We (well me anyway) was up and about early to go and grab breakfast as we had a big day out planned.
Forecast was good and I was up,in time to see the sunrise.
Yet another lovely walk around the harbour to pick up the bread from the bakery.
And a drive across the island to catch the ferry to Malta’s sister island of Gozo.
We had to queue for about an hour to catch the ferry but it was a pretty well organised affair and the crossing is only about 30 minutes.
Past the small island of Comino which is home to the famous Blue Lagoon. Another spot we’d love to come back and visit in warmer weather.
Our first stop was the pretty fishing village of Xlendi. Sadly I got my wind bearings wrong and rather than it being sheltered it was facing full into a what had become a pretty ferocious wind so we we could barely stand up. A sign of what was to come later in the day.
So off we popped to the other side of the island. Gozo is very small so it only took 20 minutes. It was breezy but nothing like the gale force winds blowing on the other side of the island
We parked up at Xwejni Beach and had a super lunch overlooking the bay.
After which we took a walk around the headland and its collection of salt pans.
Many had water in them and were deep enough to take a swim. There were deep wells in the rock which we assumed was to haul water up to fill them.
In fact this whole stretch of coast is a maze of salt pans, some as old as Roman times.
I liked this strange feature which I guess is formed by erosion underneath a much harder cap of limestone rock.
Onwards to the next stop on our whistle stop tour, Wied il-Għasri.
A narrow natural gorge cutting into the rocky coastline.
We had a fine time scrambling along the ledges above the deep crystal clear water. There just wasn’t enough sunshine to make a swim an attractive proposition on a chilly winter day.
Looking out to sea you just make out the crashing waves on the exposed shore, a marked contrast to the calm waters in the gorge. A fabulous little spot.
Our next site is one of Gozo and Malta’s most famous, the stone age temple of Ġgantija.
Like the other temples it dates from around 3500 BC, over 5500 years old.
It was until relatively recently thought to be the oldest man-made structure on the planet. That distinction is now held by Gobekli Tepe in Turkey. Whilst its older, Ġgantija is much better preserved.
In fact it was much better preserved than the other sites we visited. The name is apt as some of the stones are enormous and really makes you wonder at the ingenuity and effort required to bring them here and put them in place.
I loved the mystery of the place. Because of its age, there are no written records from that era so much of what is presented is conjecture and a little guesswork.
No one really knows for sure where the people came from, what they did, how they lived, what these temples were used for or why they suddenly disappeared from the islands.
Very interesting to walk around a place so old and steeped on mystery. Something I had no idea Malta (or Gozo in this case), had.
On to our final stop of the day, the Cittadella in the capital of Gozo, Victoria.
It was late in the day when we walked around and the sun was beginning to set.
The light at this time of the day was magnificent
Panorama looking over the north of the island.
Professors and Funsters on the battlements.
Looking over the massive Rotunda St. John Baptist Church to Malta in the distance.
The setting sun was lighting up the deep golden colour of the stone to perfect effect.
Gozo is very much more rural than Malta and seemed very green and lush at this time of year.
We did a full circuit of the walls and lookout points but this place deserves more than the brief hour we spent exploring.
The sun begins to set on our very intensive visit to Gozo.
Cathedral of the Assumption within the Citadella walls.
We stopped off at the Rotunda St. John Baptist Church in the hope it might have somewhere to watch the sunset. Sadly it didn’t but it was nice to get up close to this huge building.
We managed to find a spot the back of the church to catch a glimpse of the sunset.
And then it was time to head back to catch the ferry home in time for tea. Well, so we thought. The winds had really picked up meaning the larger of the four ferries couldn’t operate and the remaining three were taking a long detour around Comino doubling the crossing time. End result was we queued for about 2 miles and 3 hours before we could board a ferry! By the time we’d crossed and driven home it was pretty much 11pm and a very late tea. Still we’d had a superb day on Gozo and that was the main thing. When we visit again I think Gozo deserves a few days of its own.
New Years Day was flush with the remnants of the previous nights storm. The harbour had crashing waves and the skies a leaden grey and with a steady drizzle falling.
We headed out in the car for for a bit of an explore of the north end of the island. Stopping off first at the cave of Ghar il-Kbir.
TBF enters the depths
They had clearly been heavily used but there were no information boards so I’m not sure who exactly used them and for what.
It felt like a place that sees very few visitors especially on such a grey, wet winter day.
