Two days, two islands - a tour of Malta and Gozo
Malta is Europe's southernmost country and is made up of several islands. The largest is Malta itself, and the next, much smaller one is Gozo. The others - although attractive - are so small that no sightseeing tours are run on them. Not only did I explore both islands "at speed", but I also had colourful "hippie" vans at my disposal.
MALTA
The tour organised by "MojaMalta" starts with a pick-up from your hotel, after which we head to St. Julian's and Sliema, which are considered the heart of the island. There we stop at a spot that guarantees a beautiful view of the main city, Valletta. Our photogenic little vans fit perfectly into the frame. Next we drive to the capital itself, the sunniest city in Europe and also Europe's southernmost capital. Valletta has more than 320 historic monuments, which is why the entire city has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Valletta's history is counted from the laying of the foundation stone in 1566, and the whole city - originally planned as a fortress - was built in a relatively short time, which gives its buildings a remarkable coherence.
Of course, we cannot see everything, but we focus on the most interesting places. A short walk to the Upper Barrakka Gardens lets us admire the views of the so-called Three Cities (Senglea, Cospicua, Vittoriosa) and the Grand Harbour. Sometimes you will see a huge cruise ship moored in the distance, and on the lower level of the gardens you can see the terrace from which a cannon salute rings out every day at noon.
Watch on YouTubeThe Three Cities are the next stop on the tour. From there, new views of Valletta open up. The promenade in Birgu is the best place for a coffee or the local "Kinnie" soft drink - everyone will appreciate a short break overlooking the harbour and the yachts. We drive around the charming old centres of Senglea and Vittoriosa and stop for photos at the loveliest spots.
Then we head south, to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk. For the Maltese it is almost "the end of the world", yet it is only a 20-minute drive from Valletta. It is famous for its crescent-shaped bay, where colourful "luzzu" boats are moored, and for its picturesque church towering over the houses.
Driving along the winding roads of southern Malta, you notice that it is less built-up and less bustling than the north. We reach the Blue Grotto, considered the most beautiful rock formation in Malta, and in the distance you can see the island of Filfla, a nature reserve. We park our vans right by the Dingli Cliffs. The top of the cliffs stands 253 metres above the waves of the Mediterranean.
Setting off from the cliffs, we come to a rocky plateau. It is a very mysterious place in Malta. For years, scientists and enthusiasts have been trying to solve the riddle of the parallel ruts carved into the solid rock. Various theories have emerged, and some of them point to extraterrestrial civilisations.
The "ruts" are not the only place that may bear witness to the island being inhabited thousands of years ago. Some traces of human activity date back to 5000 BC. A plausible urban legend has it that human skulls unlike those of Homo sapiens were discovered in one of the caves. They were larger and their cranial sutures ran differently. It is said that this may have been another species of human: more intelligent but physically weaker... and supposedly wiped out at our hands.
No tour would be complete without a visit to Mdina. It is one of the most charming and quietest towns in Malta. Mdina is majestic and fortified, surrounded by mighty walls and a dry moat. Hardly anyone lives here, with only 250 registered residents. A quiet stroll through the narrow streets between the walls can be disturbed only by the clatter of the horses pulling carriages. Its centrepiece is St Paul's Cathedral.
Next to Mdina is Rabat, and the two towns form a single urban whole, yet it would be hard to find a greater contrast between them. The towns are separated by a park, which hides one of the country's more interesting attractions. It is a Roman house, discovered by chance in 1881, which in some respects is unique in the entire Mediterranean basin. Today we do not know who owned this town residence, but it was certainly someone extremely important and wealthy. This is evident from the sculptures, very rarely found in similar excavations. Among them is a figure of the Emperor Claudius. The house was lived in from the 1st century BC to the 2nd century AD. The main surviving feature of the residence is its mosaics. The museum has an exhibition and an interesting account of how the ancient Romans lived, what they ate and what roles they played in the family. Interestingly, the building put up over the excavations to protect the finds is itself a historic monument, being more than 130 years old.
Rabat is a bustling town with cafés, shops and restaurants, but it is also steeped in history. It has 12,000 inhabitants. Many people visit St Paul's Catacombs. These were burial places for Christians, Jews and pagans. Tunnels hollowed out of the rock lead to stone recesses where the dead were once laid to rest. The site is large and there are many tombs. Information boards describe - and show - in an interesting way how burials were prepared in different rites and what ceremonies accompanied the mystery of death.
