Made up of three tiny main islands on the southern edge of Europe, Malta has a rich and tumultuous history, unusual geography and eclectic mix of cultural influences. With its strong North African- and Arabic-influences, Sicilian-style menu and 1950s British feel, Malta is a place unlike any other and demands to be seen at any cost.

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With the growing number of high-rise hotels, apartment blocks, shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, Valletta’s satellite towns of Sliema, St Julian’s and Paceville is where many tourists base themselves. To get to Sliema, you can take the bus (62, 64, and 67) from Valetta, or use the ferry service between Sliema and Valletta. There isn’t much to see in Sliema itself, but visitors can enjoy good views on Valetta from Triq ix-Xatt (The Strand).

Triq ix-Catt and Triq it-Torri (Tower Rd) make for a great waterfront promenade, with plenty of bars and cafés along the way. Beaches have little more to offer than bare rock, so you might want to rest at one of the private lidos along the coast instead, which offer swimming pools, sun lounges, bars and water sports. Captain Morgan Cruises (www.captainmorgan.com.mt) operates from the waterfront area of Sliema known as The Ferries and provides a wide choice of cruises and excursions, including a tour of Grand Harbor and Underwater Safaris.

If you feel hungry, head to 19/21 Paceville avenue, Paceville. The Olivers restaurant has a classy, dark-red interior, discrete service, and serves the best food in town, including braised rabbit on tomato fondue, sea bass with almond, pesto gnocchi, red king prawns, egg noodles and leaks. When the night comes, you can go party at one of Paceville’s bars and clubs. Malta’s biggest and best nightclub is the Axis, which houses three separate clubs, the Axis Main, The Matrix and the Styx.

Mdina & Rabat

Elegant, aristocratic Mdina (nicknamed the Silent City) sits on bedrock in the country’s southwest. The 3000 year-old walled city was Malta’s political center for centuries, before Valetta became the lifeblood of the Islands. Outside the walls is the town settlement of Rabat. The city can be accessed by bus from Valletta (80 or 81) or Sliema (65).

Mdina’s main square is dominated by the late 17th-century St. Paul’s Cathedral. Built on the site of the house of Governor Plubius, the St. Paul Cathedral was designed by architect Lorenzo Gafa and features a magnificent dome with red-and-white stripes that dominates the skyline. Take a look at the impressive façade as you emerge from Mdina’s narrow streets, and check out the huge fresco of St. Paul’s shipwreck.

The entry ticket is also valid for the Cathedral Museum opposite. Housed in a baroque 18th-century palace, the Cathedral Museum has a collection of coins, silver plate, religious vestments and woodcuts by the German artist Albert Dürer.

You’ll find accommodation at the Point de Vue Guesthouse & Restaurants. Built a century ago, this popular guesthouse offers rooms at affordable rates and is located just metres from Mdina’s town walls.

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Valletta

With its elaborate architecture buildings and old cathedrals, the Maltese capital is a stunner. Valletta is a small city located on the northeast portion of the Malta Island and overlooks the Grand Harbor to the southeast and Marsamxett Harbor to the northwest. Cruise ship passengers can see the old sixteenth-century, Baroque style buildings as they approach the Valletta cruise terminal, and walk the city’s lively streets like Triq ir-Repubblika and Triq il-Merkanti when the ship docks at the port. Valleta is officially recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and serves as the principal cultural center of Malta.

1- Where to stay

Asti Guesthouse
A 350 year-old building converted into a guesthouse, Asti has an old-school Valletta charm and offers the best-value accommodation in town, including a hospitable host, simple, spacious rooms and spotless shared bathrooms. Breakfast is served in a dining room under a chandelier.
Tel: 2123 9506

http://mol.net.mt/asti

18 Triq Sant’Orsla

Coronation Guesthouse
An affordable and cheerful place, with shared bathroom.
Tel: 2123 7652
10E Triq MA Vasalli

Midland Guesthouse
Decent rooms, with shared bathroom. Close to Grand Harbor.
Tel: 2123 6024
255 Triq Sant’Orsla

2- Where to eat

Agius Pastizzerija
A hole-in-the-wall place, Agius Pastizzerija offers traditional pastizzi and other snacks at rock-bottom prices.
273 Triq San Pawl
Open 7.30am-5.30pm Mon-St

