Malta: Centuries of history packed into three tiny islands

A travel guide to Malta and Gozo

This website is all about hidden gems, those curious and unique places off the beaten track that make your travel memories for years to come. Every country, city or region has them, you’ve just got to search them out. Malta and its sister island Gozo, however, are gems in their own right.

No longer seen purely as Mediterranean beach and sun destinations, these small islands offer so much more: ancient ruins, buildings dripping with history, impressive geology, migratory birdlife (around 400 species) and a fascinating blend of cultures. No wonder the islands are so often used as filming locations. Let’s dive in…

First impressions? Mad driving, golden stone buildings, Italian-British-Arabic feel, perfect balance between history, tradition and 21st century life.

Places to visit in Malta

Valletta

Valletta is one of the smallest capital cities in Europe, awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. The architecture and culture is very much reflective of its changes in administration over hundreds of years, with a tangible feel of British, Italian and Arab influence.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta

The main drag is Republic Street which takes you from the Triton Fountain, through the main gate and eventually on to the Fort St Elmo headland, with superb views over Grand Harbour to the Three Cities area. As soon as you enter through the main gate look to the right to see the jagged modern architecture of Parliament House. Designed by the Italian who was responsible for London’s iconic Shard tower, it has sparked controversy with some describing it as looking like a cheese grater.

Parliament House ‘cheese grater’ architecture, Valletta

With a grid layout of roads it’s easy to explore side streets and we recommend this as there are Instagram-worthy shots lurking round most corners.

For example, vinyl lovers can take a left onto St John Street (Triq San Gwann) and find D’Amato, a music shop established in 1885 and claiming to be the world’s oldest record shop.

D’Amato record shop, Valletta

Be aware though that most side streets will take you up or down; there are some mega flights of steps to get back up from waterside level to the upper parts of Valletta. It keeps you fit, at least.

Victoria Gate, Valletta

You’ll see lots of enclosed wooden balconies (gallariji; technically galleries) which is a very Maltese thing – elsewhere around the island too – ornate and painted a variety of colours making for great photos when bathed in the Mediterranean sunlight which brings out the gold of the limestone from which most buildings are constructed. With a bold blue sky behind you get some striking imagery.

Gallariji (enclosed balconies), Valletta

Outside the Law Courts it is said a colony of white wagtails can be seen, presumably in and around the trees in the square opposite (Great Siege Square). Further up Republic Street is Republic Square and the Bibliotheca, or National Library, which houses some important historical documents dating back to the 12th century. Napoleon had tried to destroy the library’s contents, thankfully unsuccessfully, much like his plan to hold onto Malta.

Bibliotheca and British phone booth and postbox, Valletta

The next square you’ll come to is the wide open St George (or Palace) Square, flanked by the Grand Master’s Palace and its armoury. Check out the gallarija that runs from the front around each side of the palace.

In Valletta’s south west corner is Upper Barrakka Gardens, a small but pleasant green area with more views over Grand Harbour. There is an info board here showing various filming locations on a map, quite appropriately given that this is yet another Game Of Thrones location.

Saluting Battery as viewed from the Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta

Immediately beneath the gardens is the Saluting Battery where you can watch the cannon firings at noon and 4pm daily. These are simply ceremonial now, no longer firing at enemies on the opposite side of Grand Harbour. (Back in the 1560s invading Turks floated body parts of Christians across the harbour to intimidate the defending Knights. It didn’t work; the grand master returned fire using the heads of Turkish prisoners as cannonballs.)

Floriana

Immediately adjacent to Valletta is Floriana, a much quieter area. In the main square St Publius Square there are 60-70 evenly spaced circular stones that look like the bases of Roman columns. They’re in fact removable access points for a huge grain storage area below, built during the time of the Knights and also used in World War II. This square is therefore also known as The Granaries (Il-Fosos).

Granary stone lids, Floriana

To the Marsamxett Harbour (north west) side of the square are Maglio Gardens, formerly exercise grounds for Knights. Then beyond the large church at the end of Publius Square are the botanical gardens, Argotti Gardens, with a varied display of cacti. Just before you reach Argotti you may see a curious tower by the side of the road. This is Wignacourt Water Tower, dating from 1615 and originally forming part of an aqueduct system that brought water from Mdina and Rabat down to Valletta.

