MONDAY – Now that I’m self-employed, I can supposedly work from anywhere! After a dismal start to 2025 weather wise, we have just booked a ‘working’ holiday to Malta. Having recently stayed with a Marriot hotel some advertising showed a cheap new hotel in Malta. I was instantly inspired to search for cheap flights. BA had also sent me an email advertising their holidays which I opened on this grey, drizzly Saturday morning. By the end of the afternoon and a little bit of research we’d found ourselves a hotel with breakfast and return flights from Gatwick for just £360!
We’re off to Malta!
We decided, for the first time ever to book a package holiday with British Airways hoping that we hadn’t made a mistake. The flights were at a very civilised time so we were able to have a relaxed start to our day, which also meant we missed the rush hour on the M25 giving us a trouble free drive to Gatwick. Our first hold up was at check-in where it seemed as though everybody was taking their entire home away with them having never travelled through an airport before!!
Despite this initial hold up, the rest of the process was uneventful and even a 30 minute delay in take-off didn’t delay our arrival time in Valletta. Our experience of passport control entering Europe, since Brexit, has not been good and in some cases has made our journey through the airport unbearably long, however, Malta certainly set a shining example of how it could be done well. We touched down at 17:20 and by 18:45 we were checked in to our hotel in Sliema, fully unpacked and were sat half a mile down the waterfront in a restaurant (Kalama) with a beer. We had arrived and, despite it now being dark, we were no longer stuffed up in our winter coats!!
TUESDAY – First day of balancing work and leisure time with a 7:30 alarm, kettle on for a cuppa and cracking the curtains open to discover clear blue skies and sunshine! What a great start to our first day!
Our plan for the week was for me to work in the mornings and then spend the rest of the day exploring Malta. We had chosen to rely on public transport so planning was essential to make sure we saw as much of the island as possible. Mrs Y spent the time that I was working either reading or planning our trips out.
Our hotel, Mr Todd, was nicely situated with the local Sliema to Valletta ferry right at the end of the road. The ferry was €3.80 return and took less than 10 minutes to reach Valletta; it was a lovely scenic hop across the harbour especially when we were able to get on the top sun deck.
We decided not to opt for the shuttle bus into the centre of Valletta as the entire width of the city was walkable in about 30 minutes. However, we didn’t realise that the walk from the ferry to the top of the road was lung bustlingly steep and there was nothing of interest to see until you were at the top! Our first destination was the only place on our agenda before even arriving – St Paul’s Co-Cathedral to see the Caravaggios! Not much of a queue and a €19 entrance fee, which was a little steep. The building itself was far too ostentatious, over gilded and the guided route was difficult to follow which resulted in drifting tourists, but the Caravaggio’s were simply stunning! So good to get up close and spend some time soaking in the sheer scale of the works!
We then headed towards Upper Barrakka Gardens as the view was recommended. We were not disappointed as the sun shone from a cloudless blue sky illuminating the Three Cities across the water. We decided to grab a table in the gardens and soak in the atmosphere, enjoying a beer and a pea Qassatat – who knew mushy peas in pastry could be so delicious!!
We hoped to see St Paul’s Shipwreck church but it had very limited hours and was closed. We continued our walk back towards the ferry bumping into the Anglican St Paul’s Cathedral which was refreshingly quiet and understated. We sat for a while before making our way back to the ferry and then our hotel.
The previous evening we had been approached outside a restaurant offering 2 for 1 pizza and cocktails deals but had unfortunately already eaten. We decided it was worth a visit so sauntered along the waterfront to the Aqualuna restaurant – we only realised once we were seated that this was a lido with a beautiful pool set on the edge of the sea. Our expectations were not too high as the deal sounded too good to be true, however, the pizzas were really good and the Aperol Spritz were not watered down at all. All in all an excellent value meal with great views across the water to Valletta!
