The Gamble – Valletta – Malta

As I recently reached the ripe old age of thirty five, my wonderful wife decided it was time for our first break of the new year. Since we already have a week in Santorini booked, we really wanted something cheap and close for a long weekend.

I scoured the internet for weeks, trying to find something. Eventually we decided on Krakow in Poland, and upon following the booking through we found the flights were via Amsterdam and a 24 hour layover. Rubbish! So that was out of the question…

So another week of searching passed, and all of a sudden a new location appeared. None other than the Island nation of Malta. Now I had never really considered Malta as a destination of choice, but at £105 each for flight, 4 days in a 4 star hotel including breakfast – now that’s a good deal so we had a gamble!

We booked and there we have it – our trip to Malta was planned.

It came around so quickly, the next thing I knew we were in the capital city Valletta. Valletta dates back to before the 16th century, and the architecture mimics it. Upon entering the walled gates you realise that this city is something special. A collection of wonderful streets that kriscross pedestrianised walkways dotted with churches, palaces, museums and eateries.

Our first stop was the incredible St John’s cathedral, which upon entering is nothing short of magnificent. Now we have seen a lot of churches on visits to St Petersburg, Rome, Paris and more, and this one did actually keep up with those iconic structures. Its interior is breathtaking, marble floors, golden walls, and eight separate chapels all individually decorated.

The streets of Valletta are a Wanderer’s paradise, they kriscross on most intersections and in every direction head to the sea. Some sport magnificent old balconies, which appear to be unused. We had no concept on what shops were open and not, its beautiful. Towards the far end of the city, the war museum houses an incredible amount of the island’s struggle during World War Two.

We wandered around the city, and ended up on the south side overlooking the grand harbour. It’s a great place to relax and soak in the city either in one of the Barrakka parks.Walking from the lower to the upper park was the highlight, with a number of beautiful staircases adjacent to the coastline. A stop in one of the many independent bistros or cafes was an opportunity we were not going to miss out on.

What a wonderful Wandering Memory and a great start to our mini break to Malta. Part 2 will follow shortly.