Malta
My partner had a random 3-day weekend and we found quick and easy flights down to Malta so we hopped on the 55 min RyanAir flight from Naples. We love staying in Airbnbs, local accommodations like agriturismos in Italy, etc but we are also big fans of using our Hilton points and staying at a nice Hilton when we can.
There is a beautiful Hilton in St. Julian’s, on the east coast of Malta, that has amazing views, pools, a spa, and fantastic customer service. Based on recommendations from friends, we opted to stay here and enjoy the perks of being Diamond members. We opted not to rent a car this weekend and just used Bolt (a ride share app) to get around the island. It was affordable and easy!
Friday
Our flight left Naples around 12.30pm and by 2:35pm we were in our hotel room changing into bathing suits to head down to the pool. Our plan was just to spend Friday by the pool and relaxing at the hotel but when the clouds blocked the sun, it was a little too chilly (it’s still early April). By early evening, we decided to head to the capital city of Valleta to walk around. It was probably a 20 min drive from the hotel.
Valleta is absolutely beautiful architecturally and has amazing views of the surrounding harbour. We tried to go into St. John’s Cathedral but it was closed for a private concert. If we had more time, we would have taken the €3 ferry over to the Three Cities to also explore there.
Saturday
Saturday morning, we headed to Mdina (“The Silent City”). It is a walled, medieval city that is almost entirely pedestrian. This used to be the capital before it moved to Valleta. Near the main gate to the city, there was a nice playground and small horse drawn carriages. We decided to take the carriage to ride around the town (€35/30min). My four year old loved it, especially the bells that the driver used to let pedestrians know we were coming and they needed to move. It was a fun walk to see the city and learn the history before we walked around. Game of Throne fans will probably recognize Mdina (along with many other spots on Malta) as filming locations. We had a drink at La Fontanella Tea Room, which has a terrace overlooking the surrounding countryside. This is definitely an easy city to just wander around soak in the views.
We headed back to the hotel for a quick lunch and naptime so we could all be rested for the main event of the day: a private boat ride around the islands. This was kind of a last minute, spontaneous trip and both Ben and I have had a lot going on, so we didn’t do a ton of pre-planning. Luckily, the concierge at the Hilton was able to help connect us with a skipper and private boat tour. I’m including his info below because Darrin, the skipper, was one of the kindest people we have met and provided an amazing experience.
Malta Private Boat Tours
Darren Grixdi
+356 9929 9692
The boat picked us up at a pier that was only about a 6 minute walk from our hotel. Darrin and his nephew were waiting for us with their speed boat, which was very similar to the gommone boats (inflatable bottoms) we rent in Italy. The boat was definitely large enough for 10-12 people so we were incredibly comfortable. Darrin (and his nephew Chase who acted as his first mate) were warm and welcoming. They had water and snacks on board for us (I highly recommend “Nice” brand Maltese biscuits - they are coconut flavoured and so good). The hotel also gave us a bottle of Prosecco to take with us. Since it was a private tour, we could really go wherever we wanted. We followed his recommendations and headed north along to coast to St. Paul’s Island (where St. Paul shipwrecked while being transported to be imprisoned in Rome), Comino, and Gozo (the other two islands off the north end of Malta). Along the way we stopped inside natural sea caves (and even made wishes inside some of them), drove around a tuna farm looking for dolphins, learned about the history of the islands, and more.
Comino, the small island between Malta and Gozo, is seemingly most popular for being home to two absolutely beautiful swimming spots: the Blue Lagoon and the Crystal Lagoon. We drove through both and stopped to swim and relax in the Crystal Lagoon, which was less crowded. Darrin told us that during the summer this area is absolutely mad and mobbed with boats but that they do block off swim areas. There are food trucks parked on Comino that you can and it seems the “the place” to be. Huge tour boats come here with hundreds of people that they let off onto the island for day trips. In the Crystal Lagoon, which was a bit smaller but just a blue and clear, we saw some jelly fish (luckily not while I was in the water) and tons of fish that my son enjoyed throwing crackers in to feed.
