Malta, a gem in the Mediterranean

A Short History of Malta

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Good things come in small packages and Malta is a perfect example. Located in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and Tunisia, the island nation of Malta is smaller than Martha’s Vineyard and has a population of about 400,000 people. But the sites for the traveler are extensive and impressive.Our first visit to Malta, and its capital, Valletta, was a year ago, a one-day stop on a cruise ship. As we entered the Grand Harbor, we were smitten, captivated by the golden stone of the fortifications built by the Knights of St. John in the 16th century and we knew we would be back. This year we are staying two weeks which we hope will give us enough time to really get to know the place....Read More

Good things come in small packages and Malta is a perfect example. Located in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and Tunisia, the island nation of Malta is smaller than Martha’s Vineyard and has a population of about 400,000 people. But the sites for the traveler are extensive and impressive.

Our first visit to Malta, and its capital, Valletta, was a year ago, a one-day stop on a cruise ship. As we entered the Grand Harbor, we were smitten, captivated by the golden stone of the fortifications built by the Knights of St. John in the 16th century and we knew we would be back. This year we are staying two weeks which we hope will give us enough time to really get to know the place.

The Knights of St. John were driven out of Rhodes in 1522 and were given a new home, the island of Malta, by Charles V of Spain. They arrived in Malta in 1530 and settled in the fishing village of Birgu on the Grand Harbor. They built the magnificent fortifications on the harbor and Auberges, one for each "langue" (literally, tongue, but meaning nationality) in the village. Their greatest adversary was Suleyman the Magnificent, head of the Ottoman Empire, who attacked them often. The Knights withstood the Great Siege of 1565 and, under Grand Master de la Valette, built a new capital city, Valletta, across the harbor from Birgu. Valletta today, with its churches, palaces, auberges, hospitals, treasuries, and so forth, is a World Heritage Site. The Knights remained until 1798 when they surrendered control to Napoleon.

But the history of the island is much older than the story of the Knights. The earliest inhabitants, thought to have come from Sicily, built farming settlements in 5200-4000 BC. The oldest extant monuments are megalithic temples built between 3600-2500 BC, the oldest surviving freestanding structures in the world. My favorite statues from these temples are the "fat ladies" of Malta, well-endowed fertility figures.

Later invaders were the Phoenicians (800 BC), Carthage (400 BC), Romans (200 BC). In 60 AD St. Paul was shipwrecked on Malta and stayed for three months, converting many of the islanders to Christianity. The Arabs invaded in 870 AD and retained in control until the end of the 11th century when the Normans arrived.

During WWII, Malta, important in the line of defense for the Allies, was bombed for 154 straight days and the islanders were close to starvation and surrender. King George VI awarded the Malta citizens the George Cross for civilian bravery. Malta gained independence in 1964 and became a republic in 1974. Malta is now one of the EU countries and uses the euro as its currency.

With such a history, you can imagine the varied things to see: from the Hypogeum, a three-level underground necropolis, to Caravaggio’s "Beheading of St. John the Baptist" in the Co-Cathedral of St John to the Grand Master’s Palace to the beaches and fishing villages to the Noble City of Mdina and on and on. We also enjoyed a two-day trip over the the island of Gozo where we explored the Citadel in Victoria and the Ggantija Temples.

The Maltese center their lives around Family, Church, and Work. They are quite strict Catholics: even as we were visiting they were debating whether or not to accept divorce. Malta is the only EU country which allows no abortion. They speak an interesting language, Malti, the only Semitic language written in our alphabet, with influences from Italian. Almost everyone also speaks English and many are fluent in Italian.

One of the things that really struck me while we were here is that the air is so clear it seems like I am seeing with new eyes. My husband tells me that it’s because there’s no pollution. We’ve seen no beggars on the streets although there seem to be plenty of young men around during the day.

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Getting around in Malta

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The only thing scarier than riding in the local buses might be driving with one of the buses headed right at you. These drivers blast their horns and keep on going. It's quite a ride. But it IS the best way to get around and very inexpensive. Here, all roads lead to Valletta, the capital. Just outside the gates to the city there is a large parking lot with at least 100 buses. The schedule is a bit tricky to read at first and the buses are not parked in numerical order so are a bit tricky to find, but you can ask just about any driver.The buses are from the 1950's I think - all yellow with small seats and no springs left. It's a pretty bumpy ride. Each driver has decorated his bus w...Read More

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Grandmaster's Palace

Attraction | "One of the main sites to see in Malta"

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The Knights of St. John arrived in Malta in 1530, having been driven out of Rhodes. They settled in Birgu, a small village on the Grand Harbor. These sea-faring Knights needed a walled city to protect them from the attacks by their enemy, Suleyman and the Ottoman Empire. In 1565 they survived the expected Great Siege and in 1566 started construction of their new capital, Valletta, naming it after Grand Master Valette, the hero of the Great Siege. They retained power in Malta for more than 200 years until Napoleon invaded in 1798.