Għajn Tuffieħa Beach is one of the most charming and romantic places in Malta, where the beauty of nature makes a big impression. This is where you can "lie in wait" for what is probably the most beautiful sunset. Not far away is Popeye Village, built in 1980 as the set for the musical "Popeye". Today it plays the role of Malta's Disneyland - there is no denying the charm of this village of small, candy-coloured houses set in a bay of turquoise water.
GOZO
The tour of Malta's sister island, Gozo, gets off to a strong start with a morning departure from the port of Ċirkewwa. After just 20 minutes at sea, the ship slowly sails into Mġarr on Gozo. Gozo accounts for only 20% of the country's total area, but that does not make it any less interesting. Tourism has not developed here as much as on the main island, the buildings are lower and there is far more greenery.
We drive the first few kilometres to the "Belle Vedere" viewpoint, from where we can see the country's third-largest island - Comino. Then we go all the way down to the charming Hondoq Bay. In summer you can swim here, and in winter go for a walk. The next stage is a very short trek that takes us to the edge of the cliff, to the Tal Mixta cave, which offers a unique view of the sea.
The next stage is the most beautiful sandy beach on Gozo, Ramla Bay. After that comes the village of Marsalforn and its historic salt pans. In winter the air is too cool for the salt pans to "work", but the views are unforgettable all year round. For hundreds of years, salt has been produced here by evaporating seawater collected in rock basins.
Malta and Gozo have almost 400 churches, and one of the most famous is on Gozo. It is the "Ta' Pinu" basilica, the destination of many pilgrimages. The solitary building of pale stone contrasts with the tall green palm trees. John Paul II visited Malta twice - once on a planned visit, and the second time he ended up there... completely by chance. When he visited Malta in May 1990, no one expected him to be back just 4 months later. The reason for his unexpected visit in September of the same year was a fault on the plane taking him on a pilgrimage to Tanzania.
Once, an obligatory stop was Dwejra Bay, where for decades the legendary "Azure Window" drew visitors. Although the eroded rocks collapsed into the sea in 2017, it is still worth coming here. This is where you will find the remarkable Fungus Rock, on which plants with almost magical healing properties have grown for centuries. Right next to it is a small bay separated from the sea by a wall of rock. A keen eye will spot the narrow passage through which you can sail out into open water.
In the very charming village of Xlendi, it is worth stopping a little longer - it is a good place for lunch and for trying aljotta, the Gozitan fish soup (I write about Maltese food here ). On the way back to the ferry, we stop briefly and walk around the walls of the citadel, which offers a view over the whole of Gozo, and the last stop on the tour is a "fjord" ending in a bay - Ix-Xini. Film-makers love this place and have shot scenes here with some of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Colourful Vans
I cannot leave out the vehicles that are the main "participants" in our tours and the "stars" of our photo reports. Depending on the size of the group - a van can carry up to 8 people including the driver - you may get one of the vans whose artwork pays tribute to a legendary musician.
The vehicles were built between 1994 and 1999 and are Subaru Sambars. An untrained eye may not guess the make, because thanks to separately produced, different body parts these cars often look like Volkswagens and even have the distinctive VW logo on the bonnet.
For now there are 7 vehicles, each of which can carry guests, plus one "DJ van" under construction. There are plans to expand the fleet further, with a "drink bar" and a "food truck" in the pipeline. 2 of the vans have 1.2-litre engines, while the remaining 7 have 0.6-litre engines and are fitted with air conditioning or an opening roof.
The vans bear the names: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Jim Morrison, John Lennon and Bob Marley. Soon another one will hit the road, this time named after a great Polish bluesman - it will be Rysiek Riedel!
The tour of both islands organised by mojamalta.com is an interesting option for people who come to Malta for a short time and want to see the main attractions at a quick pace. It is also an interesting option for those who come here for a longer holiday and want to scout things out, so they can later return on their own to the places that turn out to be the most interesting. And if you also have a soft spot for slightly older, unusual cars, have a little petrol in your veins and love the sound of classic rock, it is an absolute must during your stay on the islands.
If you are going to Malta, read my article about the Classic Car Museum in Malta