WEDNESDAY – Getting into the new routine of working straight after breakfast until lunchtime, I planned to finish a little earlier today as our planned trip started with an hours bus trip. We had been told to visit Rabat and Mdina by a lot of people so today was the day. We wandered to the end of the road and picked up the direct bus for a total cost of €2 each way! The journey was timetabled to take an hour but the traffic around St Julian’s Bay added at least 20 minutes to the trip. The bus dropped us off on the edge of Rabat and a 5 minute walk from Mdina Gate. We cut through the trees and found ourselves on the top of the city walls. It was very picturesque and we expected the city to be as atmospheric as the gateway suggested. However, the entire city seemed soulless and uninhabited with only saw groups of tourists wandering around! The views were stunning from the city walls and we were very grateful to be visiting off season because the number of tourists at peak season must make for a very different experience. Historic buildings lined every square and every narrow passageway seemed to lead back to somewhere already visited. We had intended to visit some of the main sites but everything had an expensive admission attached so instead we took in the views and enjoyed the quiet of the less visited alleyways. We could see a garden cultivated in the moat but not see how to get to it and it looked like it wasn’t open to visitors; wandering back out of the main gate and in the opposite direction to our arrival, we found some stairs tucked away behind a children’s playground that led to the garden. We were shocked to find we were the only people in the garden at first but the garden extended around the corner and had viewing platforms looking back across towards Valletta and the coast. It was a clear day and the view was spectacular. We continued to walk through the gardens that spread along almost half of the perimeter wall, meeting only two small groups of people in total. The gardens were not full of flowers but instead manicured lawns and trees along with different pathways that provided a very peaceful oasis away from the busloads of tourists high above.
We had been unable to find any real options for lunch in Mdina as we wanted just a beer and something light to eat; we decided to wander back to Rabat to see if it had more to offer. Rabat was much more of a local community and we found a number of local restaurants/bars that offered lunch. We wanted to make the most of the weather and sit outside to eat, so we finally found a table close to the main square (ibitha.com) and ordered a ftira and beer. People watching is our favourite pastime and sitting on the main street did not disappoint!
We made our way back across the square to the bus stop and were fortunate to find a bus arriving in a few minutes. Hopping on, we sat back to enjoy the trip back. We made the journey back more quickly but mainly because the driver seemed to be on a bonus to arrive on time! He threw the bus around car parks and corners like a rally driver, even in the congested traffic around Sliema; we were very happy to arrive back on time but also glad to be in one piece.
We returned to the hotel briefly before setting out to find a bar although the ftira at lunch time had left us full so we were on the lookout for a snack and drink. We wandered along the waterfront into a Turkish bar and then popped back to Kalama for some local seafood.
THURSDAY – Our trip today was a little closer, we were going to explore Birgu. Easy access to public transport made this a simple journey. Having learned our lesson from Tuesday, we decided to use the ferry shuttle today. We sauntered to the bottom of the road and caught the ferry to Valletta, shuttled across Valletta to the Three Cities ferry which then took us across to Birgu. Everything about the journey was perfect and efficient – sitting on the open top deck on both ferries gave us spectacular views and the sun shining was the icing on the cake!
We had no agenda for today only to enjoy our day out. We loved the feel of Birgu – peaceful and unhurried with a maze of streets that wound around the harbour. We found a spot in the sun opposite Dock 1 and planned our day.
Our original plan had been to return to Valletta to eat but we loved the feel of the dockside in Birgu, so decided to look for a restaurant on the waterfront. Our experience at home led us to believe that we would pay a premium for the location but we set off on a quest. As we strolled through the marina with its superyachts we were surprised to see it was owned by Camper & Nicholson – a company we know locally! The old dock buildings are now being renovated and reimagined as restaurants with large outside seating areas. We checked menus as we walked along – our only requirements being an outside table and no English food. We finally picked SottoVento and ordered. The staff were great and the food was exactly what we wanted – the portions were huge and we knew we wouldn’t need to eat again for the rest of the day. We chose to sit and enjoy the moment rather than hurry back to the ferry.
When we did move on we wandered along the waterfront towards the ferry, passing a small workshop making traditional luzzu by hand – it was great to see that some things haven’t changed.
We caught the ferry back to Valletta and then on to Sliema.
After a break we walked to the end of the road to a rather fancy cake shop (busybee.com.mt) for tea and cake which was a lovely end to a near perfect day.
FRIDAY – We didn’t have a lot planned for our last day but felt like we hadn’t fully explored Valletta, either passing through it or visiting only specific sites. It was a clear sunny day but the sea breeze had caused a significant swell in the bay which meant we took a choppy trip on the Sliema / Valletta ferry. Hopping off the ferry straight on to the shuttle bus, we jumped off at the Three Cities ferry port. We paid €1 to ride the Barrakka lift – a perfect way to avoid the steep climb into the city – coincidentally in time for the noon day canon firing. With 15 minutes to go the crowds were already 3 deep along the entire battery so we found a spot and waited. The precision of the ceremony was fascinating and definitely worth the wait.