There is also a sandy beach on Comino in Santa Maria Bay, where you can get off on a pier versus having the jump right in the water. We made a quick stop here for my son to run around, a bathroom break (there are public toilets by the small beach), and to check out the small chapel on the island. Apparently there are only 2 residents remaining on Comino (and it’s not possible to move there anymore) but a priest from Gozo comes over every Sunday to perform a mass in this chapel. People come by boat and park in the bay in order to attend mass.
One of the highlights was Darrin bringing Ben and our son back to the wheel and letting my son drive a bit. My son was initially scared on the boat (he had also just woken up from nap and wasn’t thrilled to leave the hotel for the boat ride) so it took him a bit to warm up to both the boat ride and our captain. But by the end, when he got to drive, my son was best friends with Darrin. Both Ben and I were incredibly grateful for Darrin’s kindness and patience.
We headed back to St. Julian’s as the sun was setting and it was a wonderful end to the day.
We grabbed dinner right on the water where we got off the boat (Spinola Bay) at Gululu, a Maltese restaurant recommended to us by friends. Ben and I did the tasting menu so we could try a little bit of everything and were not disappointed. Darrin also recommended a nearby restaurant called The Avenue. These would both be easy spots if you are staying in St. Julian’s.
Sunday
We headed to the southern part of the island first thing in the morning to walk around Marsaxlokk, a small fishing village known for colourful boats called “luzzu” and their fish market. On Sunday mornings, they have the fish market as well as a typical farmers market/souvenir market. We got there around 9:00 and there were still plenty of fish sellers although we were warned that going too late in the morning (even as “late” as 9/9:30) could mean most of the fish would be gone/sold. The village is charming and the harbour is picturesque, filed with all the “luzzu” boats. We encountered many tour guides pitching their boat rides around the harbour and out to St Peter’s Pool (a popular swimming area and rock formation nearby). There were also plenty of restaurants on the water to sit and enjoy a meal.
After walking around a bit, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the pool (which was all my son had been asking for all weekend). Luckily we were able to get a late checkout so we could hangout by the pool until lunch time and then go up and get things out of the room. If the sun had stayed out, we planned to just store the luggage, continue playing in the pool, order lunch poolside, and then use the changing rooms in the spa area to shower and get ready to head for the airport, but it got a little overcast. We ended up showering in our room and packing up for our 1pm checkout and then stored our luggage and grabbed lunch in the St. Julian’s area. We ate at Georgia Restaurant, which (if the name didn’t already give it away) served Georgian cuisine. We all absolutely devoured our meals. I would recommend this to anyone who finds themselves in the St. Julian area. My favorite dishes were probably the lobio qotanshi, a spiced bean stew, the kebabi with pomegranate sauce, and finally the honey cake. My son and husband both loved the megruli khachapuri, a cheese filled pastry that we got as a starter that very closely resembled cheese pizza.
After lunch we walked around Portomaso (the port right by the Hilton), day dreamed about the yachts we will never own (just to rent one for a day cost more than we make in a month), and then grabbed our bags and headed for the airport around 3:20pm for our 5:55pm.
The airport was quick and easy, the lounge was lovely, and the flight back to Naples was just about an hour!
Malta is definitely a place I cannot wait to come back to — the people were warm and welcoming, the food was fantastic, and I will be dreaming about Maltese sea.
Here is a list of highlights on the island provided to us by our hotel:
St. John’s Co-Cathedral (Valleta)
Upper Barrakka Gardens (Valleta)
National Museum of Archaeology (Valleta)
Mdina Old Town
St. Paul's Cathedral (Mdina)
The Three Cities Birgu (Vittoriosa), Isla (Senglea), and Bormla (Cospicua)
The Blue Lagoon (Comino)
The Crystal Lagoon (Comino)
Santa Maria Bay Beach (Comino)
Megalithic Temples Hagar Qim and Mnajdra
Tarxien Temples
Gozo Island Citadel in Victoria
Azure Window Ruins and Inland Sea in Dwejra (Gozo)
Ta Pinu Basilica (Gozo)
Marsaxlokk
Popeye Village
Ghar Dalam Cave and Museum
St. Peter's Pool
Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha
