DK Travel : Malta & Gozo : Itineraries

A Day in Valletta

Morning

Few city tours begin with bus stations, but Malta’s venerable fleet of antique buses is a delight. Stop at the mqaret stall for a date pastry before heading through the main gate. Sweep down Triq Ir-Repubblika to St John’s Co-Cathedral , the most splendid church in the Maltese islands. After visiting the cathedral, have a coffee out on the square at the Caffe Cordina . Continue down Triq Ir-Repubblika to the charming Casa Rocca Piccola, where the Marquis will give you a tour of his family home if you pre-book. Have lunch in the stone courtyard of the lovely Manoel Theatre Café Manoel . Lunchtime concerts are often held here – check in advance with the tourist office.

Afternoon

Return to Triq Ir-Repubblika and make for the Auberge de Provence, now home to the fascinating National Museum of Archaeology . A visit will help you to put Malta’s extra-ordinary temple culture into context. Don’t miss the up-stairs salon or the beautiful and mysterious megalithic sculpture of the “Sleeping” Lady. Stroll over to the Upper Barrakka Gardens, which are small but beautifully kept, for spellbinding views over the Grand Harbour. The view is best at dusk, extending across the water to the romantic silhouette of the Three Cities (see A Walk around the Three Cities ). Watch the sun set over a glass of local wine and a light supper at the Café Deux Baronnes .
A Drive around Northern Malta

Morning

This trip starts from and ends at Mellieħa. If the nearby Għadira Wetland Reserve is open, take one of the fascinating guided tours around this sanctuary for wetland birds. This is especially recommended during the spring and autumn migratory seasons. Otherwise, head west to Popeye Village for an enjoyable tour around the old film set. Have a quick dip in the sea at the tiny beach. Take the main road from Mellieħa up to the Marfa Ridge. Stop by the Red Tower to enjoy the views of Gozo and Comino, then continue to Ras Il-Qammieħ (Qammieħ Point) to see the spectacular cliffs. Return to Mellieħa on the main road, and continue to St Paul’s Bay. Have a lazy lunch overlooking the bay at Gillieru

Afternoon

Follow the road for 4 km (2 miles) through the fertile Pwales Valley, with its green fields girdled by tumbling stone walls. Park at the top of the cliff and make the descent via almost two hundred stone steps to Għajn Tuffieħa beach. Stretch out and work on your tan for a couple of hours. If you are feeling more active, you could hike around the headland to the busier bay at Golden Beach, or perhaps take a boat trip to the quiet cove at Fomm Ir-Riħ. The little village of Mġarr is famous for its old-fashioned Maltese cooking. Try some typical local rabbit (or simply a drink) at the Friend-to-All Bar on the village square.
A Tour around Gozo

Morning

Set off early, so that you can arrive at the cliffs of Dwejra in time to enjoy them without the crowds. Take a boat ride from the Inland Sea through to the Azure Window. Take some time to stroll along the cliff paths and enjoy spectacular views of Fungus Rock and the rugged coastline. Drive to Victoria (which locals still call Rabat) to explore the lofty walled citadel (see The Citadel, Rabat/Victoria, Gozo ). Don’t miss the frothy Baroque cathedral and the excellent Museum of Archaeology. You can have a simple but delicious lunch of fresh bread and local cheese at Ta’ Rikardu .

Afternoon

After lunch, drive to nearby Xagħra to see the ancient Ġgantija Temples, in a beautiful setting overlooking a wide, green plain. The same ticket also gains admission to the Ta’ Kola Windmill on the outskirts of the village. Head next to the village square, where one of the little café-bars should be open for a drink. If you have enough time, you could drive on for another 10 minutes to Ramla Bay, Gozo’s best beach, for a refreshing dip. Then return to the other side of the island and make for Sannat, following the signs for Ta’ Ċenċ. Spend an enjoyable hour strolling around these magnificent cliffs as dusk falls. Finally, you could dine on fresh fish at Sammy’s , on the water-front in Mġarr Harbour, finishing the day with a drink at the nearby Gleneagles Bar, which has a fantastic terrace overlooking the port.
A Tour around Southern Malta

