Malta Island

Here are some travel tips for Malta:

Valletta, Malta: I stayed at the Osborne Hotel, a three-star hotel which is centrally located in Valletta. Check out the positive reviews for this hotel, praising its great location, wonderful breakfast, roof-top terrace and amenable staff. From the hotel, a five-minute walk takes you to the central bus station where, for just over $10 Canadian, you get a one-week bus pass. Buses depart from this central station all day long to all the important tourist sites on the island. It is hardly worth it to rent a car here on Malta with such a practical service to get around.

The history of Malta is fascinating with several centuries of it related to the Knights of St. John.

The Knights of St. John did not originate on Malta. The order was founded in Jerusalem in the 11th century. After the fall of Jerusalem in the late 13th century the Knights built an island fortress on Rhodes, after their defeat by the Ottomans in 1522 they arrived in Malta in 1530. The Knights of St. John, in exchange for one Maltese falcon per year, were allowed to occupy the Maltese Islands by Roman Emperor Charles V. The Great Siege of 1565 occurred in Valletta with the invasion by the Turks. The Knights of St. John won this incredible battle even though they were outnumbered.

The order of the Knights of St. John fell into decline in the 17th and 18th centuries and in 1798 they were ousted by the French. The Knights of St. John continue to function mainly as a charitable organization with branches throughout the world. You will find many places throughout the islands related to the Knights of St. John and their history.

More facts about Malta: Human settlement dates back to about 5200 BC and maybe as early as 7200 BC in the Ghar Dalam Caves. Malta is also home to a fascinating temple that goes back to 3600 BC.

During World War 11 Malta  was the most bombed place on earth when 6,700 tons fell in six weeks. The brave Maltese were all awarded the George Cross in 1942 for heroism and bravery.

Where to stay in Valletta and what to do on the Island

I stayed at the Osborne Hotel, a centrally located, three-star hotel. Check out the positive reviews for this hotel, praising its great location, wonderful breakfast, roof-top terrace and amenable staff. I advise staying in Valletta for several reasons. From the hotel, for example, a five-minute walk takes you to the central bus station where, for just over $10 Canadian, you get a one-week bus pass. Buses depart from this central station all day long to all the important tourist sites on the island. It is hardly worth it to rent a car here on Malta with such a practical service to get around. Plus, in Valletta itself there are so many not-to-be-missed historical sites:

St. John’s Co-Cathedral, is considered to be one of the finest examples of high Baroque architecture in Europe and one of the world’s great cathedrals. It still belongs to the Knights of Malta; it has the famous painting “the beheading of St. John the Baptist” by Caravaggio; 400 knights are buried there.

Go on a treasure hunt of the seven original Auberges in Vallettta that housed the various “Langues” of the Order of the Knights of St. John. The Auberge de Castile currently houses the offices for the government of Malta and the offices of the Prime Minister; it originally housed the langue of Castile, León  and Portugal. What was originally the Auberge d’Italie is now the site of the Grandmaster’s Palace on St. George’s Square and houses the Office of the President of Malta and the House of Representatives, as well as being a heritage site run by Heritage Malta. Part of it is The Armoury, which runs the width of the back of the palace and houses one of the finest collections of weapons of the period of the Knights of Malta, including spears, swords, shields and heavy armour.

The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in what was the Auberge de Provence, a fine example of Baroque architecture, it was built in 1571. The Lower and Upper Barrakka Gardens where you have wonderful views of the harbour. The Old Hospice built by the Knights of St. John in Valletta

Take a ride in a dgħajsa (pronounced dysa in Maltese) a traditional water taxi, to tour the harbour. The design of the Dgħajsa possibly dates back to Phoenician times.
Our Lady of Victory Church was the first building completed in Valletta, built and funded by Grand Master Jean de Valette to celebrate the victory over the Turks in 1565.
The Old Hospice built by knights of St. John. The National Museum of Fine Arts is Malta’s major museum for the visual arts. It houses a collection of works by Maltese and foreign artists mainly representing the major European artistic styles.

Outside of Valletta

An absolute must is a visit to the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum (in a town called Paolo, a bus from Valletta will take you there) an underground burial chamber carved from solid rock and built starting in 3600 BC. Visitors must reserve well in advance to visit this chamber, as it is limited to a few groups per day.The ‘Sleeping Lady’ dating back to 3000 BC was found here and is on display in the National Museum of Archaeology. Tarxien Temple site also in Paola consist of a complex of four megalithic structures built between 3600 and 2500 BC. Discovered in 1913 by local farmers, the site was extensively excavated between 1915 and 1919,

Temple Site Hagar Qim Temple site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed as part of ‘The Megalithic Temples of Malta’. Another nearby temple site is the Mnajdra Temple. All these sites are “an outstanding example of a type of building which illustrates a significant stage in human history.”