Caffé Cordina
Established in 1837, Caffé Cordina gives you the choice of dining indoors or outside on the bustling square where you can watch people passing by. Serves coffee, snacks and decadent sweets.
Tel: 2123 4385
244 Triq ir-Repubblika
Open breakfast and lunch

Rubino
Hands down the best Valletta restaurant, Rubino is a great place for lunch or dinner. The menu changes daily and offers modern takes on traditional Maltese plates. Great mixed starter selection.
Tel: 2122 4656
53 Triq L-Ifran
Open noon-2.30pm Mon-Fri, 7.45-10.30pm Tue & Thu-Sat

3- Sights

If you European cruise ship stops in Malta, make sure to take advantage of what Valletta has to offer. This beautiful city has a lot to offer from museums and churches to beautiful palaces. Be sure to stop at the Upper Barrakka Gardens in the southwest for a great view of the Grand Harbor. Check out the Baroque interior of St. John’s Co-Cathedral, which was built in the 1570s and houses signed paintings by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.

Another famous landmark is the 16th-century Grand Master’s Palace, the seat of the Maltese parliament. Check out the works of art in the State Apartments, which can be accessed from the entrance on Triq il-Merkanti.

A unique and valuable building worth viewing is the Manoel Theatre, one of the oldest theatres in Europe. Built in 1731, the Manoel Theatre offers a varied program of events October to May and guided tours in the Baroque auditorium.

Check out the female figurines known as “fat ladies” and other intriguing prehistoric objects at the National Museum of Archaeology.

At the furthest point of Valletta, you will find the Fort St. Elmo, built in 1552 by the Knights of St. John, but it is usually closed to the public. Next to the fort, at the National War Museum, you will learn about Malta’s heroic involvement in WWII, with photographs depicting the terrible conditions endured by the civilians, and several exhibits such as an Italian submarine and an anti-aircraft gun.

Make sure to highlight these restaurants/museums/churches as they are some of the favorite places of European Cruise tourists.

Costa Concordia berthed at the Sea Passenger Terminal; The Grand Harbour, Valletta - Best European Cruises

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Let’s look at why this beautiful island is a perfect stop for cruise ships. The Maltese archipelago lies in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, 93km south of Sicily and 300km from Libya, and consists of three main islands: Malta, Gozo, and Camino. They are made up of rock and limestone, with no major hills and little greenery, and have no permanent creeks or rivers. The eastern side of Malta Island is broken up in 3 large bays, capable of receiving the largest ships, including cruise ships.

This is why Malta is such a great port of call for European cruises, as the bays allows tourists to easily visit the island.

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Malta’s culture was heavily influenced by foreign invaders and has a strong feeling of tradition. Roman Catholics make up to 98 % of the population. Businesses are closed on Sunday, divorce legislation is inexistent, and abortion is illegal.

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The early years
Malta’s earliest monuments, the megalithic temples of Ggantija on the Gozo Island, and Hagar Qim and Mnajdra on the main island, were built between 3800 and 2500 BC and are the world’s oldest surviving freestanding structures. Phoenicians and Carthaginians colonized Malta from around 800 to 218 BC. In 218 BC, Malta rebelled against its Carthaginian rulers and was incorporated in the Roman Empire. In AD 60 St Paul shipwrecked on the island and cured the father of Roman governor Plubius from a desperate illness. According to folklore, governor Plubius, grateful, converted to Christianity and became the bishop of Malta. Arabs arrived in 870 and introduced their language as well as improved agriculture and irrigation systems. Later, Malta was successively conquered by Normans, French, Aragonese and Spanish.

1500-1800
In 1530 Charles I of Spain gave the island to the Knights of the Order of St John, a military religious organization founded in Jerusalem. The Knights won a major battle against Ottoman Turks in 1565 and were hailed as heroes throughout Europe. However, following the rise of Protestantism and French Egalitarianism, the order declined and surrendered to Napoleon in 1798 without a fight. In 1800, Malta, supported by Great Britain, revolted against the French and became a British dominion. The island was transformed into a major naval base and suffered greatly from WWII bombing.

Malta in the 1900’s and 2000’s
Malta was given some autonomy in 1947 and gained full independence in 1964. The country became a republic in 1974 and introduced the euro after entering the EU in 2004.

If you European Cruise stops by Malta, make sure to visit Ggantija Temples as they are an important part of Malta's history.

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