Malta
- coynek8
- May 3
- 7 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Ok, so basically right after I got back from Warsaw, I was already packing for Malta. Sounds a little crazy, but I was determined to visit Malta at the end of April; so I could see the finale of the Maltese International Fireworks Festival in Valletta on the 30th. And it was so worth it; I've liked all of the countries I've visited so far, but Malta is my definite favorite! Malta has a definitive Mediterranean feel to it, and it's an island, so the water and beaches are stunning! Malta has a history of influence from many different empires and nations; it's a really cool experience because you can tell there's a mix-and-match of different cultures in terms of architecture and food. Not to mention, they have really awesome fireworks!
The Republic of Malta itself is made up of 3 islands: Malta, Comino, and Gozo (there's a few uninhabited islets also). The only airport is located on Malta; to get to Comino or Gozo you need to take a ferry. I started my trip on Gozo; unfortunately, I didn't end up visiting Comino. Gozo and Malta are honestly pretty different: outside of Gozo's capital Victoria/Rabat, it's just farmland between the other cities and towns, which are all fairly small. On Malta, the majority of the island (at least the eastern half) is taken up by urban areas. But they're equally great, so you should try to visit both if possible!
Now, I will say; the vast majority of attractions (on Gozo at least) are churches and the coast. For such a small island, the number of cathedrals is honestly very impressive, but it can start to feel a little repetitive. For Gozo, you should stay in Victoria; it's right in the middle of the island, so it acts as a good hub. I recommend getting a Tallinja Card for the Maltese public transport system. They have 5-day and 7-day unlimited travel options for a flat fee, or you can get a flex card and top it off as you go; there's kiosks around the islands where you can buy one (including at the airport). The bus system is pretty good, and honestly, it's really impressive how the bus drivers navigate the narrow streets! There's also the hop-on-hop-off bus tours; I didn't end up doing one but travel by bus is actually a really great way to explore Malta.
I will say, Gozo isn't necessarily the most pedestrian-friendly. It's very inconsistent; there will be a long stretch of sidewalk (which are really tall for some reason), but then the sidewalk just...ends. So you keep going and there will be more sidewalk for the next block or so, and then it's just...gone again. This will happen basically the entire time until you get where you're going. Considering the streets are narrow, walking on the side of the road without any sidewalk can feel a bit precarious at times; but the roads connecting the towns (where there's basically just farmland in between) will have a paved sidewalk the whole way??? It's kind of odd, but I guess it's part of the experience? Because Malta has much larger urban areas, the sidewalk situation is much better there. Regardless, I'd recommend the bus for both Gozo and Malta.
The highlight of Gozo, for me, was definitely the old Citadella. It's probably the most popular attraction on Gozo, but for good reason; it's really fun to wander through it, and there's amazing views of the island from the top! The basilica in Ta' Pinu is probably the island's most famous of its estimated 46 churches, and the Ġgantija Temples are the oldest megalithic temples in Malta. These probably round up the top 3 things to see in Gozo; but I really liked the Ta' Kola Windmill as well (it's next to Ġgantija and the ticket gives you access to both). While on Gozo, also consider stopping by the beachside city of Marsalforn and doing a hike or checking out the cliffs on the coast.
To get back to Malta, I took the fast ferry; this ferry takes 45 minutes and takes you directly from Valletta to Gozo, or vice-versa. You can also take a ferry from Ċirkewwa (on Malta) to Gozo, but of course that means you have to get all the way to Ċirkewwa to catch it (it's pretty far from the airport). But, the fireworks festival does impact the ferries; so if you're going for the festival, be aware of this. I had to take the Ċirkewwa ferry; the fast ferry wasn't running due to the fireworks that evening. I will say, the fast ferry is super fun, and you get great views of Malta on the way (it's not very smooth though, if you get motion sick it might be rough).
As for Valletta, it's really cool except for one thing: SO. MANY. STAIRS! Valletta's city centre is on a hill, so the surrounding streets are pretty steep, with staircases built into the sidewalks. It actually reminds me of San Francisco, just y'know, older and more Mediterranean. But, the stairs are a necessary evil because Valletta is definitely worth it. Honestly, the whole harbor is amazing, so make sure to visit other harbor cities like Birgu (while you're there, check out Fort St. Angelo, it was one of my favorites!). In Valletta itself, make sure to visit the Upper Barraka Gardens, St. John's Co-Cathedral, and the Grand Master's Palace (the armory is amazing). There's other cool places as well, but these were the stand-outs for me.