A visit to Mdina, a fortress city, walled off by the Arabs, is Malta’s most hauntinhgly beautiful city, the site of St. Paul/s Cathedral. The beautiful Blue Grotto is a number of sea caverns on the south coast of Malta in the village of Qrendi.

Marsaxlokk is a traditional fishing village located in the south-eastern part of Malta and known for its large Sunday Market which takes place around the whole village, a great place to visit. There are over 360 churches and chapels scattered throughout the islands, a church for every day of the year.

The Għar Dalam caves has a history of their lowermost layers that date more than 500,000 years old, contained in the fossil bones of dwarf elephants, hippopotami, micro-mammals and birds among other species.  The top layer, or ‘cultural layer’, shows the earliest evidence of human settlement on Malta, 7,400 years ago.

Gone in Gozo

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Gone in Gozo

What happened in Gozo?

A ferry ride from the island of Malta to Gozo will be about a twenty-minute crossing. You don’t pay for the ferry ride back to Malta until you leave Gozo, so if you decide to stay permanently on Gozo you’ve had a free ferry ride! Buses are available right at the marina where you disembark from the ferry and where you can go on to the central bus station in Victoria, the capital of Gozo. It’s about a 10-minute ride. From the central bus station you can reach all the major tourist sites on the island and a week’s bus travel will cost you $10 Cdn. One day, while on my way to the beautiful Azure Window I asked the bus driver how long the journey was. He replied, “Any bus ride on Gozo is no longer than about 20 minutes, otherwise you’d end up in the ocean.” That indicates how small the island and also points to the charming and understated sense of humour you will encounter from the locals.

Hotel San Andrea

Why Gone in Gozo? I stayed at the Hotel San Andrea, at the beginning of November for seven days. It’s a lovely, three-star, family-run hotel on beautiful Xlendi Bay in the southwest part of the island. Here’s what happened when“Gone in Gozo.” When I had made my booking at the San Andrea Hotel, I understood that I had booked for seven nights.  So, on what I thought was my last and seventh day at the hotel, I left early in the morning to explore the salt pans on the other side of the island.

When I got back to the hotel in the late afternoon, I went to my room to find that my key would not work! When I knocked on the door, a stranger opened it. To my surprise and dismay, none of my belongings were in the room! The woman, who was in the room, told me to go to reception. Confused and concerned, I went there immediately. According to their hotel reservation records I was supposed to have left the hotel that morning! The owners of the hotel were even more mystified and concerned when they went to my room that morning to find my belongings still there. The first thing that came to their minds was that I had disappeared, that I was “Gone in Gozo,” perhaps falling over one of the steep cliffs that border the island! Luckily this was not the case. They had very kindly moved all my belongings to another room for my last night on Gozo.

Xlendi Bay in front of the Hotel San Andrea

I recommend the Hotel San Andrea highly for many reasons, the views on the bay are phenomenal (pay a few more Euros for a room that overlooks the bay), the owners are lovely and helpful, the included breakfast is scrumptious, and very important, just behind the hotel is a bus stop where buses run regularly, taking you, in a few minutes, to the main bus station in Victoria. From Victoria you can get to the major sites on the island.

Xlendi Bay at Night

Some History of Gozo

Part of the Maltese archipelago, Gozo is the second-largest of the seven-island chain. It is more rural than its sister island Malta and Gozo’s inhabitants are known as Gozitans.The island has been inhabited since about 5200 BC when it is believed that farmers from Sicily crossed the sea to Gozo.

One of its most important historic locations are the Ġgantija temples, which go back to 3600 BC , and along with the Megalithic Temples of Malta, are amongst some of the world’s oldest free-standing structures. The day I arrived on Gozo, is the same day that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie left the island after filming “By the Sea.”

What to see and do on Gozo

Gozo’s coastline is extraordinary and it has many hiking trails. For those interested in its fascinating temple culture, a visit to the Ggantija Temple should not be missed — it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its stone walls have stood for over five and half centuries. For me, it was a thrill to walk where people had walked centuries ago and ponder the reasons for this structure. There is no written testimony that relates to the temple structures of Malta and Gozo, so the speculation is that their construction had to do with religious reasons, or, they were possibly the site of a fertility cult. Archeologists believe that the numerous figurines and statues found on site are connected with that cult.

Not-to-miss sites in Victoria are the The Citadel ( a fortress). St George’s Basilica, built between 1627 and 1678 is situated in the middle of Victoria. The Aurora Opera House is where I attended a performance by the Maltese Philharmonic Orchestra. What a treat that was! Upstairs is a beautiful concert hall and downstairs you find a sports bar complete with pool tables and beer—a compelling example of where high and low culture meet! In Victoria, visit the Glory of England Bar, a most quaint bar with photos of Queen Elizabeth.