Morning

Get to Wied Iż-Żurrieq nice and early to avoid the queues for the Blue Grotto. It’s at its best in the bright morning sunshine when the water is an extraordinary electric blue. After the boat trip, head to Marsaxlokk – a tricky drive because there are few signs. (Take the Kirkop–Gudja–Għaxaq route to avoid getting lost in the Ħal Far industrial estate.) Once in the charming fishing port of Marsaxlokk, go for a stroll around the harbour and admire the multicoloured luzzus bobbing in the bay, before enjoying an alfresco lunch. For fresh seafood and harbour views, get a table on the water’s edge at Pisces but remember to book it well in advance.

Afternoon

After lunch, drive (or take a stroll) out to St Peter’s Pool on the Delimara Peninsula. Fishermen will also ferry passengers from Marsaxlokk harbour to the little cove. Spend a couple of hours sunbathing and swimming in the pool’s transparent waters. Then hop into the car for the short drive to Marsaskala, where you should just be in time to join the evening passeggiata around the harbour. Stop for a drink in one of the seafront cafés before pondering where to have dinner. To push the boat out, go for Grabiel , which many consider to be the best seafood restaurant on the island. For something less upmarket but reliably good, try the Fisherman’s Rest at St Thomas’s Bay.
A Walk around Mdina

Morning

Enter Mdina through the main gate. Almost immediately on the right, you’ll pass the Palazzo Vilhena (now the Natural History Museum). Peek at the patio by the main entrance (the museum itself is rather dull) before heading to the sumptuous Xara Palace Hotel for coffee in a marvellous 18th-century palace. Continue up narrow Triq San Pawl until you reach the entrance to St Paul’s Cathedral , one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in Malta. Across the square, the Cathedral Museum is an enjoyably chaotic treasure trove of unexpected delights. The highlight is the collection of magnificent Dürer engravings and woodcuts. Linger over lunch at Bacchus .

Afternoon

Walk up Triq Villegaignon , Mdina’s grandest street, lined with elaborate churches and graceful palaces with worn stone escutcheons. Look out for the Casa Testaferrata on the right; the French governor was thrown from the balcony of this noble house in 1798, when the Maltese decided they had had enough of the greedy French troops. Farther up, the Palazzo Falzon is the best-preserved medieval palace in Mdina. Triq Villegaignon opens up into the Pjazza Tas-Sur (Bastion Square), where breathtaking views unfold of the whole of central Malta. Close by, the open-air Fontanella Tea Gardens are a good stop for tea and cakes.
A Walk around the Three Cities

Morning

Before you start out, note that there are very few places for lunch or coffee in the Three Cities, so make sure to bring snacks and water. Enter Vittoriosa through its mighty main gate (where there is a very nice outdoor café for a coffee break) and head along Triq Il-Mina l-Kbira. On the right, you’ll come to the Inquisitor’s Palace, where unfortunate prisoners were accused of heresy. Behind the Inquisitor’s Palace is the original Knights’ quarter, called the Collachio. Head down Triq H. Tabone to see the auberges (inns) of the Knights, before returning to the central square, Misraħ Ir Rebh. There are a couple of simple bars here if you want to stop for a snack or a coffee.

Afternoon

Wind your way down to the water’s edge at Dockyard Creek. The Freedom Monument, in front of the splendid Church of St Lawrence commemorates those who died during World War II. Take a boat tour around the Grand Harbour (there are regular departures from the waterfront in Vittoriosa) for sublime views of Valletta and the Three Cities. Continue your stroll around the bay, following the water’s edge to the entrance to Senglea. Walk down Senglea’s main street, Triq Il-Vitorja, to the gardens right at the tip of the promontory; here you will find the famous vedette (lookout) with its curious symbols, offering more magnificent views.