Malta was on my list for a very long time and finally in 2016 I visited the beautiful Maltese islands! The small islands of Malta are true gems and I highly recommend to visit them soon! Check out below why 😉
Facts
- Capital: Valletta
- Language: Maltese, English
- Currency: Euro
- Part of EU: Yes
- Population: 420.000
- Size: 316 km² (1.5 times Amsterdam)
- Daylight saving time: Yes
- Visas: Not required for most European citizens. Part of Schengen
- Best time to visit: Apr – Oct (European spring till autumn)
- Visited: 2016
Valletta & St Julian’s
By far Valletta is one of the most prettiest capitals I’ve seen! The architecture gives an ancient charm to the capital. It’s a pleasure to walk through the stunning narrow backstreets.
Valletta has beautiful squares and narrow backstreets.
I stayed at Sliema which is just a 5 minutes ferry ride away from Valletta. The view on Valletta from the ferry is stunning! I can really recommend Hostel 94 with clean, spacious rooms and a perfect location!
The waterfront of Sliema is just a few minutes away from my hostel.
Reaching Valletta by ferry.
The best area for dinner and drinks is St Julian’s, which is walkable from Sliema. When you stroll along the waterfront you will find plenty of options for good food. You should definitely try the local pastizzis. The pastizzis filled with ricotta cheese are my favorite and they are dirt cheap! Malta is fairly cheap overall if you just came from Italy 😉
The palace of Valletta.
St Julian’s is always good for a drink and a bite!
The highlight of Valletta was the view from the Upper Barrakka Gardens with panoramic views of the Mediterranean and the beautiful city of Vittoriosa across the other side of Valletta. The view on the harbor was spectacular with beautiful yachts and a nice backdrop of houses.
The beautiful harbor of Vittoriosa.
Comino
The gorgeous island Comino is tiny, and with tiny, I mean tiny. There are no cars or motorbikes on Comino and the whole island can be crossed in an hour on foot. The pretty island is easily reached by ferry from the main port (Cirkewwa) on the main island; which is roughly 45 minutes by bus away from Valletta. The island used to be the hideout of pirates and you can still find some ruins here.
Comino is such a gorgeous island!
Amazing view from the cliffs of Comino.
Did anybody say pirates?!
The famous Blue Lagoon is the first thing you will see when you get off the ferry. And oh boy what is this lagoon gorgeous! I always thought that I had to go to far flung places in order to see clear turquoise waters, until I visited this Maltese island. The Mediterranean sea blew my mind with its beauty! It was spring when I visited Comino and just a bit to chilly to take a dip in the lagoon. But it’s perfect to take pictures without the crowds 🙂
The color of the Blue Lagoon just begs for a dip!
I will never get tired of these turquoise waters!
Comino is best visited as a day-trip from the main island as there’s only 1 hotel on the island which is a bit pricey.
Unfortunately I didn’t have time to visit the island of Gozo, will save it for next time!
Wanna see more travel pics? Check out my Photo Gallery
I hate it when i see the inviting crystal blue water, then touch it and “nope”. Not today. It’s the worst. Malta sounds great. Malteser is a chocolate.