After having discovered a fiercely affordable flight to the "Land of Honey" — a nickname I only stumbled upon while writing this post — I wanted to capitalise on the beauty and culture of such a small island south of Sicily.
Valletta
Beginning in the capital of Valletta, which was a mere 20 minutes on the X4 bus, I was welcomed by the monolithic Tritons' Fountain — a Modernist landmark that was completed in 1959. Consisting of three mythological Tritons, the bronze structure symbolises the strength and connection the country has to the Mediterranean Sea. If I am being completely honest, for such a monstrous and breathtaking landmark, I found this reasoning quite vague. Couldn't any island erect a fountain made of Tritons and use the same reasoning for it? Maybe I'm being too practical, so instead, I wanted to see if there was something I was missing. As a matter of fact, there is an interesting relation between Malta and Triton (son of Poseidon, a God of the Sea).
Picture this: October 1846, in the cloudy-grey post-industrial city of Liverpool, a successful beer brewer (William Lassell) had been saving up his profits to build a 20-foot rotating telescope, as you casually do. Amateur astronomer Lassell knew that the eighth planet in our solar system, Neptune, had a moon that needed discovering. From there, he indeed sighted the first moon that orbited the planet and named his discovery Triton.
Unprovoked, Lassell decided to move his family and life's work to Malta! It seems as if the gloomy skies and the harsh accent really made it difficult for an astronomer to focus. Within Malta, he used his newly built 37-foot telescope to discover many celestial objects far from our vision.
To summarise: The astronomer credited with discovering the moon named "Triton" later relocated to Malta, where a century later, the iconic Tritons' Fountain was erected.
I cannot seem to find any information on whether this famous fountain was erected in the astronomer's honour, but it seems a pretty plausible suggestion.
I could dive deep into a rabbit hole on why this could be the case, but honestly, this would turn into more of a dissertation than a casual itinerary post.
As you step through the gates of Valletta, enclosed by its imposing fortified walls reminiscent of ancient Roman architecture, you're greeted by grand, symmetrical buildings that'll leave you breathless. The best time to walk around and indulge in the beauty of this ancient city is the early mornings - the empty streets and the awakening of cafes and shops allow for a very sonder feeling.
A quick Google Maps search of "Valletta things to do" allowed for many chapels, cathedrals, war barracks, and city views to become known to me when marching through the city streets. Beginning at Tritons' Fountain and heading towards the Upper Barrakka where the saluting battery will release the firing of guns twice a day.
From here, heading towards the Lower Barrakka and the Siege Bell War Memorial, you can find incredible views of Fort Ricasoli and Fort St. Angelo. The Fort of St. Elmo is north from here, and once reached, that's pretty much the best sights to see on the outer parts of the city.
While heading through Merchants Street or Republic Street towards the center of Valletta, you'll find many hidden cafes, shops, and residential areas which may not be eye-catching at first. I stopped at a cafe, which I later learned had no electricity, and bought a coffee for a mere €1.20 and sat mesmerized in the heat while taking in the views of prehistoric homes around me.
Budget hostels were hard to come by in Valletta, but I decided to go for Dormitory by Vallettastay located on St. Marks Street. A quaint hostel with three floors and a cellar where the kitchen and bathroom area was located. It was unique to say the least, unique in the sense that there was no staff/receptionist for my entire stay and instead of doors to each room, it seemed the long, draped curtains sufficed. I have to give the hostel credit though; it's a 500-year-old building, and it was also the middle of January. The off-peak season really showed as there were only three other residents that I met over my 2-day stay.
Overall, the entire place could have done with a revamp; bedroom lights were on a 10-minute timer, which became increasingly frustrating in the evenings as sitting in the dark became a common occurrence; bathrooms were good, but the showers were terrible; a more welcoming and informative entry would have helped as I had no idea which room/bed I was actually assigned to.
I think rating hostels, in a similar style to how Hostelworld reviews them, would be interesting:
Atmosphere: 5/10 | I can't really judge this if there was no other residents. |
Cleanliness: 7/10 | A lot of the reviews mentioned lack of cleanliness but I had no issues or found anything significant. |
Facilities: 4/10 | The two showers available would only dribble a small amount of water; the kitchen was extremely sparse on cooking equipment; the lockers were old and rusted; the lights were a hassle to keep on. |
Location: 6/10 | Honestly, location was completely fine - pretty close to the heart of Valletta. Only issue is it was pretty hard to identify the entrance. |
Security: 3/10 | Upon entering for the first time, the front door was open; there are no doors to the rooms which meant entry to anywhere in the building was easy; no receptionist. |
Staff: 4/10 | I did not meet any of the staff but they were very kind and helpful on whatsapp when I was unsure of my room and bed. |
Value for Money: 7/10 | For a budget hotel, you are receiving what you pay for. I paid £15 a night expecting only a place to sleep. My expectations were met which is why it was rated a 7. |
Overall: 5.1/10 | You cannot expect a great amount from a budget hostel in the off-peak season. I did not lose or gain anything from my stay at Dormitory by Vallettastay, so a 5.1/10 is a good rating in my eyes. |
Mdina
On my first full day on the island, I travelled to Mdina, also known as "The Silent City". It definitely lives up to the name as it was a very quiet and lonesome place to roam. I found myself walking down stunning streets and alleyways where the light shone through in ways I have never seen before. Quite enchanting, a place I could see myself retiring to and living a simple life - a must-visit on a Malta itinerary.
