Travel to Malta – Episode 718

Hear about sightseeing in the island nation of Malta as the Amateur Traveler talks to Michelle and Nikki from cheekypassports.com about their native country.

They say, “The island is small and that has its restrictions but it’s also a nice thing to have because you can visit and do a lot of activities in a short span. Nowhere is more than 15 minutes by car. The island is maybe 27 kilometers about 17 miles long and barely 14 kilometers wide. There is a lot of history and culture in Malta. There are small villages you can visit. There are large fortified towns. Visitors usually like the historic aspect of Malta. There are some of the oldest free-standing temples in the world. It is a pleasant island. There are the beaches. There’s a lot to do in Malta despite its size.”

Michelle and Nikki lay out a one-week itinerary for us. They start us in the small capital city of Valletta (only 5,000 people). Many of the buildings in Valletta were built by the Knights of the Order of St John (Knights Hospitaller).  Not surprisingly, therefore, the largest church in Valletta is Saint John’s Cathedral. St John’s has a rather plain exterior which hides an ornate interior. 

Valletta shares the Great Harbor with the Three Cities of Birgu (Vittoriosa), Senglea (Isla), and Bormla (Cospicua) which are also fortified cities. The harbor itself dates back to the Phoenicians. Get a great view of the harbor from the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta.

They recommend a visit to the “quiet city” of Mdina and its sister city of Rabat which is riddled with the underground catacombs of St Paul. St Paul spent some time on the island and brought Christianity to Malta which almost has a church for every day of the year. They recommend checking the local tourism board calendar for when the various churches are having festivals and planning your trip to attend some, if only to see the pageantry and sometimes the fireworks.

Stop by one of the small fishing villages like Marsaxlokk for fresh seafood right off the boat. In the cooler winter months, visit the western shore of the island and the Dingli Cliffs. The western shore of the island is less built-up and better for hiking.

Make a side trip to the island of Gozo which is “more quaint” than the main island. While you are there you should make a visit to the Ġgantija megalithic temple. In the center of Gozo you will find the Cittadella which is a small fortified “city”. Some of the best diving spots are on Gozo such as the Azure Window.

For a relaxing day, off-season, charter a boat or take a ferry to the Blue Lagoon on the mostly uninhabited island of Comino.

There is much to do, see, and eat in Malta. Come see why so many nations have wanted to pocess Malta over so many years.

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Show Notes

Cheeky Passports – Sharing our Passion for Travel Cheeky Passports
Malta
Valletta
Saint John’s Co-Cathedral
Order of Saint John – Knights Hospitaller
National Museum of Archaeology, Malta
Megalithic Temples of Malta
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
Upper Barrakka Gardens
Mdina
Rabat
St. Paul’s Catacombs
Pastizz
Crystal Palace (Pastizzi)
Bolt app
Rabat Catacombs Tours
Dingli
Gozo
Cittadella (Gozo)
Mġarr, Gozo
Azure Window
Xlendi
Ramla Bay
Ġgantija
Annual Festivals & Traditions in Malta
Malta International Fireworks Festival
St. Julia’s, Malta
Bouquet Garni Restaurant in Mellieha
Commando Restaurant in Mellieha
Marsaxlokk
Comino
Malta itinerary – how to spend a week in Malta and best places to go in Malta

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Bob on Travel to Iowa – Amateur Traveler Episode 717

I would recommend a visit to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum located in West Branch, Iowa. It is an easy stop adjacent to Interstate 80. I know that there are many of your listeners who enjoy visiting these libraries and while this one isn’t as large as others it is still a worthwhile visit to add to your personal collection of presidential libraries that you have visited.

TheExpatCast

Amateur Traveler has been putting out podcasts for literally more than half my life ? The archive goes back to the mid-2000s & new episodes continue to come out to this day. This means they’ve got shows on just about anywhere and everywhere you might travel to. I typically just search for the name of the city or country I’m heading to, and BAM – there’s at least one full episode, sometimes more. I also enjoy that the host interviews mostly locals – either people who grew up there or transplants who have lived in the area a while – so the tips aren’t just touristy things. They cover that too, and typically are frank about the tourist stuff you should skip and the stuff that’s worth it, but they go beyond that to discuss locals’ favorite parks, restaurants, day trips, etc. I don’t like to overplan trips but I also don’t want to miss anything accidentally, so on my last trip, I limited my research to just listening to the relevant episode of Amateur Traveler. It was a perfect, easy way to get an overview & some insider info, which is how I discovered the amazing chocolate Café in Luxembourg where I fell in love with Chocolate Spoons. #forevergrateful I’m listening to the relevant episodes for my upcoming trip now & it is getting me PUMPED! If you’ve got travel planned, I definitely recommend checking out if there’s an episode on your destination.

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