Still, I like exploring a cave and it passed an hour having a poke around.
The other notable site are these deep grooves in the limestone known locally as cart ruts (they are found all over Malta but these are the best examples). Such is their extent, the area is known as Clapham Junction! There are various theories about what created them. Possibly Stone or Iron age created by dragging large wooden sleds across the rock. Possibly Roman created by wheeled carts. Current theory seems to indicate they are natural features. If you look at Google Earth you can see the patterns really clearly but they don’t feel natural when you see them up close. Not exactly exciting as sights go but the idea of them is fascinating.
Onwards to these stone walls called the Victoria Lines. Built in the early 19th Century to create a barrier to northern invaders and to protect the cities to the south but never saw any real action until they were abandoned.
It had stopped raining by now (and indeed for the rest of the day) and the views across the north of the island were pretty good.
You can walk the walls for a few miles which would be a great little outing on a better day.
Next stop was Golden Bay on the NW coast and one of the islands few sandy beaches.
We had a nice lunch in the small cafe on the beach and again got lucky with an inside seat out as it was a bit chilly to eat outside.
Its a lovely spot if you can keep the rather incongruous hotel out of the picture.
We had a little stroll out to the Għajn Tuffieħa Tower that overlooks the bay.
Għajn Tuffieħa Beach is the next one along. The colour of the water was stunning even on an overcast day. Must be superb on a clear sunny day.
Be a great place to explore the rocks and snorkel in those clear waters but not today.
We wandered back to the car for our next stop off.
This is Paradise Bay that was completely closed down for the winter. It wasn’t exactly the best bit of coastal scenery we saw in Malta but I guess we didn’t see it on its best day.
We had a bit of a walk along the coast and did get our first glimpse of Gozo, Malta’s smaller neighbour island.
Pleasant in an unmemorable sort of way.
Last stop was the The Red Tower, built by the Knights of St John in the 16th Century. Comparing it to photos I’d seen online I think its had a very recent fresh coat of paint.
Sadly as it was New Years Day it was closed so we had a look around the outside and the views over the north eastern corner of the island and headed home.
We were back in time for a short walk along the coast before it got dark and managed a half decent sunset.
New Years Eve and a visit to other side of the Grand Harbour.
There are a couple of small peninsulas the protrude into the Grand harbour opposite Valletta that contain the settlements of Birgu (also known as Vittoriosa), Cospicua and Senglea, referred to as the Three Cities. They have a very similar style to Valletta itself but are less busy.
The day didn’t start in promising style. It was raining when the taxi dropped us off.
It did stop for a while wile we took our first walk along the waterfront in. Birgu. However, the clouds soon darkened again and it began to rain heavily. We dived into a tiny cafe and were extremely lucky to snag a table inside to wait out the rain.
Once the rain stopped we took a walk and around the historic centre of Birgu, Il Collachio.
It was absolutely beautiful. Narrow paved streets full of gorgeous houses, all with those traditional Maltese balconies.
The wet streets seemed to enhance the glow of the houses.
My one regret is that we never found the time to come back and take another look.
By the time we exited the streets, the weather was transformed. Abundant blue skies and sunshine were now the order of the day.
We took a walk out to the headland below Fort St Angelo where the views across the harbour to Valletta were stunning. You could also watch the traditional Maltese Dghajsa boats plying their trade. More on those later.
It was a real highlight of the trip here especially with such and unexpected and dramatic change in the weather.
We found a great Italian place for lunch with a terrace in the sun.
This was our lunchtime view, such a contrast to the start of the day.
Bellies full, we took a walk along the waterfront in Senglea on the opposite side to Birgu.
The views across to Birgu with the boats in the harbour were superb. I love a good harbour and another reinforcement of the idea that the greatest cities are built on water.
Fort St Angelo and the fast ferry to Valletta.
Valletta across the Great Harbour.
We too a walk up to the gardens of La Guardiola – a sort of pilgrimage for us MCFC fans!
Another Cruise ship was in port. I think it was the same one as we saw on our first day.
Senglea from Birgu.
Parish Church of St Lawrence.
One of the top “to dos” in Malta is to take a traditional Dghajsa ride across the Grand Harbour between the Three Cities and Valletta.
It costs just 3 Euros each and the ride is amazing and the best way to see the sights from very close to the water level!
Off we go!
This shows how low the boats are to the water. There are maybe a dozen of them just running back and forth so you only have to wait 5-10 mins to jump on one.
