(UPBEAT HAPPY MUSIC)
(VOICER OVER) Malta is often described as one big open-air museum.
And if this is true, then this is a museum with not only a trendy cafe and gift shop,
but also an impressive entrance.
And with some of the nicest doors and windows around.
Its capital city of Valletta balances its past as a fortress, with its calm neighbourhood
streets and numerous harbours.
Then you have Mdina, dating back 4,000 years.
This walled- in city, has a timeless atmosphere where getting lost is part of the fun and
then stumbling into this, is totally worth it.
In this video, we’ll be guiding you through our time here, with places we would recommend,
a few places we missed so maybe you shouldn’t, and covering topics such as transport, food
and generally just not making a tit of yourself.
So come join my wife and I in what is our ultimate quest;
to find ourselves a better front door.
This is Suitcase Monkey, spending 3 full days in Malta.
(MUSIC ENDS)
(GENTLE GUITAR PICKING MUSIC)
We began with an early arrival at Maltas International Airport, landing at 10:30 in the morning.
We would have only 3 nights here and wanted a mixture of exploring, site seeing and relaxation.
It was because of this last reason, that we choose the Victoria Hotel, situated in Sliema,
just across the water from Valletta.
We dumped our bags and headed out to explore our new neighbourhood while our room was made
ready for checkin.
If you want to be close to Valletta but not in Valletta, Sliema is a great choice, just
a ferry ride away from the capital, its quieter and more affordable.
(MUSIC BUILDS)
(MUSIC FADES AND ENDS. BIRDS CHIRPING)
(RHYTHMIC GUITAR STRUTTING, FILM CUTS TO BEAT OF GUITAR)
With our room now ready, we dropped our bags off and made way to the top floor.
We could see Valletta just across the water so after a quick rest we made a beeline for
the city centre.
Examining some front doors along the way, we wandered through the quiet picturesque
streets until we got to the Sliema Ferry.
Running every 30 minutes, it’s a quick and easy transfer across the water.
Valletta is Europes smallest capital city, which means that its perfect for walking.
Hidden streets and views appear around almost every corner and it was great just admiring
the architecture alone, especially with the sun setting, which added to its shadows and glow.
(HARP ADDED TO MUSIC)
Malta gained independence from a dwindling British Empire in 1964.
Seeing tiny remnants of my own English home country, felt like an odd inter-dimensional
split had taken place.
But for the first time, I knew exactly what it felt like to be an international London
tourist and be fascinated with a red post box.
(SOUNDS OF CAMERAS TAKING PHOTOS)
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
History can be seen throughout the city however, with Valletta’s fortified roots on display.
Over the last 2,000 years, Maltas timeline reads like a who’s who of conquerers.
Naming only a handful, you have The Romans, The Normans, The Turkish, The Spanish, The
French and The British.
And even as recent as the second World War, the Maltese islands were a highly prized base
being fought over once again.
Due to the bravery and courage shown by the Maltese people during a prolonged attempted
invasion, they are the only country to be awarded with The George Cross.
Typically handed out to individuals, the George Cross is the second highest award in the UK’s
honours system and is even part of the nations flag.
Numerous cannons are spread around the city but the most popular site for all you cannon
enthusiasts is the Saluting Battery.
Built following the Great Siege of Malta, you enter through the Barrakka Gardens, overlooking
the Grand Harbour.
Every Monday to Saturday there is a cannon firing at noon and 4pm, which unfortunately
for us we just missed.
But it did explain why we momentarily thought we were under attack.
(LOUD CANNON BLAST FIRING, MUSIC STOPS, SILENCE)
(MUSIC STARTS AGAIN)
Getting a little bit peckish, we found The Pulled Meat Company restaurant.
It might be a vegetarians nightmare but for us, the meat was tasty, the sausages succulent
and the dips super complimentary.
As with everything seen in this video, I have linked to this restaurant in the description
below, along with links to follow us on social media so you can be a part of our next trip
as it happens.
Please do come and say hello.
After a long full-on day, we took the ferry back to our hotel and caught up on some much
needed rest.