The Palace now houses the Maltese Parliament. It is open for visits to the State Rooms and the Armoury section. Closed Thursdays.

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 5, 2025

Grandmaster's Palace
Palace Square
Valletta, Malta VLT 1191
356 21249349

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St John's Co-Cathedral

Attraction | "The Cathedral is probably the top tourist spot in Valletta"

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The "Co-Cathedral" of St. John was completed in 1577 by the Knights of St. John. It is called a "Co-Cathedral" because at the time there was already a cathedral in Malta, in the city of Mdina. Not to lower the status of that cathedral, the two were designated "co-cathedrals". The exterior of the cathedral is quite plain but the interior is highly decorated with a barreled painted ceiling and side chapels, one for each of the "langues" (nationalities) of the knights - Italy, France, Provence, Auvergne, Aragon, Castille, and so on. Originally the decoration was very simple, like the exterior, but in the 17th century Grand Master Cotoner ordered a new Baroque style with its flamboyant decorations. M...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 8, 2025

St John's Co-Cathedral
St. Lucia's Street
Valletta, Malta

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Cafe Cordina

Restaurant | "A Family Restaurant since 1837"

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We met Linda and John Cordina by chance when we were spending a weekend in the Piedmont area of Italy. They invited us to get in touch when we got to Valletta so we booked a table at their restaurant, not knowing that this was THE place in central Valletta. The restaurant is housed in what was the Treasury Building for the Knights of St. John, built in the 1500's, and later a Grand Hotel. There was a lot of damage during WWII, but it has been beautifully restored. The barrel ceiling is covered with paintings by Giuseppe Cali depicting the leaders and eras of Maltese history. The Cordinas' son is used as a model in a couple of the paintings.We enjoyed a wonderful lunch on the terrasse,...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on December 24, 2025

Cafe Cordina
244 Republic Street
Valletta, Malta
+356 2123 4385

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Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

Attraction | "The "Must-see" in Malta"

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The Hypogeum isn't actually in Valletta - it's in Paola (pron. POW la), a short busride away on the #11 bus. Get off in the middle of Paola and walk - you may have to ask directions as it's not marked terribly well. But it is in the middle of town, not out in some field!Try to get your tickets on-line before you come. We waited and it was a lot more expensive (25 euros per person!) and quite a nuisance as we had to wait in a line outside the Fine Arts Museum for 45 minutes until it opened at 9 AM. We were the last in the line to get tickets for the next day; everyone else behind us had to come back another morning!Once you show up for your time slot, the tour is very well ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 5, 2025

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Burial Street
Paola, Malta
(356) 21805018

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Megalithic Temples of Malta

Attraction | "One of several megalithic sites in Malta"

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When you visit the Hypogeum (and you must!), you can combine a visit to these temples which are located less than a kilometer away. They are well worth seeing. There are four temple, each with several apses. As time went on the builders developed new layouts, but always with apses. The earliest has 5 apses, the last has three pairs of apses with a center walkway. There are many artifacts that were found here in the the Archeological Museum in Valletta. One is a huge statue (a replica remains at the site) of an obese woman, perhaps a fertility goddess (?); when whole it was probably 3 meters high.

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 5, 2025

Megalithic Temples of Malta
2km Southwest Of Qrendi
Valletta, Malta

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Megalithic Temples of Malta

Attraction | "Temples from the Tarxien Age, 3600-3000 BC"

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These are perhaps the best preserved of the many ancient megalithic temples on Malta. The setting looking out over the sea is evocative; one can well imagine some sort of religious rites being performed here. The temples are aligned with the solstice. There are many statues which were recovered here in the Archeological Museum in Valletta, well worth a visit.

Some object to the fact that the temples are covered but it is done to preserve them.

To get there, take the #38 from Valletta. There is a cafeteria right by the site as well as a better restaurant just above.

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 4, 2025

Megalithic Temples of Malta
2km Southwest Of Qrendi
Valletta, Malta

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Inquisitor's Palace

Attraction | "One of the earliest Knights' buildings in Malta"

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The Grand Inquisitor's Palace is in Birgu (also called Vittoriosa), where the Knights settled when they first arrived in Malta. Obviously the Grand Inquisitor's Palace predates the Grand Master's Palace in Valletta. This was the headquarters of the inquisition here on Malta from 1574 until 1798. The inquisition seems downplayed in the displays but there are prison rooms and the room where people waited to learn their fates. A bit gruesome.

