Beautiful autumn in Malta & Gozo

I would have never thought of falling in love with Malta. In autumn. Yet, I must admit I wasn't prepared for the rainy season. I went rather optimistic with my flip flops and bikini (had one chance to wear my bikini but didn't actually do it!). I realized quite soon this trip was not a summer get-away ;-) It did not stop me though from admiring the architecture, colours, food, nature and adorable people. I switched gears and put myself into a different mood. Autumn mood. One week in Malta.
Here we go!

The first thing I saw the following morning (because I can't count the day of our arrival! - we spent 2 hours on the airport bus stop waiting for any bus going to Bugibba and then, the other 2 hours on the bus when it was already dark so we couldn't admire the landscapes at all!) was this amazing architecture and old buildings across the whole island. Our first stop - medieval Mdina. A very calm old town, with numerous narrow streets and hidden cafes. It is indeed called the "Silent City" and I'm not surprised why. I could not stop taking photographs...





We stayed in Bugibba. Quite far away from the airport. By the sea and in the party zone though. Except that in the low season - expect a different kind of party over there! ;-) The place is full of British and German tourists (in their 50-70's). Nevertheless, the hotel was super cheap, close to the bus stop and the restaurants in the area were great! Should you land there, go to Ta'Pawla! The food is DELICIOUS! :) Review in TripAdvisor. We also did some nice shopping in Bugibba as it was cheaper than in Valletta. Don't forget to buy the famous liquor, capers or special Gozo cheese!

The next city we visited was Valletta, the capital city of Malta. I was amazed by the number of harbours and beautiful boats on every corner of the city. The view from the gardens up the hill is just breathtaking! Even autumn is not able to kill the powerful Maltese colours. One may just simply get crazy while shooting photographs of those landscapes.
Valletta is not a vast city, therefore you can do your sightseeing by walking around. Get lost and find yourself a nice cafeteria where you can sit down and admire the simple life of Maltese people. Watch them walk by involved in their daily activities. Talk to them and ask about life in Malta, about their language that is a mixture of Italian, Arabic and English, about religion in their life. "Maltesers" (can I use that word??) are incredibly nice and warm. They will never refuse to help you out or give any advice needed. What else to do in Valletta? Definitely check out one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe: St. John's Co-Cathedral. It was built by the Knights of Malta in 16th century. What was interesting for me was the famous painting depicting The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist of Caravaggio. You can read more about the cathedral here.

Birgu, or Vittoriosa, is another ancient city we had a pleasure to visit. The amazing architecture of this former capital and the picturesque waterfront is another good spot for those who love photography. It looks lovely after the sunset, make sure you step by during the evening!

On the other side of the Valletta peninsula you will see a rather modern set of buildings. Sliema is a place where you will do your shopping (famous "The Point"!) and find numerous restaurants and bars that won't ruin you financially! Thank you, Sliema! I found one that served delicious soups and cocktails (happy hours ;)) in super cosy atmosphere. I forgot the name though, sorry! Just remember it was situated on Triq It - Torri (one of the main streets) and was chosen as one of the best restaurants in 2010 according to TripAdvisor. Yeah, it must mean the place is quite nice.

We did not manage to go to St. Julian's but I've heard it's worth going for a party. Try and let me know :-)

If you're a fan of ancient myths then Hypogeum is the right place to go. IMO though, the price [20 EUR] for the ticket (and even the whole thing with booking the ticket certain number of days prior to visiting the place) is much much exaggerated! I even have a theory that all the stories (or should I say gossips?) you will find on the internet are just marketing strategy to attract people to this hidden place. Yep, I do agree it is mysterious and enigmatic to find those rocks situated under the ground but - brace yourselves - no one has died inside as the rumour has it ;-) The place is tiny and a bit claustrophobic. Worth seeing, true! Nevertheless, don't expect anything extraordinary...

Marsaxlokk Bay is not far away from Paola. I read in my travel guide that this port is a picturesque spot and a nice place to eat fresh fish. So we gave it a try. Oh, I wasn't disappointed! The colourful boats drifting in the bay area... The smell of fish and fresh seafood... The market with local food and souvenirs... The locals busy with their daily stuff: a man painting his boat, a fisherman folding the net, a waitress serving cappuccino to some British tourists... Amazing view! You can only imagine me jumping around with my camera and trying my best to shoot some decent pics. My travel book suggested we went for lunch to Ir-Rizzu. Although salmon is not a typical Maltese fish :p I decided to go for it, as it was recommended by their nice waiter. Good choice! You can check out the picture. Lunch of a queen indeed! And I'm not exaggerating, guys! 12 EUR for such a great meal! Unfortunately, I was able to consume only a half of it. Next time, I'll share the portion ;-)

Because Malta was so kind, we had 2 days of relatively sunny weather! :-) We spent them on the Northern part of the island. I must tell you I was amazed (yes, again!) by Mellieha. It is a large village with an incredible view on the bay. Mellieha is located not far away from St. Paul's bay which name refers to the shipwreck of Saint Paul, as documented in the Acts of the Apostles. In Mellieha you can find a Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha. What is very interesting is the fact that, according to an old tradition, the Byzantine style fresco, depicting the Virgin Mary holding Christ on her right arm, was painted by St. Luke.

The last stop was Gozo. A small island belonging to Malta. We decided to do the sightseeing on the "hop on-hop off" buses which was not such a bad idea at the end! Gozo also has a number of pre-historic sites, one of them being Ġgantija. It is a Neolithic, megalithic temple complex in the heart of the island and they are older than the pyramids of Egypt! More to be found here. The capital of Gozo, Victoria (also referred to as Rabat) amazed me by the view over the city. I was also advised (thank you, Pascal!) to buy an original long sweater made of sheep's wool. Totally by accident, while climbing one of the narrow streets, I found this small shop hidden in some buildings. Ten minutes later, I was coming out with a beautiful poncho, made of Gozo sheep :-) It's very warm! Checked and confirmed the same evening!

I believe the culmination point of the day was Dwejra, also referred to as Azure Window. Wow! Fantastic! And it's all nature. The rocks were simply stunning. The "window", the sea, the colours (again!)... The ground looked as if it was a Martian land. I spotted the reflection of the rocks and the blue sky in those small puddles and took some photos which you can also see on this blog. Great scene indeed.

And when I thought it was the last thing that would have inspired me that day, we discovered Xlendi, a small village by the see where we landed to admire the sunset. Absolutely gorgeous view! I have never seen so many colours descending on the buildings and the surrounding rocks. Quite easy to fall in love there ;-) Guys, bear in mind to take your ladies to Xlendi! A cup of tea/coffee while watching the sunset over the sea - priceless! I wish I could go back to Gozo. And Comino, which we did not have a chance to visit unfortunately...