Malta Honeymoon

I've been to Malta many times over the years, since I was a child, and sometimes I think I've explored every inch of the island at one time or another. So naturally, in 2001, I took my honeymoon in Malta and gave my wife the royal tour.

My favourite things to do in Malta are:

Go to the silent city of Mdina, which doubled for Rome in Gladiator. It's a fantastic place, and if you can get there without a tour bus, it's even better, because it's best when the hordes aren't around.

Also have a look around the ancient city of Valletta, and if you are on a longer holiday, take a trip across to Gozo.

If time is short, take a boat tour of the island, really the best way to get a feel for the island, and most boat tours stop at points of interest along the way.

Quick Tips:

If you want great food, culture, history, and rocks to climb, come to Malta, but if you want a sandy beach, go to Spain or Greece.

Also, there are no major theme parks on the island--just lots and lots of parks that are great for younger kids but not so exciting for teenagers. Also, as a kid, there was always a game of football going on, and we nearly always joined in. Nearly everybody on the island speaks English.

If you're not coming on a package holiday, the best connections are through London if coming from the West and Emirates (Dubai) if coming from the East. Sometimes it's cheaper to get the cheapest package possible because it's cheaper than the flights.

Don't eat at the hotels. The local food is generally much better quality; if you see the locals, you'll know it's good. However, the best restaurants cook food fresh, so if you're in a hurry, consider grabbing a snack instead.

Best Way To Get Around:

Use the buses: they're a lot cheaper than renting a car and the rest you can walk on foot. (The Maltese drive like complete lunatics, supposedly on the left of the road.)

We absolutely loved it. The view from our room was wonderful - you can see the Valletta fortifications from your room. The rate was all inclusive and there was a choice of restaurants. You could go to the buffet, have a romantic meal in the restaurant, or choose a healthy meal. Drinks were included in the price, and you could spend all day in the bar if you wished. There was a pool, and our deal included a half-day cruise and a harbour cruise, both of which were a great way to see the island.

The gym was good - it used to be the best gym on the island, but there are now some better gyms around. The spa, however, is fantastic, and a number of famous sports stars have stayed here.

In terms of location, it is 5 minutes’ walk from the town centre, the shops, and the seafront. It is wonderful as a romantic getaway, because there is a bar inside the hotel and they have a movie library so you can snuggle up in bed and watch a movie.

However, I do have two reservations: Don't come here if you are looking for a sandy beach. The nearest one is 45 minutes away by bus. And don't come here for exciting nightlife - that is all in St Julians.

Their website can be found at: http://www.hotelfortina.com/

The rooms are spotless and the hotel was a very good value for the money.

The cocktail bar is nice and the food is okay but nothing special. The rooftop garden is a concrete roof with some deck chairs and VERY SMALL pool!

Essentially, if you want a clean bed for the night and nothing more, this is the hotel for you!

P.S. It's miles away from the nightlife, so a quiet night's sleep is practically guaranteed.

My brother and I visited the Intercontinental when it first opened in 2003. I am afraid it was to attend my grandmother's funeral, and we were both in a sombre mood. We booked the hotel at the very last minute, using, appropriately enough, lastminute.com.

I really had no idea what I'd booked, and we paid rock-bottom prices, less than 40UKP a night. However, I did have the foresight to phone the hotel and book a taxi.

I'd already messed up the ticketing of our flights and sent us back to England a day early.

So I was really wondering what kind of a dive I'd booked and if the taxi guy would meet us. I was grateful to see our name on a board for our hotel, and then very pleasantly surprised when I realised that they'd sent a Mercedes for us. (Prebooked rate)

We started to talk to the driver and he asked us if we'd mind telling him how much we paid, I did... There was a moment of silence... And I wandered what kind of hotel we'd booked. Then he said,"Well, I can't believe the price you paid, but you've booked the best hotel on the island."

And it was true, I explained my mess-up with the flights and they instantly changed my hotel reservation, no fuss. Then they escorted us to our room and we were impressed - it was one of the best rooms I've ever been in.

We didn't use too many of the other facilities in the hotel, but the cocktail bar was wonderful and there's a great swimming area. But what makes this a really fantastic hotel is the location. Inside it was really quiet, but three minutes' walk was Paceville, the biggest shopping complex on the island and the biggest cinema.

Under any other circumstances we'd have been so very happy to be there, and I can't recommend it enough. Here's the website for the rest of the details. http://intercontinental.com.mt/

P.S. They're trying to sell some timeshares in the same location, be careful, I'm led to believe that they're not nearly of the same quality as the rest of the hotel.

There is an outside section to this restaurant, but on a hot day I'd recommend going inside. The decor seems to go back to the 1930s and is full of atmosphere. The drinks are the usual selection, but the local cheesecake, known as pastizzi, are out of this world, and the cakes are great too... The rest of the food is great for lunch, and I love the pasta and pizza. (The other restaurants in the square are very good too.)

The pizza and pasta are great here, and the location is wonderful. I personally find the pastizzi are better at Cafe Cordina, just next door. If you're in a hurry, I'd go elsewhere, service is slow...

When I was a kid, we came to Malta quite often, and one of the highlights was going to the Battlements in Mdina and enjoying a cake and a drink. Part of the fun was finding the restaurant through the maze, but for those who get there, you are rewarded with some of the best cakes on the island (and there's a lot of competition). There was nearly always a wind blowing and a good chance of things getting blown away, and that seemed to only add to the experience. (There is other food available if you're particularly hungry, but its really about the cakes.)