Argotti Botanical Garden, Floriana

Here you can also see a rectangular sandy court which is a bocci court. Bocci is a Maltese game much like bowls in the UK or p​étanque in France. If you fancy trying your hand, tourists can book a session at Buggiba Bocci Club in St Paul’s Bay in the north east of the island.

Floriana Bocci Club ‘bowls’ court

San Anton Palace and Gardens

A couple of miles to the west of Valletta in the Attard district is San Anton Palace, the president’s official residence. As such you cannot enter the building and security around it is noticeable (no cameras, drones etc). That’s a shame for Game Of Thrones fans since those golden arched balconies are instantly recognisable. However, the gardens (also featured in GoT) are free to enter (with your camera) and contain a wide variety of trees from around the world. You’ll also see kitchen gardens, fountains, a kids maze and free-range peacocks, chickens and cats.

San Anton Palace and Gardens

Mosta Dome

Visible from many of the island’s viewpoints, the dome of the church at Mosta, Malta’s second largest conurbation, is an impressive 60 metre wide corbelled construction. Built in the mid 19th century the interior of the dome is decorated in white, blue and gold, and is worth paying the couple of Euros entry to view from the inside.

Inside Mosta Dome

In 1942 a bomb fell through the dome, landed and rolled across the marble floor without detonating, during a mass service. Unsurprisingly it was deemed a miracle, that a higher hand somehow defused the bomb on its way down from the sky. In reality of course there are many plausible explanations for it not wiping out the entire congregation in one hit. A bomb similar to the one dropped can be seen in a display room within the church.

WW2 bomb replica at Mosta Dome

Outside is a World War II bomb shelter which can be explored for a further fee payable at the church cash desk. This is one of many shelters on Malta, which was very heavily bombed during the war. The island survived all attempts at destruction and invasion, greatly helping the Allies maintain strategic control of the Mediterranean resulting in the country being awarded the George Cross, hence the cross in the corner of the national flag.

Mdina

Mdina was the capital of Malta until 1530 when moved by the Knights of St John, though its roots do go back further to Roman times. It is known as the Silent City since only its 400 residents are allowed to use cars within the city walls. Sitting atop a hill with panoramic views and fortified with huge chunky walls, corsairs and Turkish invaders could be seen approaching.

Mdina walled city

The walled city has a maze of narrow streets joining squares, arches, nooks and crannies, all contained within high golden limestone walls, sheer drops beyond, consequently providing rich pickings for the keen photographer. The suburbs outside are known as Rabat, which sits upon a network of underground passages, caves and catacombs, used as defences during medieval times through to World War II.

Darwin Award contenders walking Mdina city walls

Dingli Cliffs

The south western coast of Malta is predominantly rocky; steep vertical cliffs and ‘garrigue’ lowland scrub (limestone rock with low vegetation – lots of yellow flowers, thyme and wild fennel). In warmer months it’s home to butterflies, lizards and geckos, and maybe the occasional (harmless) snake, and so also good hunting grounds for migratory birds passing through.

Maltese wall lizard, Gozo

The cliffs in the Dingli area provide far reaching views over the blue Mediterranean waters. Here you may see the resident national bird of Malta, the blue Rock Thrush. It’s kind of like a British blackbird only noticeably blue, and therefore pretty cool. Some of the views are split level, with an arable section between the top and the cliffs themselves, making for great photography with the verdant greens against the red iron-rich soil and the blue sea and sky beyond.

Dingli Cliffs

Clapham Junction cart ruts

Moving east from Dingli you’ll encounter the ancient and mysterious cart ruts known as Clapham Junction (yes, really). Off the beaten track and quite hard to find, these ruts are widely considered to be bronze age era cart tracks cut into the rock, so well worth a visit for the archaeologically minded.

Buskett Woodlands

Up some small country roads from Clapham Junction is Verdala Palace and its hunting reserve, Buskett Woodlands. The palace (or ‘chateau’) itself dates back to the 16th century and is now the president’s summer residence, so not open to the public. The gardens are publicly accessible though (free of charge) and are actively managed as one of the few woodland areas on the island, the largest in fact.