Take the #1, #4, or #6 bus from Valletta, about 1/2 hour ride.

Member Rating 2 out of 5 on November 5, 2025

Inquisitor's Palace
Main Gate Street
Vittoriosa, Island of Malta
2182 7006

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Mdina Old City

Attraction | "Mdina, known at the "Silent City", isn't anymore"

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The site of Mdina (pron. Em dina) was settled as early as 1000 BC by the Phoenicians. The Romans also built a town here calling it Melita. When the Arabs arrived in the 9th century they renamed it Mdina, for "madina", the Arab word for "walled city". When the seafaring Knights of St. John arrived in Malta in 1530, they decided to make their city by the sea. They settled in Birgu and built Valletta and Mdina sort of faded into the background. But with tourism, the "Silent City", as it has been called, is a busy, bustling, noisy place.Many parts of Malta have associations with St. Paul who was shipwrecked here in AD 60 and stayed for several months. He is the patron saint of...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 4, 2025

Mdina Old City

Mdina, Island of Malta

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Museum of Roman Antiquities, Mdina

Attraction | "The Roman city of Melita left traces"

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Just outside the walls of the city of Mdina is the Museum of Roman Antiquities. It is on the site of a large Roman villa from the 1st century BC. We love mosaic floors and all things Roman, so we had to stop here.

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 4, 2025

Museum of Roman Antiquities, Mdina

Mdina, Malta

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Cafe de Paris, Marsaxlokk

Restaurant | "The reason to go to Marsaxlokk - seafood"

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There really isn't much to see in Marsaxlokk except the sweetly painted fishing boats with the Eye of Osiris for good luck painted on them. But this quiet fishing village offers seaside restaurants all along the water, making it difficult to choose. There was a bit of construction going on when we visited so we went to the other end of the promenade and chose a place there, away from the noise and dust. But I'm sure any of the places along the waterfront are good. We tried the local lampuka, the Maltese version of mahi mahi, and it was delicious.

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 5, 2025

Cafe de Paris, Marsaxlokk
Harbour Waterfront
Marsaxlokk , Malta

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Two Days in Gozo

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Gozo is the second largest island in the Malta archipelago. We decided to head over for two days, staying at the Grand Hotel in Mgarr where the ferry from Malta dropped us off. Then we took the HOHO bus around the island. We sometimes think the HOHO buses are good and sometimes a waste of time: this time is seemed worth the money. It gave us a quick overview of the island and we stopped at the two places which we'd decided were of special interest to us: Ggantija Temples which are the oldest human-made structures in the world and the city of Victoria, the main city on Gozo.Just about everyone got off the HOHO to see the Ggantija Temples which date from before 3600 BC. They were name...Read More

Gozo is the second largest island in the Malta archipelago. We decided to head over for two days, staying at the Grand Hotel in Mgarr where the ferry from Malta dropped us off. Then we took the HOHO bus around the island. We sometimes think the HOHO buses are good and sometimes a waste of time: this time is seemed worth the money. It gave us a quick overview of the island and we stopped at the two places which we'd decided were of special interest to us: Ggantija Temples which are the oldest human-made structures in the world and the city of Victoria, the main city on Gozo.

Just about everyone got off the HOHO to see the Ggantija Temples which date from before 3600 BC. They were named Ggantija after "giants" because people couldn't imagine how they were built unless by giants.They aren't in the greatest of shape but it's amazing to see these temples which pre-date Egyptian pyramids by 1000 years. The huge crowd - even in late October - does distract a bit but it's intriguing to think of the people who built this site. There's a large wall around the temples and inside there are altars. The archeologists think that animal sacrifices were done here.

Then we went on to Victoria where we visited the Archeological Museum where there are many artifacts found at the temples. It's an excellent display. We also visited the Basilica of St. George (the main thing to see is Mattia Preti's "St. George and the Dragon" over the altar), and the Citadel perched high above the city. The Citadel has the Archeological Museum, a church, a few shops, the old prisons, and great fortifications.

To get to Gozo, take the #45 bus from Valletta to the last stop at the ferry station in Cirkewwa (about 1 euro per person); then the ferry (4.65 euros per person round trip). At Mgarr, you can take a HOHO bus (especially if you are there for only the one day) or a bus to Victoria where you can get buses to other places on the island.

