My Maltese holidays
Finally my dream came true! I'm in Malta! The tour was spring, sightseeing, exactly on Catholic Easter, 5 days. Flight Air Malta pleased. The distances between the chairs are sufficient, they are fed with a complex lunch, all drinks, except for alcoholic ones, are free. Everything is delicious. From Luqa Airport to Valletta, take Arriva Malta buses (public transport in Malta) X5 and X7. One way ticket (one way ticket) costs 2.20 €. If you arrive in the morning and plan to still use public transport on that day, take a day ticket for 2.60 €.
When I was planning a tour to Malta, there were many offers in hotels in the resort area. And since March is not yet the season for a beach holiday, the price of tours was more than attractive. But having soberly judged, I decided that it would be more convenient for a sightseeing holiday to stay in Valletta. Which I did, buying plane tickets separately and booking a hotel in Valletta separately.
There were no ready-made tours with accommodation in Valletta. Subsequently, many times I was convinced of the correctness of the decision made.
Valletta. Castille Hotel, Valletta. The hotel is in an old mansion, in need of renovation. And the rest - it's not bad. Its location is especially good! In the very center of the city, Republic Street is only 2 minutes on foot (through 2 parallel streets), to the Central Bus Station (Bus Terminus), from which buses leave in all directions of Malta, literally turn the corner, walk to the Triton Fountain and All this is no longer than 2-3 minutes on foot. Directly below the Valletta Waterfront Hotel. And right above the hotel are the Barracca Gardens. And the church of St. St. Paul's is right around the corner. From it, on Easter in Valletta, the procession begins - a very colorful costume action, with a brass band, a church choir and a huge number of participants in beautiful costumes.
The breakfast at the hotel is not very good. Everything seems to be there, but there are not enough cucumber-tomatoes. And the eggs are tasteless.
Every day they made different ones: either an omelette, or a chatter, or poached eggs. How can you manage to spoil the eggs? But for me this is not so important, because if there is cheese, bread, honey and tea / coffee, then breakfast was a success for me! The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The atmosphere is soulful. Would recommend to anyone who wants to discover Malta. Since it is most convenient for this purpose to live in the capital and make daily sorties in different directions.
The central thoroughfare of the city is Republic Street. Of the must-see objects in Valletta: Grand Master's Palace. There you can look at the apartments themselves and at the "iron" knights. After the death of a knight, his property, including armor, as a rule, passed to the Order. After all, Ionites usually did not have heirs - one of the vows that a knight gave when joining the Order of Malta was a vow of celibacy. The State Rooms and the Armory (Arsenal) are open to the general public.
Entrance with a single ticket 10€. On the square in front of the palace there is a musical fountain, music periodically sounds and the jets change their height to the beat. The whole action lasts 3 minutes, and the streams are small. This is not the Barcelona Fountain!
Two gardens under the general name of Barracca (Barracca Gardens) - Upper and Lower - overlook the Grand Harbour. It offers a magnificent view of the famous architectural complex of Cottonera (Cottonera) - Three cities, which includes Vittoriosa, Cospicua, Senglea.
The main cathedral of Valletta is the Cathedral of St. John (St. Johns Cathedral). Inside - two paintings by Caravaggio: "Saint Jerome" and "Beheading of John the Baptist" (1608), entrance fee (6 €). On one of its towers there are three clocks showing the time, month and day. From the outside, the cathedral is unimpressive. Such no. But as soon as you step inside, you are speechless! You will be amazed by its luxurious decoration and high vaults, which were painted by the famous Italian artist Mattia Preti.
Everything is covered with gold, sparkles and shines! Marble gravestones, under which about 400 knights are buried, are the floor of the temple. In the Cathedral of St. John's Co-Cathedral is the resting place of all the Grand Masters of the Order. The tombstone of the Grand Master Valette in the cathedral is decorated with an epitaph that says that la Valette rests here, who was a man of honor who defended Europe and managed to drive out the barbarians with his holy army. It also indicates that he was buried in the blessed city, which he also founded. 256 knights who died during the Great Siege are buried in the inner courtyard of the Cathedral.