Tip: Visit the Upper Barraka Gardens at noon or 4pm to catch the saluting battery, where they fire one of the old cannons! You can buy a ticket to explore the battery if you want, or you can save the 3 euros and just watch from the gardens above.
While on Malta, you should also visit the old capital of Mdina. The citadel is designed fairly similar to the one on Gozo, but it's much larger. I really enjoyed seeing St. Paul's Cathedral in the citadel, and also checking out the catacombs in the nearby Wignacourt Museum. There isn't really anything to see in the catacombs, but it's kind of fun wandering through them, and exploring the connecting WWII tunnels (ceilings are very low though, skip it if you're claustrophobic). If you have the time, consider heading to Mosta to check out the rotunda, one of the world's largest free-standing domes.
Before I get to the fireworks, though, I have to mention THE FOOD! Valletta has restaurants of all kinds; some of them actually have tables and cushions outside on the stairs (it's kind of annoying if you're trying to pass through, though, and it's really just a tourist gimmick). Anyways, some must-try foods while in Malta: ftira, pastizzi, imqaret, gelato, and Kinnie.
A ftira is a traditional Maltese bread, commonly used for sandwiches; I had a really good (and cheap) one at Chez Eman in Mdina. The typical ftira will have tomato paste, tomatoes, olives, capers, tuna, and cheese. If this isn't your style, there's plenty of other options for fillings (I had one with chicken, cheese, tomato, and pesto).
A pastizz is a flaky pastry, typically filled with ricotta or curried peas. Pastizzi can be found all over Malta, and they're pretty cheap as well. I opted to try the ricotta pastizz, and it was really tasty!
Imqaret are fried Maltese pastries with date filling. These were a little harder to find, as they're more common around the holidays. You can get them at some sit-down restaurants in Valletta, often served with ice cream, but they're so expensive! So, I ended up finding some in Mdina, but they were baked and not fried. Also, the filling tasted more of the citrus and cinnamon than dates, so I think I need an imqaret redo. Maybe I'll try to make some over the summer...
Gelato: Ok, so I know gelato is Italian, not Maltese. But, being so close to Sicily, and having such warm weather, Malta is full of gelato spots (Side note: so is Slovakia, if you're in Bratislava check out Koun). There's so many great options in Valletta for gelato, or if you're more into rolled ice cream, check out Roll & Chill.
And lastly, Kinnie. Kinnie is actually a soda, not a food, but it deserved a mention all the same. Kinnie is Malta's national soft drink; it's bittersweet and flavored with citrus and extracts of wormwood. It's not very hard to find; check casual dining spots or convenience stores. Honestly, I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. It mainly tastes like orange, but the herbs and bitter sensation comes through in the aftertaste. It's just such a bizarre flavor that you should definitely try it, and see what you think.
Ok, we've made it to the last section of this post: the fireworks! Honestly, my Malta trip was so action-packed I could have made this post much longer. But anyways, the fireworks festival takes place over the course of 10 days: there are not fireworks every day, only on a few select dates. This year was the 25th anniversary of the festival. Fireworks are launced from Valletta's Grand Harbor, so as long as you have a decent view of the water you'll be able to see the fireworks pretty well. But, if you want a really good spot, you'll have to get there early; the entire harbor gets packed! I had already scoped out an area beforehand, and got there with plenty of time to spare. There's a dirt area behind the retaining wall on the side of the road near Lower Barraka with a great view of the harbor. By the time I got there, lots of other people were already set-up; but, there were still plenty of spots on the retaining wall, so I climbed up there and got comfy (it was better than standing anyways).
The fireworks supposedly start at 8pm, but they never actually do. Even so; to snag a good spot, try to get there around 7; I ended up chatting with the lady next to me to pass the time while we waited for the show to start. Overall, most of the people I interacted with during my trip (albeit briefly) were very friendly. I never thought I'd be sitting on a retaining wall on the side of the road in Malta, making friends with the strangers next to me, but honestly it was super fun. It's one of those random experiences that I know I'll remember. Finally, the show started around 9pm. It lasted just over an hour, ending around 10:15.
The show was absolutely incredible! There were SO MANY fireworks, and there was even a brief drone show, too. The show itself is comprised of multiple displays. I've seen my fair share of fireworks before, but this was probably the best show I've ever seen, just because of the sheer number of fireworks. I'll attach some pictures and video below, as it's much easier than trying to describe everything.
Malta was by far my favorite destination, and honestly, I already want to go back. That's all for now, thanks for reading!
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