Earlier in our week we had visited the Carravagios for me (Mrs Y is not a Carravagio fan) so today was for visiting something for Mrs Y – the Lascaris War Rooms. Having just used the elevator to avoid the walk up we now found ourselves walking back down to the tunnel entrance deep beneath Valletta. We hesitated briefly over whether to join the free guided tour as we like to take our time and feel a little trapped on some tours, but, it was definitely the best way to fully understand the history of the tunnels. Our guide, Trevor, was both interesting and informative with a clear passion for his job and the history of Malta. We loved every minute of our visit and have come home determined to find out more of the history of this tiny island.
As this was our last full day we wanted to enjoy the fine weather and dine al fresco. There is plenty of choice in Valletta but actually making a choice is the biggest challenge. We finally found a large outdoor restaurant, near the Co Cathedral, that was in full sun but unfortunately the lunch and service was very mediocre. In fact the starter never arrived and, when challenged, the original waiter said it was our fault as we hadn’t reminded him when our main course arrived – presumably they were going to reheat the mains when we were ready!!
Aware that this was our last chance to explore Valletta, we took a gentle wander through the streets back to the ferry port. We are not souvenir purchasers so it was more about enjoying the ambience and the quiet back streets. On one of the very steep narrow side streets, just two roads back from the ferry, we found a tiny coffee shop (5 Beans) that more than made up for our lacklustre lunch. Great service and great tasting coffee and cakes!
We returned to the ferry port to discover that the increasing breeze was delaying the ferry a little so we waited patiently for the choppy crossing back to Sliema.
As we docked we decided to take a walk in the opposite direction to the hotel as there was a handful of bars that we hadn’t looked at. We liked the idea of visiting this area later on in the evening so returned to the hotel to pack up ready for our departure tomorrow.
After dark and not wanting another meal, we found a table at a bistro and enjoyed a glass or two of wine and a plate of fritto misto! The forecast of rain and high winds overnight meant that it started to sweep in as we sat there. We watched the final ferry struggle to dock and then the rain began. It rained. A lot! Despite the inclement weather nobody moved, our waiter ensured we were dry by moving us further under the giant umbrella and told us to stay as long as we liked despite having already paid our bill!!
Being English we just pulled on our jackets and walked back to the hotel. And that was our last full day in Malta. What a day it had been too!
SATURDAY – We decided on a later breakfast than we have been taking, but hey, it is the weekend after all and no work today!
There was no improvement on last night so it’s tipping down with rain, lucky we have nothing planned today apart from flying home and wiling away a couple of hours before catching the bus to the airport.
Breakfast sorted we stuffed the last of our things in the case and checked out. With our case safely stashed at reception we headed down the hill for one last walk around Sliema. The rain had stopped but there was still a torrent of water rushing down the road! We popped in to M&S, hearing that their fourth floor cafe had a great view! It did! And we sat enjoying the view with a drink although the high swell in the harbour meant all ferries were cancelled for the day – we watched the cycle of rain approaching and obliterating our view of Valletta followed by clear skies.
Then a scoot around the shops we’d not seen during the rest of the week. Nothing exceptional to see though.
Back in to Zara to grab a puffer jacket in the sale, one of those skinny ones that I can bundle in to backpack for travelling.
With less than an hour left we shot back in to M&S for one last drink and to enjoy the view before picking up the case from the hotel and finding the stop for the coach. As we approached the stop, Ferries 5, the coach actually arrived, TD3, a direct service to the airport and at €3 each, quite a bargain.
The journey was quick and only 45 minutes later we pulled up outside the terminal.
We sat for a while watching the world go by before check in opened and we could get rid of our luggage.
A bit of a delay to our departure due to the late arrival of our flight, followed by a further delay sitting on the tarmac for 30 minutes waiting to get airborne – no explanation was given.
So our overall impression of Malta was that the people were incredibly friendly and we loved the ramshackle nature of it. It felt like a loved island! It also taught us that I can work from anywhere with good wifi. Maybe winter needn’t be so grey in future!!
mrandmrsyoung 