| Things to do and see on the Maltese Islands Malta
Valletta
An impressive city, fully enclosed by walls, its building was inspired by La Vallette, Grand Master of the Order of St. John, after the defeat of the Turks in the Great Siege of 1565. It was laid out in a grid pattern, but this was superimposed over the hump - backed Sciberras Hill, so the monotony of straight streets is broken by many steps and steep corners. There is relatively little traffic, and it is pleasant to wander from the busy shopping streets into the quieter side lanes, soon coming to a view of the sheltered harbours which surround the city on three sides. Its many places to visit include the Grand Master's Palace and Armoury, the Co-Cathedral, the Malta Experience, Fort St. Elmo and the Archaeological Museum. At the City Gate stand the busses which will transport you to all parts of the island for incredibly low fares. Mdina (11.5 km from Valletta) A city set apart from the rush of life today. Mdina's quiet narrow streets take one straight back to the Middle Ages. It was the island's capital during Roman times, but was left mostly unaffected by the Knights who developed Valletta and the harbour area, while Malta's old aristocracy stayed on in Mdina. Completely walled at the time of the Arab invasions, it has only two gates and contains some fine old family houses as well as the beautiful Cathedral, rebuilt in 1697 after an earthquake. A walk round Mdina's narrow crooked lanes is to experience the essence of old Malta, and the views from its walls are breathtaking. Rabat (11.5 km from Valletta) Parts of Rabat - the Roman Villa and the Catacombs - are as old as Mdina, but were left outside the walls. It is an interesting town in its own right, with narrow, old streets in the centre. A visit to the Catacombs is a unique experience. The Roman Villa has a tessellated floor, other mosaics and a good collection of Roman remains. The town has interesting shops, and at nearby Ta' Qali on an old airfield, a craft centre has been set up where one can see many crafts demonstrated, and the products are for sale. Sliema (8 km from Valleta) This, together with its northern neighbour St. Julians, is a lively holiday centre, where many of the island's hotels, restaurants and entertainments are to be found. It is also one of Malta's best shopping centres, and boat trips around the harbour and to Comino start from the old ferry landing stage. St. Paul's Bay (15.5 km from Valletta) A fast developing resort, the older settlement clustering round the church and harbour, the newer building spreading east along the coast to Bugibba and Qawra, with hotels and apartment blocks. Bathing is mostly from flat rcks, though there is a small sandy beach at the head of the bay. Opposite St. Paul's Bay is the smaller resort of Xemxija. Some of the best restaurants on the island are to be found around the bay. Mellieha (20 km from Valletta) The most northerly town on Malta, Mellieha is impressively sited on a hilltop overlooking the north of the island and the wide Mellieha Bay. The bay encloses Malta's largest sandy beach, where there are several restaurants, as well as those in the town itself. Paradise Bay (25 km from Valletta) Impressively situated on the north coast of the island, the beach is reached by steps from the large car park on top of the cliffs. Other small sandy beaches, mostly undeveloped, extend along the north coast of the island. Golden Bay (17.5 km from Valletta) A beautiful sandy beach facing west with hotels and a small settlement behind it. To the south is another sandy bay, Ghajn Tuffieha, which is reached by steps and backed by a pleasant grassy slope. Dingli Cliffs (Highest point 14.5 km from Valletta) Half a mile from the village of Dingli lie the highest cliffs on the island, which can be followed for several miles in both directions. North of Dingli, and approached from Rabat, several roads have been newly extended to the top of the cliffs, giving magnificent views. Blue Grotto (12 km from Valletta) On the south coast near Zurrieq, and approached by a deep ravine, are a series of caves and rock arches in which the water is a deep blue. The trip through the caves is made in a small boat from the road end at Wied iz-Zurrieq, and is a very pleasant excursion on a fine day. Not far away are the impressive prehistoric temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, set in open country high above the sea. Birzebbuga (9.5 km from Valletta) A popular summer resort with resorts and bars. Nearby are various ancient sites, the oldest being the Ghar Dalam Cave, with remains dating from 4000 BC. Marsaxlokk (9.5 km from Valletta) Malta's most important fishing village where the harbour is dotted with the brightly coloured high-prowed 'luzzus', all bearing the symbol of the eye of Osiris. This was the anchorage of the Turks before the Great Siege of 1565, and the site of the French landing in 1798. Marsaskala (10.5 km from Valletta) A pleasant fishing village and resort with many restaurants and bars. Tarxien (6.5 km from Valletta) This town to the south of Valletta is famous for its three prehistoric temples. They were only discovered in 1915 so were excavated carefully and are very well preserved. Not far away in Paola is the Hypogeum, a remarkable underground prehistoric temple on three levels, discovered by building workers in 1902. Gozo Victoria Gozo's capital, like Mdina, is in the centre of the island. It too has an old walled city to which the Gozitans withdrew to escape the incursions of the Turks. Many of the buildings in the citadel are in ruins after an earthquake, but the Cathedral was rebuilt in 1697 and has an impressive false dome. Near it, in a former palace, is the Gozo Museum. The rest of the town also has an old centre, with narrow streets where the local ladies sit at their doors chatting and making lace. The main square, It-Tokk, has a morning market, and is a favourite local meeting place. Xaghra (4 km from Victoria) A sprawling hilltop village with a beautiful church, where one can visit two subterranean caves. Both are beneath houses and were discovered accidentally, they have many stalactites and stalagmites. South of the village are the fine prehistoric temples of Ggantija, constructed with massive stones nearly 3,000 years ago. Ramla Bay (8 km from Victoria) Here you will find a superb sandy beach, watched over by a small statue of the Virgin Mary. A steep path to the cliffs above brings one to the legendry site of Calypso's Cave. Marsalforn (4 km from Victoria) The most developed resort on Gozo, but also a fishing village, it has a pebbly beach and lies in an attractive bay. Hotels, restaurants and apartment houses fringe the bay, and along the coast to the west are some interesting saltpans high above the sea on top of the cliffs. Further west are many traditional saltpans. Inland Sea A new road from the village of San Lawrenz leads to the remarkable phenomenon of the Inland Sea - a land-locked sea-water lake backed by steep cliffs- connected to the sea by a natural tunnel. A scramble over the nearby fossil-studded rocks brings one to a view of the Azure Window, a fne rock arch. Xlendi (3 km from Victoria) This is a delightful fishing village and resort south-west of Victoria. A path to the west of the bay leads to a small cave, and one can walk to Xlendi Tower on the east side. Comino A small island about a mile square between Malta and Gozo. Off the west coast lies the uninhabited island of Cominotto, between the two islands is the Blue Lagoon, a popular scuba-diving area. Comino has one hotel, it also makes a pleasant day trip, where one can laze in the sun, swim or walk along the island's quiet paths.
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