It turns out Mdina was previously the capital of this Mediterranean island, with the history being traced back more than 4000 years and became fortified around 700 BC. The TV show "Game of Thrones" didn't overlook such a rich, untold city as it was majorly involved in many scenes of season 1.
The size of the island was really put into perspective when I was traveling to each city or town by bus. Mdina is a 30-minute journey from Valletta, with each bus journey costing only €2 to travel on. You cannot miss the Main gate, where many horse-tethered carriages are found, as well as St. Paul's Cathedral, which was a resurrection of the old church after an infamous earthquake in 1693. You can easily explore many tourist attractions here, but I found wandering around the maze-like streets much more fascinating, even though you might find nothing but a dead-end avenue.
Mdina is undoubtedly a must-visit location if you are in Malta, and well deserving of a few hours of exploring the beautiful history and culture - a city with an ambiance I have never experienced before.
Mosta
On my way back to Valletta from Mdina, I decided to stop off in the small city of Mosta, where the famous Mosta Rotunda (a Roman Catholic Parish Church) stands. A €5 entry fee allows you to explore the inside of this unique Basilica, as well as the rooftop which gives a stunning view of the city and the building itself.
I found it to be a very serene and respectful place where anybody was able to roam the halls, learn of the history, or show solidarity with someone by lighting a candle. It, for sure, gave me a new insight into Maltese culture.
The Mosta Rotunda seemed to be the major attraction in the area, but it doesn't disregard the rest of the city. It may be disrespectful to say, but Mosta gives off the impression of an Americanized 1950s twist on Maltese culture: the streetlights are prominent but blend in well with the aesthetic of the buildings; the almost out-of-place petrol stations on the main road; and the scattered stop signs on almost every street.
If you are passing through, it is definitely worth making a stop at the Mosta Rotunda, but otherwise, you might struggle to find other activities in this suburban-like city.
Marsaskala
On my final day in Malta, I knew I wanted to head towards more of the south coast and see if I could find any sandy beaches. I knew Marsaskala had a port and promenade, and, while being quite small, it did also have St Thomas Bay - a sandy beach on the south side of town.
When exiting from the bus, I was welcomed by the Mediterranean Sea and the bustling waves crashing into the man-made salt pans. At first, I thought these carved-out rocks were maybe baths used centuries before, but it turns out they were used to collect salt by holding the water and allowing it to evaporate in the sun. It was quite a peculiar surprise when I first laid eyes on them as it seemed very out of place for the quiet street I was walking on. Although these salt pans were not used as bathing sites, it turns out Marsaskala does, in fact, have Roman baths, as well as Roman villas, meaning the port was most likely used during the Roman Empire.
Further along from the salt pans, I found the Marsaskala Port which, in my opinion, gave the best view on the island that I witnessed. The scattered boats and incredible buildings in the background made for a picturesque setting that I couldn't find in Valletta. It was much more of a resort town, giving a relaxed feeling wherever you went.
Marsaxlokk
I arrived in Marsaxlokk while the sun was setting, so I wasn't able to take advantage of the pier that it's also famous for. Marsaxlokk is a small fishing town, and this is very prominent as there are hundreds of fishing boats scattered over the water. I found many restaurants around the pier, but one thing I could not seem to find was a souvenir shop, which was surprising as it was clearly a big tourist-attracting town.
Although a little further away from the capital of Malta, it is definitely worth coming to lay eyes on the fleet of fishing boats, but make sure to see the amazing colors while the sun is beaming.
An Overall Review
I feel you can cram in a good amount within a 2-day trip to Malta if you really put your mind to it. I went into this with the hopes I could get as much as I could out of a budget holiday, and I honestly feel like I managed to do that. Within two days, I toured around the south and center of the island without feeling too rushed while doing so. I think taking a camera around with you on a solo trip will help to immerse yourself and really look into the beauty and architecture of such a stunning island.
Since visiting, I really believe Malta is one of Europe's hidden gems. For such a small country, it radiates so much life and culture influenced by different countries, religions, and time periods. With a cheap flight (£34), budget hostel (£15 per night), and keeping a low cost on food/drink/souvenirs/transport (around £50), I spent roughly £110. It's crazy that I could spend a night out in bars and pubs for the same amount as travelling to a remote island - it really puts it into perspective!