We absolutely loved it and one of the real highlights of the trip. From a wet start it was turning into a really memorable day.
Short video of our trip across – great fun.
Our beautiful little chariot.
It was now late afternoon so we headed into Valletta for a wander about, entering the city through the Victoria Gate.
St Johns Co- Cathedral.
We stopped off for a drink at this great little street bar in one of the busy side streets. The waitress was lovely and we were enjoying the scene and people watching so much, we responded very positively to her suggestion to have another couple of drinks. It was really only the chilly air that eventually compelled us to move on.
The street was buzzing with people no doubt building up for the New Year parties and events in the city squares.
We toyed with the idea of staying in the city for New Years Eve but its a bit chilly to be sitting around for too long so we decided to head home. We went via this little church of Knisja tal-Vittorja.
To Barrakka Gardens for a night view over the Three Cities
We were about to book a taxi home when I noticed the Dghajsa were still operating. What better way to head home that a night crossing of the Grand Harbour and a taxi home from Birgu instead.
It proved to be a great idea. The night crossing was even better than the daytime one.
Prof I and TBF looking chilly but happy.
The night views were just stunning as we rode into the harbour.
The lights reflecting off the water were beautiful.
Night crossing video. If you watch the video carefully you can see flashes of lightning in the distance. Just as we arrived home the most almighty storm raged with a light show, booming thunder and torrential rain. I read the next day that it had been the wettest New Years Eve in Valletta for 20 years. Very glad we decided to head home.
Parish Church of St Lawrence where we picked up the taxi. The roads were all closed around Birgu for New Year so the driver had to take a route through the very narrow paved streets we’d walked earlier. I’m glad he was driving and not me! One of the best days of the trip.
We’d done a fair bit of coastal stuff so time to see what inland Malta had to offer.
The day dawned with some stormy looking clouds over Marsaskala as I walked to the bakery.
By the time we’d eaten, made our preparations and headed out it had turned into a gorgeous day.
While the sun was in the east and shining we decided to take another quick swim at St Peter’s Pool.
Prof II was keen to give it a try although he did say the water was much colder than at Ghar Lapsi (probably as the water was much deeper here.)
We spent a happy hour in and out of the water.
The contrast between the clear blue waters and colour of the rocks is beguiling.
Off to the main focus of the day, the town of Rabat and next door, the walled medieval town of Mdina.
Mdina is well known as one the original capitals of the islands but Rabat was equally charming with its narrow streets and beautiful squares and churches. This is the main church, the Basilica of St Paul.
The town square in front of the church was lovely with lots of buzzing bars and cafes.
As well as this very unusual fountain, the Ballun tal-Irħam. We wanted a seat for lunch to watch it but they were all taken.
A little video to show it in action. I thought it was pretty cool. I love a good fountain.
We did manage to snag a sunny bench for an alfresco lunch from the local bakery. The nearby church of St. Cathaldus.
Then it was time visit Mdina. The place was used for several scenes in Game of Thrones including this magnificent entrance bridge and gatehouse.
And for fans of the show this is the square outside Littlefinger’s Brothel!
The whole place is a maze of narrow paved streets and like all such places, the main drag was busy but if you stepped away just a street or two you could find lovely quiet passages like this.
We took a very leisurely stroll, weaving through town.
To reach the ramparts with a fine view over Malta towards Valletta.
A different route of narrow streets takes you to the main square of Piazza St Paul.
Surrounding by a stunning collection of buildings. This one houses the cathedral museum.
I really liked this one, a nobleman’s house called Casa Gourgion.
And St. Paul’s Cathedral itself. It’s supposedly stunning inside but they wanted a significant fee to enter so instead..
We walked around the corner to take a look at the Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady which was stunning and free.
We took a last wander through the streets before heading to our final sight for the day.
St Paul’s Catacombs back in Rabat
Unlike the Hypogeum we’d visited the day before these are Roman in origin. Unlike the cathedral it was also reasonably priced.
Its an extraordinary complex and quite extensive with a maze of passages to explore.
In fact the whole town of Rabat seems to have these catacombs beneath with numerous places where you can descend into their creepy depths. The human effort it must have taken to excavate them is astonishing.
Some even have bones discovered still in the coffins. I was surprised to see these but Prof II tells us that in sites like these they find so much stuff to catalogue and examine that they can’t possibly study everything and much will be set aside and often simply disposed of. This sort of archeology (studying organic remains is her special area of interest).