Walking around Valletta, seeing the sights, I also stopped by the shops along the way. Shopping in Valletta is not so hot. In small shops - entirely China, although it is strange, Sicily is nearby, only 90 km away. Have the Italians stopped producing beautiful, high-quality clothes? In large chain stores, ordinary things that are sold in all countries of these same chains.
No exclusivity. Gold / silver is even nothing, very interesting things come across. Especially the famous Maltese filigree. The price bites. I bought only a very beautiful silver Maltese cross pendant, inlaid with cubic zirkonia, and even then, at the airport, to the DutyFree zone. And by the way, much cheaper than in Valletta. So while walking, I accidentally stumbled upon the double-decker red CitySightseeing sightseeing buses. The main starting point, as well as the point of intersection of all three lines: Valletta Waterfront. I was very happy, because I had already visited the sights with them in many cities of the world. Accessible, convenient, in 18 languages (including Russian) - the system logged in / logged out, logged in again. A ticket for one day costs 15 €, for two days 20 €. The price includes 3 sightseeing routes (red, blue and green) and a boat trip around Malta. Get a ticket for 2 days
k, even if you don’t go out on the routes, in one day you still won’t have time to cover all three lines and a trip by sea. And it's worth it, believe me! The most interesting and informative: red and blue branch. These two routes give a complete picture of the island, both urban and agricultural. You will see all the iconic cities, neighborhoods, as well as nature. I always go through the route first, make “notches” for myself, what I would like to see in more detail, and then I come to these places by public transport and examine them with sense, feeling, arrangement. On the blue line, I just left in Mdina / Rabat and in Most.
Mdina is the former capital of Malta, a walled city located on a high flat hill. Rabat is a suburb (surroundings). Attractions: Main Gate of Mdina, Greek Gate, St. Paul's Cathedral, Inguanets Palace, St.
Sophia, Carmelite Church, Archbishop's Palace, Vilena Palace (Natural History Museum), Norman House, Mdina Dungeon. Very beautiful city. Nothing has changed over time. Only WI-Fi everywhere is free. By the way, in Malta, free WI-Fi is everywhere: in all cafes, parks, squares, hotels.
Bridge. Mosta is a city located in the center of the island of Malta. In Mosta, I went out specifically to look at the local Cathedral - the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (MostaDome), whose dome (37 m in diameter) is the third largest in Europe and the ninth in the world. The cathedral is also famous for the fact that during the Second World War during the mass, breaking through the dome, a bomb hit the Cathedral, but it did not explode and no one died. A copy of this bomb is kept in a small museum, the entrance to which is free to the left of the altar. The cathedral is very beautiful, and on the dome, if you look closely, you can see a patch from a hit bomb.
The inhabitants of Mosta are very proud of this cathedral, and they revere the Mother of God more than ever, firmly believing that since the bomb has not exploded, the Virgin Mary will save from all other troubles.
On the red line, I really liked the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk. There was little time for a detailed stop, so it was decided to come there on a free day. Especially for the sake of fish restaurants, of which there are a great many on the promenade along the sea.
Marsaxlokk (Marsaxlokk) to get: from Valletta from the bus station buses number 81.85 - Valletta - Marsaxlokk. Get off when you reach the embankment and see colorful boats, in front of the Church of Madonna Ta'Pompeii. In this fishing village, it is worth seeing the boats of Luzzu, with the eyes of Osiris, and visiting the fish market. The fish market is open on Sunday from 6 am to 9 am. On this day, you can see how the fishermen unload their freshly caught catch. On other days there are stalls with souvenirs. Fish restaurants are located on the promenade.
One ends, the next begins. Prices are about the same everywhere (fluctuations of 3-5 €). The menu varies. The so-called menu of the day in restaurants is different. Menu of the day is valid until 16:00. Do not be lazy, go to the end of the promenade, read all the offers (as a rule, they are written on large billboards placed nearby with a detailed description and price) and choose what you like. I stopped at the very last restaurant on the promenade, Gente di Mare (in translation: people of the sea). Didn't regret it for a moment. The menu of the day included fish soup and a huge plate of seafood: mussels, king prawns, squid, fish, shellfish. Everything is seasoned with a magical red sauce based on tomatoes and lemon. That's where the goodies are! And all this for 9.80 €! ! ! In other restaurants, for the same money or for more, they offered a couple of pieces of fish, salad and potatoes. As for me, I can eat salad and potatoes at home.