Quite simply, it is the nightlife in Malta. All of the bars and discos are crammed into this area, and you'll meet both locals and tourists. The party goes on all night in this area of town. The only bad news is that taxis can be difficult to get a hold of. So if you want to party every night, then stay near here.

There are now about three or four slideshows on the island, but for your money's worth, this is the original and the best. (I wouldn't recommend doing more than one.) If you know nothing of the history of Malta this is a great place to start and it also shows most of the historic sites on the island. The slide show is a little basic by today's standards but does feature a multilingual commentary. Once you've finished the slideshow, there is a shop, but the prices are more expensive than can be found at the craft village and other souvenir shops in the backstreets of Valletta. While in the area, do take time out to look at St Elmo's fortifications and you might also want to take a horse ride around Valletta. (Do barter, as fees are negotiable.)

Imagine a temple, that's bigger than stone henge, practically unheard of and here's the strangest thing of all, its OLDER than stonehenge, created in around 3000 BC.

Malta has some of the finest examples of neolithic architecture available anywhere in the world. Only when you see it do you realise just how smart our ancestors were.

I'm not really the person to tell you why it's so significant, so here's the website: http://www.heritagemalta.org/hagarqim.html.

The film was a disaster, and this set really explains why. They spent so much effort building the perfect set, they forgot to actually make a film. It was done up in 2001 and really does transport you into a make-believe world. See the website: http://www.popeyemalta.com/.

Get there early on a Sunday market and all the locals will be there and so will the bargains... If you get up late, it'll be you and the rest of the tourists and prices will have gone up.

You really can get anything here from souvenirs to antiques to old gardening tools. Generally speaking this is the cheapest place to get souvenirs and T-Shirts.

My grandma always used to buy me T-shirts from here, and mum used to say they were much better than what we could get in the shops in England.

Also wonderful for local biscuits, fruits, and vegetables.

Like any market: bargain hard and watch your purse. Also, if you are squeamish about animals, do be warned that the Maltese like to have birds in small cages, etc.

By the way, there's no need to take a tour, nearly any bus on the island will take you there. Its right next to the main bus station in Valletta and then explore until you're ready to come home. (I'd suggest going into Valletta for some lunch afterwards.)

This is quite simply the best view of the city. Its a place that you can come for a quiet moment, enjoy a Pastizzi and a bottle of 7UP, Coca Cola or the local drink Kinnie. (Don't leave Malta without eating at least one Pastizzi)

When my brother and I were children, we'd run round the play area and pretend we were knights of St John and even now, it isn't difficult to imagine. Of course Valletta was built after the great siege of 1565. But if you look across the water you can see the three cities and if you look to the left you can just about see the old fort St Elmo.

Once you've taken in the scale of the citadel, have a look below into the harbour, there's normally ships in dock and some are being repaired. The main industry in Malta is the shipping and when you look into the harbour you will see why. (Tourism is 2nd)

If you've finished looking outside of the garden, do take a few moments to survey the mediterranean flowers in this otherwise barron rock, the gardener has to work hard to keep them alive during the summer months. (Used to be a friend of my grandad's)

It's well worth coming at sunset with your partner, because there is no more romantic place to see the sunset than in this garden. After seeing the sunset you can dine in one of the many restaurants in the city. A perfect end to a perfect day.

This is great if you are planning to walk from Sliema to Valletta, as it's on the way, but you will really need a map to find it, because it's quite a tricky park to find, and the only real clue is the watch tower over the water. Also, it's on a main road without a pavement, so be careful walking up. However, once inside the park, it is very quiet indeed; I've never seen anybody there when I've visited and a great place to sit and relax for a while. (It may be busier at lunch time, because some locals may visit.) There are few artifacts of historic interest, most notably the watch tower, which is photographed everywhere in Malta, but very few people actually go inside the watch tower itself. There's also a small stone castle. The park has a nickname with locals, the 'forgotten park'. However, I doubt you'll forget your visit if you can find it!

It's the best beach in Malta where you don't either have to climb down a rock face or use a boat to get to it. That said, the beaches in Malta are crowded and can't compete with other places in the Mediterranean. If you want a beach holiday, Malta's not the place. Also, if you take a bus there, make sure you pay attention to the timetable, because the last bus home isn't very late.

It's my cousin's business, and if you're into rock climbing, he's the best. He knows all of the best climbs on the islands, the secret beaches and caves, and the best picnic spots.

Being the courageous guy I am, I tucked into our picnic and let him and the kids do all the climbing--a very relaxing time for me...

Most of the climbs on the island would suit a beginner but may not be that challenging for a really experienced climber. More info can be found at his Website.

This is one day that you really need to take a tour because nearly every shop and bus stops running.

There are large numbers of processions in Malta, and many of the best are in the smallest villages. However, there is normally also one in Valletta.

Be warned that these processions take hours and can be a bit much for a small child.

Nearly all the buses in Malta go to the main station in Valletta and head out from this hub. If you are in Sliema and St Julians, you will be well served with buses going to the main tourist spots and the beach.

The roads in Malta are very bumpy, and if you are prone to travel sickness, you'll need to take some tablets

Buses are much cheaper than a car hire, and they are reasonably frequent to most places. Also, if you are thinking of hiring a car, parking is an absolute nightmare in St Julians and Valletta, not to mention that the Maltese are crazy drivers. There's an old joke about the English driving on the left, continentals driving on the right, and the Maltese driving in the shade.

For timetables and routes, see http://www.atp.com.mt/.