Here she is scrambling into one of the smaller chambers.
Once the burial has taken place there would be a ritual meal held in the dark depths. This is one of the carved “tables” used for the purpose. I found that idea deeply weird, eating a meal surrounded by dead and decaying bodies
The site was huge with about 30 different entrances to various tombs. However after a while you feel you’ve seen enough, so we took our leave but very happy with the hour we spent in the dark depths!
We managed to take a quick peek inside the the Basilica in Rabat before heading for home.
We tried to get a photo of Mdina lit by the setting sun but it had been cloaked by clouds by the time we found a viewpoint.
We also went home via the Dingli cliffs to see if there was going to be a decent sunset but this was the best we got.
Still a terrific and fascinating day ended with an evening walk around the harbour in Marsaskala for a meal.
As I mentioned, Malta has tons of history. From its ancient civilisations through the Middle Ages and into the WWII. Our first visit this day was to the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum.
Its an extraordinary underground burial complex dating from 1500 to 4000BC. It had lain hidden until 1902 when it was discovered during excavations and building for new houses. Unfortunately its a very delicate site and they strictly control visitor numbers (around 100 per day I’d guess) and you aren’t allowed to take photos. There is a link here for a little background. The tour was very well presented and its a fascinating and eerie space. Well worth a visit and the steep admission fee but you do need to book 2-3 months in advance to be sure of a visit
Just around the corner was another temple site so we had a look around there while in the vicinity.
The Ħal-Tarxien complex was also discovered by accident and unlike the other two we visited is right in the middle of the Paola suburb of Vallatta.
Its been more “reconstructed” than the other places of the same era we visited but none the less fascinating.
Adds to the mystery of this little known civilisation.
This is the base of an immense female statue found at the site (the rest is in the Archeological museum in Valletta).
Happy with our morning we headed into Valletta to grab some lunch. On the way to the bus stop we passed the “small” local parish church of Paola!
We had a wander into the city centre, giving Prof I his first look at Valletta as we’d already been a few days earlier.
The narrow streets and stunning house always caught the eye.
We grabbed lunch from the local supermarket and ate it overlooking the Grand Harbour.
Fine views again over the Valletta waterfront.
And to the Three Cities and Senglea
As it was a bit of a grey afternoon we went to look at the Lascaris War Rooms. It was the HQ of Allied War Operations in Malta in WWII. It was absolutely packed with interesting stuff, displays and rooms replicating the war-time look. In truth there was almost too much information and it was hard to focus on specific areas. The parts I found most interesting was the story that the recent film “Operation Mincemeat” was based on (a very elaborate deception plot to fool the Germans which worked), the details of Operation Husky (the retaking of Sicily from the Axis forces) and the role of the Sicilian Mafia in the war. All were major turning points in the war.
We decided we’d eat our evening meal in the city so we could see the night-time views. We had some time to kill so had another wander above the Grand Harbour
One of the ferries arriving from Sicily.
Another of those cute and quaint Valletta streets.
Fort Rinella guards the harbour entrance.
Sunset over the Grand Harbour.
After a drink in a bar on the street and then a fine meal we headed back out for our night-time views. This is the main street in the city, always packed with people.
I think this was either a museum or a hotel. Very grand in any case.
Auberge de Castille
The Upper Barrakka Gardens.
And its pretty fountain.
Looking out over the Three Cities
And the Valletta waterfront. Great end to our historical day!
Exciting day as Prof I was flying out to join the family fun.
Even the weather did its part with a glorious clear sunny day to welcome him.
We had an hour to kill before we headed off to pick him up from the airport so me and TBF went for walk along the coast.
We stopped off at another of the “Blue Holes” where the sea enters through a hidden cave and then wells up in a fairly dramatic manner.
The video gives an idea and I love these places having found one in Gran Canaria and in Greece. Very exciting.
I introduced TBF to the Salt Pans on the way back.
I had more time to look around and I was fascinated by the array of shapes and sizes and the sheer effort that goes into making them by hand.
They fill up in the winter storms and then dry out during the long hot summer when the salt can be harvested – if that’s the right word.
Nice sunny view back into Marsaskala harbour. Our apartment was over on the right of this photo.
The Prof’s plane landed bang on time and as he’d been up since 4am we thought heading straight for lunch was the order of the day. We went back to the small settlement near the Blue Grotto as it was a short drive away and the restaurant we ate in was excellent so why change things.
