This week’s Tuesday Travel Tips comes from a double-act who recently travelled to beautiful Malta for a little R&R. ITTN’s Sharon Jordan and Roisin Carbery of Tropical Sky explored this gorgeous island and have a few handy tips to make the most of a visit.
Be Prepared at the Airport
Malta only allows fully vaccinated people to enter. You will need your Digital Covid Cert and Passenger Locator Form. Make sure to bring an electric and printed copy, in case your phone dies or you lose one copy. I made the mistake of just having an electric version and my phone battery was dead. It wasn’t that big of a deal but it did delay us!
Exploring Malta
Hop on an open-top bus to discover the whole island. The island is small at 27km long by 14.7km wide so this is a great way to get your bearings. After that, get stuck into Maltese adventures by booking a self-guided tour around. The Rolling Geeks tour is an electric buggy ride around the Three Cities of Malta, including Senglea, Vittoriosa, and Cospicua. It brings laughter and history together and is such a great experience.
Where to Eat
Malta is full of some of the most incredible restaurants. They fill up pretty fast so make sure to book in advance but make sure to book, especially at the weekends. We were lucky in that we could eat at any time so we managed to get bookings. If you want the 8 pm dining time – I’d recommend booking in advance.
Some restaurants we would recommend are:
Sushi – Aki Restaurant Valletta. www.akimalta.com
Acqua Restaurant, Portomaso Marina https://acquamalta.com/
Boat ride
Enjoy a boat tour on one of the traditional boats, Dghaska. It’s almost like a bigger version of the famous gondolas you might see in Venice. You can also run your hads right through the water as you cruise along.
Game of Thrones
The inland areas of Medina and Gozo were the stage for the first season of Game of Thrones so it’s a must-visit for any fan. Malta is like a giant movie set and will fill you with excitement at every corner. After all, Malta was the original King’s Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.
Transport
It seems like everyone in Malta owns a car and parking can be tricky. It’s best to use the local bus or take a taxi to explore your way around. You can also download the Bolt app (similar to Free now) for easy and quick access to transport. You drive on the left side of the road in Malta.
Sea swimming
Take a dip in the sea, but make sure to bring sea shows. Visit St. Paul’s Bay and Mellieha for the best sandy shores. September water temperatures are approximately 26 degrees so it is perfect for a splash around.
It’s also worth taking a ferry ride to Gozo and taking in the Blue Lagoon of Comino for its crystal clear waters.
Finally: You are flying Ryanair so definitely make sure to buy your snacks at the airport.
Ryanair tends to sell out and may not have a sandwich left by the time they reach you!
