3rd to 10th February – Malta

I feel guilty that whilst most of our family and friends have been suffering terrible weather in the UK, Annie and I have been enjoying ourselves in Malta where the weather was dry and generally warm.  Before we left the UK we had decided that we would use the local buses in Malta to get around the island.  Even better, when we arrived we found that for 1.5 Euros we could purchase an all day bus ticket and for 6 Euros a ticket for the week.  Timetables were displayed at every bus stop and with a map of Malta and its bus routes it was great fun planning our daily trips. Malta is just over 20 miles long and about half as wide so we managed to visit all of the key areas with ease.  Many of the seaside towns comprised large hotels and very small flats and houses that were all crammed together (not our scene) However, in the centre of Malta and on the west side of the island it was much more spacious. 

We enjoyed a visit to the walled city of Mdina  the old capital and known as the silent city (lots of signs telling visitors to be quiet).  Mdina is perched high on a hillside and comprises some beautiful old buildings

From Mdina there are also phenomenal views of the rest of the island as the photo with the Mosta Dome in the distance shows.    

The proper name for the Mosta Dome is the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady, and the actual dome is the third-largest church dome in Europe and the ninth largest in the world, with an internal diameter of 37.2 metres (122 ft). Another church perched high up was the Parish Church of Mellieha where we found a café perched on the edge of a cliff with a great view across Mellieha Bay with the island of Comino in the distance. 

Some of the coastal areas were very beautiful and we enjoyed a couple of visits to Golden Bay (lots of sand!) and also to Marsaskala where we enjoyed a fish feast on the harbourside overlooking the brightly coloured boats.

Another day saw us walk along the Dingli Cliffs where we came across some goats and their handler on the side of the road.  It was a lovely walk as the weather was really pleasant and there were very few vehicles and people. 

Taking 3 buses that just happened to connect with little waiting time, we then headed to Golden Bay and a long lunch overlooking the sea.

Our last full day saw us return to the Mellieha Bay area for a long walk and then a final trip into Valletta. 

Ironically, the last bus we were to use in Malta was late and completely full up before we left the first bus stop! Notwithstanding that fact, we thoroughly enjoyed using the buses.  Indeed, if you visit Malta in the winter time, the buses are by far the best way to see the island – they are frequent and you have no parking problems!