We had another walk along the “canal” that cuts into the cliff. Prof II seen here braving the very narrow last stretch of the concrete walkway.
One of my favourite little spots in Malta.
The Xutu Tower.
The Prof said he wanted a swim to celebrate his arrival and the fine weather so we headed back to Ghar Lapsi.
It was very much busier than the previous time but most people must have been in the bars and restaurants as there were only a few people in the water.
We had a great little swim in the clear waters with the waves washing in over the rocks.
I did try to take some underwater photos but it was pretty choppy and hard to focus so this was the best I could manage.
We dried ourselves off and went for a scramble about on the rocks and in the caves.
You can see just how clear the water is and it made us want to return to Malta in warmer weather to really enjoy the swimming (although of course it would be much busier)
The family all back together.
The sun was starting to set and we thought we had enough time to drive out and find a sunset watching spot,
This corner of the island is home to its highest cliffs at Dingli.
Its a spectacular place although the really sheer cliffs are a fair bit below the road and it looked very precarious indeed if you did want to peer over the edge.
This is the view along the most spectacular section.
A stunning afternoon of crystal clear skies.
Me and Prof I have become somewhat obsessed with country high points. Most in Europe are quite hard to bag as they tend to be in the Alps or other serious mountain ranges. Malta on the other hand is easy with its highest point about 10 feet from the coastal road. Here we are bagging another country summit. My third and Prof’s second.
Whilst the view from Mount Teide in Tenerife is amazing, Malta’s summit view left a little to be desired!! Still a tick is a tick!
Although you could look out over the quarry to Valletta in the distance.
We had a drive along the coast and found a spot to sit and watch the sunset.
The absence of cloud meant it wasn’t as good as it could have been but it was still calm, peaceful and a wonderful place to finish a great day.
And of course sharing it with the whole family was the icing on the cake.
The next day dawned with brooding clouds and a forecast for plenty of showers through the day.
Time to head out for a more inside sort of day.
I had a bit of time to kill before the others were ready so went out for a short walk to look at the Darmanin Salt Pans, just up the road.
Salt pans are everywhere in Malta and like most these are small and created by hand with hard graft. Most like these are a couple of hundred years old but there are some examples of Roman ones in other places.
Fascinating place and we came back a couple of times later in the trip.
Our target was the settlements of Bugibba, Qawra and St Pauls on the NE corner of the island.
It was very windy and pretty chilly, more UK than Med but it was dry enough for a walk along the seafront looking for somewhere for lunch.
Its very much a tourist place, Brits abroad sort of thing but the seafront was nice enough and it gave us our exercise for the day.
We managed to dive into a cheap and cheerful place just before the heavens opened. We were lucky to have sat inside while the people sitting outside had to scramble for dry place indoors.
Our inside choice for the afternoon was the Malta National Aquarium. We hurried in hoping to catch the Octopus feeding and talk but it was cancelled. By way of compensation this fella put on a very good show for us.
Everyone else in Malta had the same idea and the place was packed but we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as we are big fans of a decent Aquarium.
They also had a reptile and insect house.
Good new for Prof II as she is a big fan of snakes and reptiles.
Bad news for those of us scared of spiders!
This is a trigger fish and they move at amazing speed and never seem to slow down. Amazed I got a half decent picture.
A Lion Fish.
And they have one of those tunnel sections where you can watch the sharks swim around you.
L:ast section was for freshwater fish. I had no idea there was such a thing as fresh water Rays.
These catfish were pretty big, about a meter long.
It had clearly been raining heavily while were inside so turned out to be a good call and a great way to spend a wet day. Hoping for better weather the next day with someone else coming out to join us.
Boxing Day dawned with another stunning sunny blue sky day.
Another day exploring in the car.
Another lovely walk around the harbour to collect breakfast.
And off to explore the SW coast.
This is the spectacular sea arch above the famous blue grotto (not to be confused with the equally famous Blue Lagoon on the other side of the island. We wanted to take a boat trip to both places but the seas were just too rough while we were there.
We parked up in the small settlement of Wied Iż-Żurrieq for a walk around. This is the Xutu Tower which you can climb to the top of.
It was a windy day as you can see from Prof II’s lively hair.
The coastal scenery is just magnificent and a far cry from my mental picture of large soul-less hotels that I thought was most of Malta. They are in fact found in just a few resorts further north and this section of the island is largely unspoilt.