But the freshest seafood only directly by the sea!
The green line of the bus tour runs along the coast, where you can explore many resort areas and see where you like best. To be honest, I think Malta is not for a beach holiday in its classic sense. As for me, the beaches are small, rocky, the entrance to the sea is inconvenient, hindered by huge boulders. The famous sandy beach in Mellieha depressed me. It is considered the best in Malta, but in fact, yes - the best of the worst! Well, in my mind, the beach in Melliehi is not identified with the beautiful sandy beaches of the Dominican Republic! Well, or even with a more accessible Turkey. For me, Malta, first of all, is a rich history, interesting geography and a unique identity of the country. Of course, these are excursions. If the weather permits, you can take a short time out and lie down by the sea and sunbathe. Even if it's on rocks.
))) Take a break from excursions, gain strength, and a beautiful bronze color. Sunburn in Malta sticks instantly! It's like you're sunbathing on the ocean! But there is no point in flying to Malta specifically for the sake of a beach holiday.
Passed on this line and St Julians (St Julians), a town adjacent to Sliema. All party-goers gather there, because it flows smoothly into Paceville, the green area of St. Julian's, known throughout Malta. I went there in the evening to have dinner with a sea view and plunge into the nightlife of Malta! And then she went up the stairs to Paceville. Most of the discos, bars and nightclubs are located here: the people are dark, the music sounds until the morning. To be honest, Paceville didn't impress me much. The clubs are ordinary, rather primitive, the cocktails are tasteless, even with some kind of chemical aftertaste. The music is good - all 20 MTV! I did not get to the most famous super disco AXIS, because for some reason it was closed that day.
Other clubs have music in the following directions: House, Garage, Rap, PartyMusic. Who likes what. A lot of young people, 14-17 years old. Of those who learn the language in Malta. Already at 12 at night, young English women are lying around the clubs. Snowdrops, damn it! Those who have been to Britain will understand me. They take some drugs that hit the legs, completely taking away the ability to stand upright. And so everything is very decorous and noble. Everywhere the police. They are watching.
After the green line there was a pleasant and very picturesque trip by sea. Cruise on the Grand Harbor (Harbor Cruise).
On the Grand Harbor cruise around Valletta and the cities of Senglea Isla, Vittoriosa Birgu, Cospicua Bormla, Kalkara went on the Captain Morgan boat - free tickets are included in the price of a 2-day tour on the City Sightseeing double-decker bus. You can also buy tickets for the cruise directly at the pier (16€). The boat departs from the embankment of Sliema. First, the boat bypasses the bay between Sliema and Valleta, going around the fort on the island of Manoel (Fort Manoel).
Then it goes around the cape and Valletta on the other side: on the left, the lower gardens of Barakka and the Bell memorial, on the right, Fort St. Elmo. Another turn - and before us is a view of the Upper Barakka Gardens. Then - the harbor between Valletta and Senglea. There are cruise ships here. Then we go around the extreme point of Senglea - Fort St. Michael. On the left is Fort St. Angelo in Vittoriosa, on the right is the tower of Vedetta in Senglea. We enter the harbor between Senglea and Vittoriosa. Another turn - and before us is the suburb of Vittoriosa Kalkara, the Biji Naval Hospital. Then the boat leaves the Grand Harbor for the open sea and returns to Sliema. I recommend to everyone! Especially in sunny, warm weather!
Well, the whole day must be devoted to a trip to the neighboring island of Gozo.
GOZO. From Valletta bus number 37.41, 42 you need to get to Cirkewwa (Cirkewwa Ferry), the bus comes directly to the terminal, where the ferry moored.
Traveling there is free, passengers board through the cargo deck with cars. You need to buy a ticket back (4.65 €) at the terminal box office, go through the turnstile and go up to the second floor - the entrance is directly to the passenger deck. The ferry schedule depends on the season. But once an hour - always, but at a certain time and once every half an hour. Travel time is 20-25 minutes. In Gozo, from the Mgarr Port pier, you can immediately use the services of the CitySightseeing sightseeing bus. Tickets are also sold in Chirkiev. One day tour costs 15 €. But if you have already used the services of this company, and you still have a ticket, you will be given a discount. For example, the ticket cost me 10 €. Save your tickets and in any other country where CitySightseeing tours are available, you will also be given a discount. There are 2 routes in Gozo: blue and red, in the capital of Victoria they intersect. Rather, the Red Tour ends in Victoria and the driver simply flips the sign, changing direction to the blue line.
