Two Weeks on Fortress Malta

Churchill called Malta his unsinkable aircraft carrier. Easy to see why. It’s a solid block of limestone on which the Knights of St. John, who ruled Malta from the 16^th century, built massive, impregnable limestone fortresses and defensive walls. Dating back to 5,900 BC, Malta has had a revolving door of cultures and rulers, including Megalithic Temple people, Bronze Age warriors, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Sicilians, Spanish, French and British. It only gained independence in 1964. Remnants of all those cultures remain. We spent two weeks exploring this living museum.  

Malta is the tenth smallest country in the world, but packs in over 500,000 people. They own over 400,000 cars – more than one per adult. The Maltese love their cars. The roads – mostly narrow, winding and one-way – are always choked. We stuck to public transport.

Malta

Malta actually consists of three islands – Malta, Gozo and Comino. The capital Valletta is on the island of Malta, the largest of the three. The city is surrounded by imposing, solid limestone defensive walls built in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Within the walls are equally imposing caramel-coloured palaces and ornate Catholic churches built by the various branches of the Knights of St. John.

Despite the best efforts of the Moors and Ottomans, who besieged the city in the 15^th and 16^th centuries, and the Germans and Italians, who tried to bomb Malta into submission in WWII, Valletta still stands, though much of it had to be methodically rebuilt by the British after WWII. Other parts of the island, including Megalithic tombs dating back to 3,600 BC continue to be restored with UNESCO’s help. If you’re a history buff, Malta is like a walk through time. 

Gozo

Gozo is a one-hour bus ride and 20 minute ferry crossing from Valletta. With just 34,000 inhabitants it is very laid-back. Nobody will die of stress on this island. There are only 13 villages but each has its own impressive parish church, including one with a 75 metre high dome visible all over the island. This is also the greenest island, with fertile fields laden with fruits, vegetables and lush green grass. Gozo is best-known for its ancient Ggantija temples, dating back to the Neolithic period between 3,600 and 3,200 BC. They predate Stonehenge and the Pyramids. Archaeology buffs would be in their glory. The rest of us wander around nodding our heads sagely and pretending to understand the significance of the piles of rocks.

The capital Victoria has a formidable Citadel towering over the city, and cobbled squares lined with cafes. In one day we were able to visit all the villages. Our last stop was Xlendi Bay to admire the sheer white cliffs rising from the turquoise Mediterranean. We were enticed by a seaside restaurant serving fresh mussels and local wine. We got so caught in the spirit of the island that we missed our bus and literally got to the ferry just as they were about to raise the gangplank.

Comino

The smallest of the islands, Comino has just two permanent residents. It has a hotel that can only be accessed by boat. We took the early ferry to hike the 8 km trail around the coastline of the island past a 1618 watch tower, an abandoned quarantine hospital, a pig farm and the hotel. We saw no one else. We commented how great it was to have the island to ourselves. That was until we came around a corner to the island’s favourite attraction – The Blue Lagoon, a bay with eerie, shimmering turquoise water. Four tourist boats were docked in the bay. Hundreds of day-trippers were jostling for the best spots for selfies. So much for our peaceful solitude.

Five Michelin Stars

One of the Malta’s best qualities: it boasts five Michelin-starred restaurants and 26 others that Michelin recommends. We tried two for lunches – Aaron’s Kitchen and Terrone. Neither of them are Michelin star restaurants, but were still memorable. And a lot easier on the pocketbook than the ones with stars.