We found a little place for lunch on a terrace in the sun. This was my plate of beef olives called Bragioli. Very nice it was too.
The Blue Grotto is down there. You can take boat trips right inside the caves where at the right time of days the sun turns the water a deep turquoise blue.
Malta is in essence a large chunk of Limestone sitting in the Med and it erodes into some amazing shapes, cliffs, caves and arches.
By way of example this is the natural “canal” below the village where the calmer waters allow for the Blue Grotto Boats to depart.
You can wander along a very narrow concrete ledge right into its heart.
It would make a great spot for a deep water swim on a calmer day.
Off for a bit of history. First stop the ancient site at Ħaġar Qim.
There are several of these temples and sites all over Malta and they are some of the oldest man-made structures on the planet.
They are about 5,500 years old, remnants of a civilisation that they think arrived from mainland Europe via Sicily.
Due to their age there are no written records of this civilisation so most of what is presented is very much educated guesswork. No-one is entirely sure why they were built and what they were used for.
It appears they were some kind of ritual site or temple. This stone has been marked with what they believe is an effort to “count” the stars in the sky as it appears that the sun and the heavens above were hugely important to their culture. The other mystery is how some of these huge stones were put in place especially as most of the structure would have had a roof!
This is the second structure of Mnajdra a shorty walk away. Equally mysteriously after about 1000 years the civilisation that built them just vanished and no-one is quite sure why. Possibly some visitor brought a disease they had no immunity for, maybe they were over-run by an invader. Perhaps they simply upped and left to move somewhere else.
The coast was so quiet and stunning that we took another walk along the coast. More cliffs and sea arches.
More coastal towers.
Looking back to the Mnajdra site.
The tower was Tal-Ħamrija.
No chance to climb to the top of this one. That’s the door on the right (assume there must have been some kind of wooden bridge or steps to enter, now long gone).
The little island off the coast is Filfla. Home to some unique species of bird, snail and lizard found only on the island. It was also used as bombing target practice during WWII.
To finish off the day we drove a short way down the coast to the tiny fishing village of Għar Lapsi. There is a large cave you can walk through to the reach the crashing waves.
We sat up on the rocks for a while to watch foaming sea crash into the bay.
I find watching the waves anywhere to be mesmeric and its a particularly fine spectacle as the sun goes down.
The rocks create a natural swimming hole. More to come in a later post.
We walked up onto the rocks above the village to watch the sun set.
TBF looking wistfully out to sea.
Clouds rolled in to obscure the sunset, marking a temporary change in the weather after the gorgeous sunshine of the first few days.
Xmas Day dawned in Malta and its was a glorious morning.
Clear blue skies and warm sunshine to welcome the day.
I really enjoyed my daily walk to the bakery to pick up the bread and breakfast pastries.
And it was warm enough to sit on the balcony to eat – marvellous.
We decided to jump in the car and explore the local east coast – well considering how small Malta is, everywhere is local to an extent but you get the idea.
We first took a short walk around St Thomas Bay which was very quiet. This deep natural pool was very tempting for a swim but I had another spot in mind.
A few miles away is St Peter’s Pool.
Its one of the most well known swimming spots on the island and its a beauty.
Ther limestone rocks have been eroded into a deep narrow chasm with shelving rocks above and deep crystal clear water below.
A stunning spot and warm enough – I hoped – to take a swim.
The water was a bit chilly but nothing like as cold as the waters off Nice and Cannes that we swam in last Xmas.
I had a great little swim around the inlets and chasms and some big jumps from the rocks. A short video above of me having fun.
It’s always a great boast to say you’ve been swimming on Xmas day and much better than trying to do it in the UK!
We sat in the sun to soak up the views and for me to warm up a bit. Great start to the day.
We drove a few miles further down the coast to the pretty fishing village of Marsaxlokk for a lovely lunch in an Italian restaurant.
Its a lovely harbour-front walk and postcard pretty (providing you ignore the huge cranes of the docks and the refinery that guards the entrance to the bay!)
We sat in the sun to eat gelato – one of the advantages of the proximity to Italy is great quality gelato.
For our afternoons entertainment we headed back to St Thomas Bay and took a stroll along the coast. Malta has some pretty amazing coastal scenery and this section was stunning on such a gorgeous afternoon.
These are old WWII Pillboxes converted into basic dwellings
The dramatic sea arch of the Munxar Window.
