I was finally able to get away for a holiday this year to the tiny Mediterranean island chain of Malta. It was short for a European holiday, only six days, but well worth it. Malta is a popular European tourist destination internationally, and you will find travelers there from all over the world.
Hotels: Planning a visit, requires a little thought. Malta is really three tiny islands, including Gozo, Comino and Malta itself. Most travelers will opt to book a hotel in Malta, but Gozo also offers some nice options. I booked a Holiday Inn, and it was a great experience, but you needn’t restrict yourself to chain hotels: Malta has many good locally owned hotels. Location does matter especially if you are relying on public transit. On the map, the capitol of Valetta is the centre of a broad metropolis of suburbs, and it is also the central tourist hub, so proximity does matter. In my case, I booked in the party district of St Julians, called Paceville. Initially I thought I had made a mistake, but as it turned out, it could not have worked out much better. In addition to offering numerous restaurant options, it was close to public transit, and even offered a nearby stop on the Hop on Hop off bus route. That being said, there are also numerous hotel options in other regions such as Sliema, Florianna Gzira and even Valetta itself that would do just as well.
Flights: There are no direct flights from North America,, so you have to book a transatlantic, plus a local flight to get there. Fortunately, Air Malta serves numerous European airports, so finding a good combination is not difficult. It is a long flight. Total travel time with the connection was about 13 hours from Toronto, which was the shortest trip I could find, although actual airtime was about 9 hours. I found Air Malta a good flight experience, and recommend it to anyone. Once you arrive at Luqa International, pick up your bags, and take a quick cab ride to your hotel, and you are there.
Public Transit, Tours and Foot Power: The Malta bus line is inexpensive and has good coverage across the island. Its routes are linked to Google Maps so you can easily find nearby stops and route information on your phone. In Malta, all bus routes lead to Valetta, so wherever you plan to go, factor in stopping at the central bus terminal in front of the Valetta gates as part of the itinerary. Since most Malta holidays will include a stop or two in Valetta itself, this is hardly an inconvenience. Be patient, the streets twist like a corkscrew through the hills and bays of the greater Valetta area, so no matter what mode of transport you choose, you are not going anywhere in a hurry. I also made use of some tours that were booked through my hotel, as well as the two days of Hop on Hop off tour. There are numerous tour options, so depending on your tastes, read through the brochures carefully taking note of which days the tours depart. I used Malta Supreme tours for a night tour through central Malta, which was okay, but the day trip to nearby Gozo was excellent. No trip to Malta is complete without a harbor cruise. I did two of these, and it was well worth it. I used Malta Sightseeing’s Hop on Hop off tour, and was pleasantly surprised.
Kingston Ontario July 2016
To the Ends of the Earth 