Orange grove, Buskett Gardens

The split level grid layout has stone walls, waterways and orange groves alongside tall mature trees, and consequently various birds can be seen here – raptors, crests, bee-eaters, orioles, various warblers and more. It can get quite noisy with kids however, since it’s a popular picnic area for locals – best to visit early or late in the day and avoid holiday seasons.

Sardinian warbler

Mnajdra and Hagar Qim Temples

Travelling a few miles further east again and towards the coast, you will find the megalithic wonders of the Mnajdra and Hagar Qim temple complexes. These date back about 5,000 years, so pre-Stonehenge, Great Pyramids etc, and feature doorways, porthole stones, altars/shrines, corbelled walling and large megaliths. The sites are now covered with canopies, somewhat of an eyesore to many but important for preservation of delicate soft-stone structures that are susceptible to damage from the elements. Both sites have entry fees but this does help go towards restoration and preservation of historical gems.

Marsaxlokk

Malta’s second largest harbour is well worth a visit, just a 20-30 minute drive from Valletta in the south east corner of the island. Birders can stop en route at Xrobb L-Ghagin or its nearby wooded picnic area. Marsaxlokk harbour front is where the locals go to buy or eat fresh fish. It has its own history not just as an old traditional fishing port, but also more recently being the bay where Bush Senior and Gorbachev held their Malta Summit to end the Cold War in 1989.

Our Lady of Pompei church, Marsaxlokk

Its main attraction these days perhaps is the colourful high-fronted boats, painted in traditional blue, red, yellow, white and green. Similar to Venice’s gondolas, the pointy-bowed boats are known locally as luzzus, and they seem to come in all sizes. When the harbour is filled with them it really is a classic guide book photo. It’s a nice touch too that even the waterside slatted benches are painted in the same colours.

Luzzu boats, Marsaxlokk harbour, showing Eye of Osiris good luck charms

Some of the boats have the mythical Eye of Osiris painted on the bow, a tradition to ward off evil spirits and protect the fishermen, probably dating back to Phoenician times. The boats these days are motor rather than oar powered and are used for tourist day tripping as well as fishing.

The coast near St Peter’s Pool

From Marsaxlokk you can book boat trips to nearby St Peter’s Pool, a secluded beach good for a swim (though be aware that the waters are often dangerous). As far as we know the nearby power station hasn’t leaked radiation into the sea!

Wied Ghollieqa Nature Reserve

Nestled in a valley between Valletta University and the San Gwann district, this nature reserve is home to numerous birds, bats and hedgehogs and, if you’re fortunate enough to spot them, least weasels, painted frogs, snakes and chameleons. There are only a couple of entrances, one just below the university and one on the opposite side on Triq Wied Ghollieqa. The latter takes you down some steps where you’re likely to see a few homeless cats for whom people leave out food and water, and through a fence and gate that reminds me of the Jurassic Park pterodactyl enclosure.

Wied Ghollieqa nature reserve bridge

From here on you can turn left crossing over the small footbridge and follow the path all the way to the main road flyover, then uphill to the right. The path isn’t always clearly defined and there are lots of side tracks, but try to keep to the main path to avoid trampling over new plant growth or recently planted saplings.

Carob tree

Saved from urban development in the 1980s, the reserve attained Level 1 Site of Scientific Importance status, hosting a healthy population of Malta’s national tree, the sandarac gum, as well as carob trees, Aleppo pines and some rare fungi. Now formally a bird sanctuary, the Nature Trust Malta-managed reserve is quiet and there are numerous info boards along the way describing what flora and fauna you might see.

The rare olive-backed pipit, in Wied Ghollieqa having migrated from North Siberia

On a handful of visits here we spotted Sardinian warblers, wood warblers, an elusive olive-backed pipit (on migration from Siberia/north east Asia), stonechats, blackcaps, Spanish sparrows, white wagtails and robins. During spring, summer and autumn there will be numerous other treats!

Is-Simar Nature Reserve, Il-Majjistral Park and Ghadira Nature Reserve

All said to be good sites for birdwatching and within a few minutes drive of each other in north Malta, each one was unfortunately closed for the Christmas period when we visited. We’d therefore be interested to hear what birds you’ve seen at these parks. A useful resource for birders is the Birding in Malta website.