The cliffs are bright white and were simply glowing in the afternoon winter sunshine.
They are incredibly steep and pretty exposed in places. Very reminiscent of the cliffs of Dorset and Sussex.
We were hoping to continue our walk around this headland but it was closed off as they were excavating another ancient historical site.
We cut across to the other side with some fine views of the Hofriet Window.
We found some steps down to another wave cut platform of limestone near the Ta Kalanka cave.
Sunshine through the Hofriet Window.
It was a fabulous spot with the sun turning the rocks a deep golden colour.
The cliff has been eroded into a huge undercut and we were lucky to catch some perfect light conditions.
The hour we spent here was one of the highlights of the holiday.
The two ladies in my life posing for a risky photo (the rock is quite solid!)
We wandered back the way we’d come to take another look at the cliffs
Looking back to Marsaskala. our apartment was on the other side of this promontory.
The golden light was just amazing.
It had a been a really memorable Xmas day and so lucky to have had, probably the best weather day of the trip to enjoy it.
Final sunset shot from the balcony to finish off a wonderful day.
A rather fraught journey from Yorkshire down to Gatwick Airport (flat car battery in Motorway Service Area) and an overnight at a Terminal hotel for our Winter Sunshine Trip.
Last year we sat on the beach in Nice thinking about where to go the following year. Prof I suggested Malta and after a bit of research it seemed like a really interesting place, lots of history and some fine scenery. Flights and accommodation were booked.
It was dark when we finally arrived at the apartment – wonderful place it was too. Large, spacious and beautifully furnished and with a lovely balcony with a view across the harbour.
In the local village of Marsaskala just a few miles from the capital, Valletta and with very few tourists. Well everywhere is a few miles away in Malta as its tiny, just 21 miles by 15 miles, one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
We unpacked and headed out for our first walk around the harbour, grabbed a meal in a local bar and turned in ready to start proper exploration the next day.
Christmas Eve early morning view out to sea from our balcony.
And back to the harbour. I was liking Malta already.
We had to head out for supplies at the local (and very excellent) supermarket. TBF was very excited to find this oversized carrot!
As the morning progressed the sun came out properly.
We headed down into town to catch the bus into Valletta for our first look around.
The Triton Fountain near the entrance to the old walled section of the city.
The fortifications of the city are immense as you can see from the walls guarding the western entrance to the city. Malta has been a strategically important place for centuries as I’ll allude to in later posts
After a superb lunch in an Italian/Maltese place we headed out to explore.
We went up to the Upper Barrakka Gardens from where….
There is a fantastic view across the Grand Harbour to the “Three Cities” of Birgu (also known as Vittoriosa), Senglea and Cospicua.
And out towards the narrow entrance to the Grand Harbour.
The streets in Valletta are all narrow with 3-4 storey town houses and its a grand place to wander about.
A really good mix of the historical charm while still feeling like a lively, lived in city. It reminded in many ways of Athens in that regard.
I loved this street with its colourful enclosed balconies which is a common feature in Malta. I’d have loved to stay in a place where I could sit in one of those and watch the world go by.
Looking back to the same street from the Lower Barrakka Gardens.
Fort St Angelo in Birgu across the water
The Grand Harbour is renowned as one of the finest harbours in the world and the many views we had of it from several places certainly had me supporting that assertion.
The Siege Bell War Memorial to the islands resistance during WWII.
Fort Rinella.
Another stunning city street.
It was Xmas Eve and the place was really busy but not oppressively so.
St Johns Co-Cathedral (odd name I thought), more of which in a later post.
We headed back to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for a another look at the view as the Sun went down.
A massive cruise ship just leaving and heading for Barcelona (taking its many thousands of irritating tour groups with it)
The fountains look especially fine in the evening with its lights.
A great first day and I was falling in love with the island and its capital already. Much more to come.
I spend alot of my time surfing the web looking for ideas on places to go, walking routes, travel ideas and tips to plan the perfect holiday or day out. (I'm a project manager I like to plan). I thought it was time to share my own experiences and contribute to the vast amounts in information that's already out there.
I'll also add in some gear and tech reviews and when something irks me I may even use this forum to have a rant - I do that pretty well I'm told.There are a few pages at the top that give a bit of background to what I like to get up to and what you can expect to see in my posts. I'm not exactly a creative writer but I hope some people will find my stuff useful or inpsiring or at least enjoy some of my photos.
surfnslide 