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Grand Hotel Gozo

Hotel | "We loved this hotel for many reasons"

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We had been told by another travel whom we'd met about this hotel which she highly recommended. So when we went over to Gozo for two days, we stopped here and booked a room. It wasn't inexpensive - about 100 Euros per night - but they welcomed us with a refreshing drink, showed us to our very large room with its balcony and very modern bathroom, called the HOHO bus for us so that it would stop and pick us up at the front door, and had a free bus to take us in to Victoria the next morning. The the huge breakfast buffet was included with everything you can imagine - cereals and fruit, salad, meats and cheese, several kinds of eggs, bacon, sausage, breads and sweet rolls, jams, and more. This could b...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 8, 2025

Grand Hotel Gozo
In Mgarr, As You Get Off The Ferry From Malta
Gozo, Malta 9026
(356) 21563840

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Il Panzier

Restaurant | "We had to dine twice here!"

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I have to confess that I am never happier than when I am eating in an Italian family-run restaurant. We found this Sicilian place the first day we were on Gozo and decided we would have to come back again the next day, it was so good and friendly. The first day was a Sunday and they weren't sure they could fit us but did squeeze us in. The restaurant is in the charming "borgo" neighborhood of Victoria, not far from the Basilica St. George. You enter through a hallway and find yourself in a patio with perhaps 10 tables. Alessandra is in the kitchen, cooking away, and Valentino, her husband, handles the tables. You feel that you've been invited over for lunch in their back yard. Everything is coo...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 4, 2025

Il Panzier
Neighborhood of Victoria near Basilica St. George
Gozo, Malta

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Archaeology Museum of Gozo

Attraction | "We found the displays here fascinating"

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We are kind of nuts about prehistoric and ancient history and this was definitely our kind of place. The history of Gozo - from the Neolithic to the Medieval - is presented. While not a huge place - just a few small rooms, there are many interesting things to see.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 8, 2025

Archaeology Museum of Gozo
Victoria Center
Gozo, Malta

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Teatru Manoel (Manoel Theatre)

Attraction | "This lovely theater is worth a visit or a performance"

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The Knights of St. John built this theater in the 1700's and it is the third oldest theater in Europe. It was originally all stone and lit, of course, with candlelight but in the 1820's it was redone with wood and much gilt and paintings. There are five layers of boxes which were designed for important people to be seen more than to see. The ceiling used to open to the sky and the three shades of blue that surround the opening add to the effect of a "dome" although it is a flat ceiling. The ceiling is no longer opened. The Knights performed plays with the "castrati" performing the female roles. It would be a great place to see a performance!

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 5, 2025

Teatru Manoel (Manoel Theatre)
Triq il-Teatru l-Antik
Valletta, Island of Malta
(356) 21222618

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Del Borgo

Restaurant | "Atmospheric, romantic, and delicious!"

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We were staying in Birgu (Vittoriosa) and found del Borgo from a review in a guide book. It opens at 5 PM, early enough for a stop-by for an aperitif or later for a nice dinner. It is underground, in a stone "vault" lined with wine bottles and good jazz playing. You can buy wine "to go" here also. We've enjoyed everything we've eaten here - whether a snack with an aperitif or a more substantial meal. There's the local Gozo cheese, local sausages, luscious olives, and much more. It's so good, we had to go here four times in our two-week visit!

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on October 30, 2025

Del Borgo

Vittoriosa, Island of Malta
21803710

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De Robertis

Restaurant | "A Farewell to Malta Meal"

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We always like to have a final "farewell" meal when we do a big visit as we have done on Malta. But should we go back to a favorite find or should we try someplace new? This time, we agreed on a place: De Robertis. We had a gorgeous day for the lunch and De Robertis is on the roof of the Castille Hotel (which looks like a really nice hotel, although we didn't stay there), with views overlooking the Grand Harbor. We could sit out on the terrace and enjoy the views and the lovely breezes. Our waiter was very nice and quite amazed to hear that we had been in Malta for two weeks! He suggested the Maltese Antipasto Misto (mixed hors d'oeuvres) for a starter which we shared. It held two kinds of Goz...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 16, 2025

De Robertis

Valletta, Island of Malta

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IgoUgo

Malta Journals

Malta, a gem in the Mediterranean

A Short History of Malta

Getting around in Malta

Grandmaster's Palace

St John's Co-Cathedral

Cafe Cordina

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

Megalithic Temples of Malta

Megalithic Temples of Malta

Inquisitor's Palace

Mdina Old City

Museum of Roman Antiquities, Mdina

Cafe de Paris, Marsaxlokk

Two Days in Gozo

Grand Hotel Gozo

Il Panzier

Archaeology Museum of Gozo

Teatru Manoel (Manoel Theatre)

Del Borgo

De Robertis

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