5 reasons why I love Malta!
- Tara Larkai
- Dec 29, 2017
- 4 min read
I cannot believe I have not blogged about many of my adventures this year. Well, the truth is this year has been quite slow for me but it was a great year nevertheless as I got to check off some countries of my list. I am just sad that it took me this long to tell you all about it. Firstly, Malta was amazing. It has been on my list for a while and I am glad I finally got to visit as part of my 30th birthday travels. Malta is unlike any place I have ever been. I can usually compare everywhere I have been with another but this little island is totally different and I love it!! I believe we actually got to experience the real Maltese culture because we had a local host show us around. He made our trip the absolute best! Shout out to Mr. Burnhard!! There are so many things I love about Malta but I will limit to 5 things for now.
1. The Vibrant Nightlife- The turn-up is very real here. I mean I have never seen anything like this before. It's a mixture of Vegas and Miami. This was our first experience of Malta when we arrived. We arrived to the country around 6 or 7 in the evening and our hotel was in the city center of St. Julian. As we approached our hotel, all I remember seeing was the streets being very crowded with people dressed up as if they were going clubbing. I was a bit confused because in my experience it was a bit too early for that but not for them. As we got closer and closer to the center, we kept seeing more and more people drinking, and many bars/clubs were already crowded. The bars and restaurants had signs out advertising sales for shots. And they were so cheap! (No wonder why they were so lit). You can party like P. Diddy here on a student budget! It was all so overwhelming for me so even after venturing out to experience this, I came home early but hubby on the hand stayed out until daylight. He said they club hopped, drank, made friends and partied like there was no tomorrow as the clubs didn't close until daylight came on (literally). He explained that most of the people were students and partied until the start of first city bus service of the day because most didn't drive and frankly didn't have much money left (after partying) for taxis. So they come out around 7 pm and stay out until around 5 or 6 am when the first bus service starts! This is their life! This is the ultimate bachelor/bachelorette destination!
2. The Food- This is one of the most important things I look forward to when I travel because I believe you cannot experience one's culture without trying their food. The food here did not disappoint at all. Traditional Maltese cuisine consists of Mediterranean and other European influences. The national dish of Malta is rabbit stew but I was not interested. Actually hubby did order it and I tried it, it wasn't too bad. They also eat lots of fresh seafood and vegetables which I thoroughly enjoyed. They seem to take pride in their food and make everything with love. While there are many local, fancy and international restaurants to choose from all around the island, I enjoyed visiting Marsaxlokk fish market. It opens only on Sundays and it's probably one of the popular markets selling fresh seafood caught from earlier that day at reasonable prices although some may argue that it's bit pricey since it has become a tourist stop. If you are not up to cooking your own fish, there are many restaurants on the strip that you can dine from with the same fresh seafood items from the market but they just aren't cheap.
3. Blue Lagoon- They have their own blue lagoon! I know when you hear the blue lagoon you automatically think of the one in Iceland but this is totally different. Their blue lagoon is located on Comino island, nestled between the main islands of Malta and Gozo. It's a gem amongst locals and tourists and only a ferry ride away from Malta. Almost no trip to Malta is complete without visiting the Blue Lagoon. Why you ask? Well, not only because of it's beautiful azure waters but also for it's pristine landscapes of limestone caves and cliffs. People visit to take in it's beauty, participate in water sports or simply just to say they've been there. It can get a bit overcrowded there but there is still plenty of areas you can venture off to have your own privacy.
4. Stunning Natural/historical attractions- Blue lagoon isn't the only popular tourist attraction in Malta. Gozo island offers beautiful surroundings and used to have the azure window (one of the reasons why I wanted to visit Malta) but it collapsed earlier this year. The island is still as beautiful offering greenery, rugged landscapes, and rich cultural history (such as forts, temples, historical sites). Gozo is a more laid-back island compared to Malta. Blue Grotto is another tourist favorite. It's a blend of caverns with beautiful blue waters. You can enjoy it by walking around, from afar or for a small fee, you can take a boat ride to see the caves. It's such a beauty! Mdina is another historical site that attracts tourists. Mdina is an enclosed medieval town located on a hill in Malta. It offers beautiful 360 views of the island as well as a history lesson of the people of Malta.
5. The People- You will meet some of the nicest people in Malta. Prior to visiting, I had heard that they weren't fond of foreigners but we experienced quite the opposite. The people were super nice and willing to help answer any question that we had. Obviously, there aren't many black people here but it doesn't seem to affect them. The best part of it all is that they all speak English.
Well I hope you enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane with me. Next up...Greece! Stay tuned!
plenty of bars open with many
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