot called Three Sisters. Make sure you request the fish caught that day. It gets rammed around lunch though – so beware.
Also obviously you’re going to want to visit the blue lagoon, but lower your expectations a bit if you’re there in summer. The place is sardine packed! There is no beach. So do as a crustacean would and find yourself a rock that moulds into the shape of your spine and you might be able to endure a few hours tops of dipping in and clambering out. If not, never mind – turn your lemons into pineapples and order yourself a pina colada to cheer yourself up! I’m being rough. The water IS beautiful. Very. I think if you can sail/ hire a boat there you might have a better better experience.
Oh and if you want a local vibe after you leave, before you hit Valetta there’s a great beach bar called paradise exile (in Silema).
To get around we didn’t hire a car- we ended up getting their equivalent of uber (taxify). It was super cheap so make sure you download the app before you go.
The buildings, the views, the food and the people- your weekend Malta tease is one hundred percent guaranteed to leave you wanting more.
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