Blackcap

A word of warning – where there is rich birdlife on Malta there is also the danger of running into hunters. It’s a big hobby on the island and a political and contentious one at that since it’s instrumental in destroying breeding and feeding habits. The hunters’ motto is “if it flies, it dies.”

In particular birds of prey and finches are shot and trapped respectively, driven to near extinction on the island. Please visit the sites run by BirdlifeMalta (their RSPB equivalent) and make a donation to help stop this outdated, barbaric activity. Even your entrance fee to a nature reserve helps support wildlife on the islands.

Stonechat

As you travel around the island you may see stone huts in the middle of fields. These are hunter’s hides, used for trapping the likes of finches, which are then sold on. It’s best to avoid contact with hunters (they’re not keen on birdwatchers) – ignore any abuse and walk away. Also heed any RSO signs – these mean private property – whether they’re genuine or not it’s best to be safe.

The Red Tower

Built in the mid 17th century as a watchtower to defend the northern coast, the Red Tower (aka St Agatha’s Tower) sits atop the Marfa Ridge in the northernmost part of Malta. Instantly recognisable, it is accessible by car; you can park nearby and walk up the steps and into the tower. From the tower are majestic views across northern and central Malta, the panorama also taking in the islands of Gozo and Comino.

The Red Tower, Malta

From there you can also spot various other squarish towers dotted along the coastlines; part of their defensive duties were to signal to adjacent towers warning of impending invasion parties, quickly getting the message down the line all the way to Valletta.

Gozo and Comino

Gozo and Comino are Malta’s small sister islands to the north. Boat trips to the picturesque Blue Lagoon on Comino are available though this island (population: one family!) is otherwise not open to visits. Gozo however is well with the trip. You can take a passenger ferry from Valletta or if you’re driving, get to the north western tip of the island (well signposted) and take the Gozo Ferry.

Comino Tower, filming location for the prison in The Count of Monte Cristo

The ferry runs regularly, 24/7 throughout the year, and is cheap – you pay on your return boarding. It takes 30-40 minutes though so be prepared to wait longer than this to board, especially in high season. On the crossing you get great views of Gozo and Comino from the top deck of the boat, and occasional sightings of dolphins off the stern. Comino Tower, which you can’t miss, is the filming location for the castle prison in the film The Count Of Monte Cristo.

Xwejni Salt Pans (Gozo)

On the island’s rocky north coast just away from the tourism sprawl of Marsalforn you enter an other worldly landscape, with yellow cliffs shaped by natural erosion to resemble breaking waves. This stretch is well worth a visit and brilliant for photography too.

Wave-like rock formation at Xwejni Salt Pans

Between the wave-shaped cliffs and the sea are grids of shallow sea water-filled pools, large and small, square and rectangular. Once dried out by the sun and wind salt crystals remain, which are harvested by locals and sold as edible salt in a tradition going back to Roman and Phoenician times when salt was a currency. You can still buy Gozo sea salt here today, from the doorways in the cliffs.

Xwejni Salt Pans

Xewkija aqueduct (Gozo)

You may drive through an arch of an aqueduct between Victoria (or Rabat, capital of Gozo) and Ghadri. It’s broken into two or three segments now but was built by the British in the early 1840s to bring water to the Citadel, so the fact that some of it is still standing is perhaps slightly impressive.

Xewkija aqueduct

Dwejra (Gozo)

Pleasant walking area through garrigue and sandy grass here, accompanied by lots of feathered wildlife and lizards. Here we saw the black redstarts, blackcaps, white wagtails and robins, more stonechats and the ever present Spanish sparrow, and a few greenish Maltese wall lizard and skinks (this was a winter visit so no raptors overhead or migratories). Again there are quite a few bird hunting and trapping huts here, and land marked private for shooting, so take care.

Black redstart, Dingli

Also exercise caution when near cliff edges – these aren’t always stable and big chunks do drop down to the sea every so often.

Along this coast is the Azure Window, or what is left of it since its collapse in a storm in 2017. This former geological wonder was perhaps best known for its appearance in Game Of Thrones (the Daenerys wedding scene).

