Malta - A Step Back in History

The town of Sliema is where we stayed, right on the Mediterranean. The churches; museums; town of Valetta, which is Malta's capital and has a towering fortification; museums; shopping; and restaurants were highlights. Visiting with a knight of St. John and hearing the history was most fascinating. The multimedia show "The Malta Experience" was outstanding.

A visit to St. Paul's Church (history records that he stopped here), the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, a visit to the Hagar Qim Temple, the Mosta Dome, the City of Mdina, St. Pauls Bay, and the Island of Gozo were all interesting and made the trip enjoyable.

In May, the Malta Floral Club of the Holy Trinity Church in Sliema had a festival, so check it out. There is also harness racing in May. We took a bus and had a great time.

Quick Tips:

There is a tour guide magazine called "Where Malta" that is worth picking up and checking to find out what is going on. The Hypogeum is a must, and you have to get tickets before you go. A limited number of people are allowed in.

Best Way To Get Around:

The bus system was great, but get change. Walk around the towns of Sliema, Valletta, and St. John's Bay.

There are clean, large rooms, and it is centrally located about 3 blocks from the center of town. Shops, restaurants, and a bus stop are all within about 3 to 4 blocks. Breakfast was great, and the accommodations were excellent.

Beneath the Sacra Infermeria, next to Ft. Elmo, you can visit the old world of the Hospitalier Knights. This museum has information concerning 700 years of history of the Knights of St. John. This place is deep in the tunnels of Valletta.

This is one of the world's major archaeological sites. You must have reservations/tickets in advance. This is an underground burial place and temple that was discovered in 1902. It is really the best of the best.

Rather than stay overnight, we took the ferry over and picked up with Oasis Tours. They covered everything you really want to see. It is a very small island. There was Calypso Cave, the Citadel, Ta'Pinu Church, Ggantija Temple, and Fontana Crafts Industry.