Gozo is a beautiful island in the Maltese archipelago. Something similar to Malta and at the same time completely different. It was here, according to legend, that the beautiful nymph Calypso, the immortal daughter of the titan Atlanta and the Pleiades Pleiades, kept Odysseus for 7 years, hiding from the rest of the world.
First, I went out in the capital of the island, Victoria-Rabat. In general, initially it had a typically Arabic name - Rabat (as the capital of Morocco), but in 1897 it was renamed in honor of the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria. However, locals still call the city by its old name, which is why it is listed as Victoria (Rabat) in all guidebooks. I went to see the Citadel - a medieval fortress towering on one of the hills. Its walls offer a wonderful view of both the city itself and almost the entire island. The Citadel houses the Cathedral Church of Gozo and the most interesting museums of the city - cathedral, archaeological, folklore and natural history.
The Citadel is called a dead city, although the Citadel is inhabited, only a few families live here, there are several shops and shops. In the area of St. George's Square, the atmosphere of the Old Town is felt most of all. Be sure to visit the Basilica of St. George, located on this square (1678). For its luxurious design, it is called the golden basilica; it was designed by famous artists of its time, such as Mattia Preti, Giovani Conti, and others.
Azure window. To admire the rock, you need to go to Dwejra. It is enough to spend 45 minutes there, photographing the Azure Window from all points and sit down on the next. bus. Tour buses to Gozo run every 45 minutes. On Easter Sunday, boats were not taken. And it would be interesting to drive from the Inner Sea along the strait under the arch of the Azur Window.
I took the blue line to Marsalforn, a fishing village. I wanted to eat seafood in the numerous restaurants on the promenade. Ate.
And the price is 2 times higher, and the quality, and the taste is not the same. Can't compare to Marsaxlokk! You can not waste time and money, but have a bite to eat in any other place. The village itself is like a village. Nothing remarkable.
It would also be interesting to look at the Giant's Tower Complex - this unique monument is located in the town of Shara (Xaghra). It is called a megalithic temple, and it makes an unforgettable impression. The Tower of Giants complex is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest man-made structure on the planet (more than 3600 BC). It has been known since the 17th century, but the first serious excavations were carried out in 1827. The complex occupies an area of about 1000 square meters. m and consists of two relatively well-preserved buildings, from huge stones up to 7 meters in size and weighing up to 20 tons, without the use of mortar.
It has been established that inside they were painted red, and their purpose, according to scientists, was associated with the service of a certain female deity of fertility. Much older than the Egyptian pyramids. But due to Easter Sunday, the complex was closed to the public. I had to settle for information on the Internet.
Malta fascinated me. Impressions - the sea! The climate is mild, Mediterranean. The sea is an amazing cobalt color. The food is delicious, homemade. The Maltese bake everything in the oven, steam the fish. Stick to old recipes. For example, the famous Maltese bread is kneaded from yeast dough and made into a round shape. Maltese bread is baked only on coals in home ovens, which are still heated with wood. According to a 300-year-old recipe, without changing technology and recipes!
7 l) of Ambrosia firms cost the same as in supermarkets 13.95 €. The pastry shops have very tasty sweets (thanks to the mixture of cultures: from Arabs, French, Italians, English, etc. ). Malta is famous for its honey. The quality of the produced honey is carefully monitored by a special ministry. Molasses is not added to Maltese honey, to reduce the cost of the product and the bees are not fed with syrup and sugar. Honey in Malta is made only from flower pollen. Honey is different, the most popular is thyme. Thyme wild grows everywhere in Malta and Gozo. They also make honey from the collection of many flowers and eucalyptus. Gozo is famous for its goat and sheep cheeses. Tourists carry as souvenirs. After all, it is much more pleasant to bring a delicious souvenir than a banal fridge magnet!
The Maltese are very kind, generous and open people! Russians are not just loved there, they are adored there.
I wish you all pleasant travels, new experiences and "discovery" of new countries!