Dwejra cliffs

A little further along again is the Inland Sea. From a certain angle and light it looks good with its small arch at the back, though the overlooking restaurant and ugly buildings that surround it do spoil the view.

Filming locations

Malta has long been a favourite location for film and TV production companies. It’s perhaps as much its proximity to mainland Europe and that English is so widely spoken, as it’s climate and atmospheric landscapes.

Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta, as seen in Game Of Thrones

Indeed there is a Malta Film Studios based in the northern headland of Three Cities (Kalkara) just to the east of Fort Ricasoli, though this is not open to the public. Some of the big name screen productions that have borrowed the islands’ beauty include:

Game Of Thrones – Mdina main gate, Upper Barrakka Gardens (Valletta), San Anton Palace and Gardens (Attard), Fort Ricasoli and Fort St Angelo (Three Cities), Dingli Cliffs, Verdala Palace, St Dominic’s Convent (Rabat), Azure Window and Dwejra cliffs (Gozo, NB arch collapsed in 2017)
Troy – Fort Ricasoli (Three Cities)
Gladiator – Fort Ricasoli and Couvre Port (Three Cities)
Da Vinci Code – Couvre Port (Three Cities)
Assassin’s Creed – Fort Ricasoli (Three Cities)
Count of Monte Cristo – Vittoriosa waterfront (Three Cities), Comino Tower (Comino)
Popeye – Popeye Village

Incidentally, film buffs can even visit The Pub in Valletta, the boozer where alcoholic Oliver Reed managed to literally drink himself to death during the filming of Gladiator. Now that’s commitment.

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Travel tips for Malta

• Driving – look all around you all of the time and expect the unexpected. Maltese drivers don’t like to hang around and seem to like to keep you guessing as to their next move. As our guide book quoted, “in Malta we drive on the left …and in the middle …and on the right”! Park in white marked bays. Watch the poor quality of the roads. Petrol station prices are controlled centrally, so no need to shop around; you’ll pay the same price wherever you go. Driving on Gozo is only marginally less hazardous than on Malta – we still encountered people driving on the wrong side of the road, ignoring signs, speed limits, other road users etc – and the roads are at least as bumpy and pot-holed.
• The local transport network is said to be extensive and well used on both Malta and Gozo; you certainly see lots of people at bus stops. And if you’re struggling to identify a bus, their number plates begin with ‘BUS’!
• Take a variety of clothing. While summers can be hot and winters very mild, there are winds that can get pretty strong and/or chilly, depending on whether they come up from Africa or down from the Alps.
• If you see a red flag in the countryside stay clear – this is a fireworks factory’s warning that testing is taking place. Malta loves its fireworks and has numerous production factories around the island.
• Another potential danger in the countryside that goes ‘bang’ is the bird hunter. So, birdwatchers, watch out for hunters and if your paths do cross, don’t engage with them – see our earlier notes. Otherwise, the Maltese are friendly and helpful.
• As with all travel, do try to learn some of the local language. English is widely spoken but an effort at some Maltese will go a long way. Check pronunciations though, since being a mix of Italian and Arabic there are some tricky letters. For example x is pronounced as “sh”, so if you hear the word “shitter” used, it’s actually xita – rain!

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Malta and Gozo photo gallery

Click on a photo to view a larger version. All images are copyright ©snappytravels.uk – please do not use without permission. To purchase hi res photos email hello@snappytravels.uk

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Wildlife seen in Malta

Malta is a hotspot for birdwatchers, particularly during the Spring and Autumn migration periods. See above for a couple of good birding reference websites, and our comments about Malta’s bird trapping and hunting problem. Here’s what we saw on our winter trip:

Bird list

• Sardinian warbler
• Wood warbler
• Eurasian blackcap
• Collared dove
• Pigeon
• Tree sparrow
• Italian sparrow
• Spanish sparrow
• Robin
• Common starling
• Pied wagtail
• White wagtail
• Blue rock thrush
• Stonechat
• Olive-backed pipit
• Black redstart

Other species

• Bats
• Hummingbird moth
• Maltese wall lizard
• African hedgehog

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