Tomorrow was going to be a relaxing day, with a mixture of hotel comforts and a half day
trip to the medieval city of Mdina.
(MUSIC FADES)
(SOUND OF ALARM FADING IN)
(ALARM STOPS, SILENCE)
(GENTLE GUITAR RIFF FADES IN)
Following a relaxing morning in our hotel, we decided to take the local bus to Mdina.
This is probably a good time then to discuss Maltese transport options.
Ultimately, the best way to get around the island is to hire a car.
If, like us, however, you’ve been put off from driving abroad before (see our video
from Tuscany), we actually found the bus system to be pretty reliable but with a few notable
pros and cons.
Depending on the route, buses can arrive every 10, 30 or even 60 minutes apart, but we were
able to get everywhere we wanted with only 1 change plus a bit of downtime in between.
Google Maps obviously made everything a lot easier and the super cheap price of only €2
for any buses taken within a 2 hour window made things mighty affordable.
Sliema did have surprisingly good bus connections to most places we looked into but obviously
Valletta is much more connected overall.
And do keep an eye on the last bus home time.
With it leaving Mdina around 8pm it did unfortunately mean we weren’t able to attend that late
night hardcore rave.
Mdina is a fortified city and a previous capital of Malta.
With its history spanning 4,000 years, its been dubbed “The Silent City” and has
become a perfect time capsule that speaks for itself.
(UPBEAT ENERGETIC PIANO MUSIC)
As the day started to wrap itself up, conversation turned to how to spend our final day here.
This was the only time in the trip where not having the convenience of a car slightly effected
our plans.
2 items at the top of our list were Gozo and the Blue Lagoon.
Both very popular day trips, both on another island and both with very long travel times.
If we had an extra day, we would certainly have done at least one of these excursions.
After Malta we were actually flying to Santorini for 4 days so the idea of having 2 travel
heavy days in a row just didn’t appeal.
As it happens however, the trip we did decide on, turned out to be my favourite part of
our entire Malta experience.
(MUSIC ABRUPTLY STOPS)
In 2017, Malta unfortunately lost its famous Azure Window due to a heavy storm.
Being one of the THE poster shots for the country, it was a terrible blow but as we
discovered, there are still plenty of amazing geographical wonders to be found.
The Blue Grotto is popular with both scuba divers, as well as those wanting to take it
all in by boat.
It is advisable to check ahead with your hotel that the boats are definitely running and
that rough waters won’t get in your way.
Tickets were only €8 and puts you up close and personal with this impressive rock formation
and the incredibly clear blue waters below.
(BEAUTIFUL PIANO RIFF BUILDS THROUGHOUT)
With our feet back on solid ground, I would recommend to take the 15 minute walk up to
the top of the road.
From here, you can really get a sense of the Blue Grotto’s true magnificence.
(MUSIC FADES AND SLOWS)
After soaking in the site of the Blue Grotto, we took our final bus back towards Valletta.
Our last point of call was an area known as The Three Cities.
Looking out towards Valletta and the Grand Harbour, lie Birgu, Isla and Bormla.
Or, depending on what map you’re looking at Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua.
All 3 of the cities underwent a name change following important battle victories but I
have seen them used interchangeably.
All 3 cities have a slightly different feel to its busier neighbour of Valletta so its
worth a trip across the water if you have a few hours.
Starting in Bormla, we wandered through its residential streets and eventually found our
way to Birgu.
Here, we found a local cafe that served a Malteser Cake, and I’m still not entirely
sure if they were being ironic here.
Birgu was probably the most tourist friendly area, with some great views of the adjacent
harbours, along with the Malta Maritime Museum and Fort St. Angelo.
With Isla across the water, and a stroll down the marina, we made our way back to the Victoria
Hotel, grabbed some food and packed for Santorini the next morning.
Before our return home however, we still had one important thing to complete.
So now, tucked away in our bathroom, you might just find London’s nicest front door.
If you would like to follow our Santorini journey, and see how obsessed the world has
become with getting a good Instagram pic, then please subscribe for that video coming
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Until the next video, thanks for watching Suitcase Monkey.