The Azure Window

Interesting sites on the island of Gozo: The Azure Window, a limestone natural arch and the cliffs at Dwerja Bay; take a ferry to Comino Island and its breathtaking Blue Lagoon, explore this small island on foot; discover Ramla Bay (a sandy beach) and Calypso’s Cave; Ta’ Kola Windmill in Xagħra, dating back to 1725 and the Knights of St. John,  is one of the few surviving windmills on the Maltese Islands.

Salt Pans

On the north coast of Gozo, west of Marsalforn, are a chequerboard of hundreds of rock-cut saltpans along the coast for about three kilometres. They exemplify the centuries-old Gozitan tradition of Sea-Salt production that has been passed down from generation to generation.Visiting the salt pans was a highlight for me where you could walk along the coast, interspersed with salt pans, taking in the surrounding cliffs with their fascinating rock formations (some so smooth they look like they’ve been carved from butter), caves, ocean front and fisherman fishing off the cliffs.

Salt Pans

If you enjoy churches, Gozo has 46! A particularly interesing one is Ta’ Pinu where it is reputed that many people have been healed by Our Lady of Ta’Pinu. In 1883, Karmni Grima was walking past what was then a much smaller church and heard a voice asking her to recite three Hail Marys. Over the following years miracles were attributed to the grace of Our Lady of The Assumption to whom the church was dedicated. Evidence to these miracles is in the huge assortment of crutches, testimonials and thanks that have been left at the church. The Church of St. John the Baptist, the largest church in Gozo, boasts the third largest unsupported dome in the world. Ix-Xewkija is one of the oldest villages of Gozo and took the status of a parish as early as 1678. Years later the parish church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, was erected, and consecrated in 1755.

Basilica of the Visitation

 

Għarb was created as a parish in 1679. This resulted in the baroque parish church, the Basilica of the Visitation, being built between 1699 and 1729. It has an elegant façade which has been compared with Francesco Borromini’s Church of Saint Agnes in Piazza Navona, Rome.

A bit about the ancient and intriguing town of Gharb which started out as a small hamlet centuries ago with its winding streets, stone walls, decorated stone balconies and spiritual feel:  The word Gharb is Arabic for West, so it is no surprise that it is the most westerly place on Gozo. A Folklore Museum in Garb has an intriguing collection of memorabilia which tells the Islands’ history. Surrounding Għarb is some of Gozo’s most scenic countryside. Ta’ Dbiegi Craft Village is located near Gharb where several individual shops offer hand-made pottery, Gozo lace, glass blowing and leather, all items are made in the crafts village.

Passport Blues

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Gozo, Knights of St. John, Malta, passports, Valletta

My travel plan was to leave on October 27th for Malta and Sicily and return the same year, on November 27th. My passport expired on January 15th the next year, but it had to be valid until January 27th, three months following my departure date of October 27th   for the passport to be valid for my trip. I was missing 12 days

Here’s my story: I arrived at the Ottawa airport at about 2:30 pm on Oct. 27th, in plenty of time for a 4:00 pm flight to Toronto and an international flight from Toronto at 8:00 pm to Paris, then on to Valletta, Malta. While trying to get my boarding pass at the self-serve counter, an ominous note came up on the screen: “Please proceed to the counter for assistance.”

The woman at the Air Canada counter was clear, “You’re not going anywhere until you have a valid passport. There’s a Passport Centre on Meadowlands, which isn’t far from here, you could try to get it renewed.” With baggage and knapsack in hand, I took a taxi to the Passport Centre, got a new photo, filled out the two-page questionnaire, called a friend who was available as a reference (plus her brother).

Could I please be fast-tracked through the passport line-up as I had a 5:00 pm flight to Toronto. “Nope, take a number and get in line.” In tears, I waited for my number to be called. I needed moral support, so called my friend who had acted as a reference. She said, “Don’t give up, you’re going to make it.” Finally they called my number with a passport that was renewed for ten years at a cost of $250.

The clerk warned me, “Don’t sign the passport until you get to the airport, the ink will smear.”A taxi got me to the airport too late for my 4:00 pm flight, but I was able to book the last seat on a 5:00 pm flight to Toronto. Once there, we were delayed15 minutes on the tarmac. Yes, I was sweating bullets, but finally made it to the departure lounge for my 8:00 pm flight to Paris, a flight that was delayed by 20 minutes…

About passports: The same three-month rule applies to 26 European countries; A valid passport is required for three months from date of departure. For many other destinations it is six months after date of departure. Go to https://travel.gc.ca/ for more info on passports and travel abroad for Canadians.