Seeing the last few days of Christmas in Malta was an unexpected joy that I highly recommend
Apart from our honeymoon in South Africa following our wedding on 2 January, I’ve never gone away for a sun holiday after the festive season.
Despite knowing it’s a great idea in theory, it tends to be a bit of a mental block for a lot of us. Perhaps we don’t want to use up our “holiday days” too early in the year or we don’t want to think about spending even more money after an expensive month. Or maybe we’re just determined to get back to our daily routines before shaking things up again – there’s always an excuse not to book it.
Well, no more. As I relished the pleasure of jetting off for three nights in a wonderfully warm climate at the height of winter, my relief was even more acute when that time happened to coincide with some of the coldest temperatures Ireland had ever experienced.
What we saw
This is my second time in this wonderful country and something that I got to enjoy this time that I hadn’t in May 2017, were the magical Christmas markets of Valletta which take over Pjazza Tritoni every year, right outside Valletta’s City Gate. Just two minutes walk from where we were staying at the Phoenicia Malta, we were able to meander through the fairytale light displays and smell the enticing aromas from the food vendors. Naturally, there was much less activity than the period leading up to Christmas but I was delighted to have experienced a taste of the atmosphere never-the-less.
One of the reasons winter is a great time to visit Malta is because, not only is it wonderfully bright and warm, it is much more pleasant for sight-seeing without the usual summer crowds. I had a proper coat with me – and a scarf and hat! – but, really, all I needed was a light jacket. While it can get very hot in Malta during July and August, for the rest of the year, it is almost guaranteed to be delightful.
You might not get to do everything in Malta while you’re there but for me, there are some non-negotiables! Apart from walking through the beautiful streets of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Valletta, here are a few things I recommend you add to your list: The Prehistoric Megalithic Temples of Ggantija, Mnajdra and Hagar Qim, the Prehistoric Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, the Silent City of Mdina and the Three Cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea, Cospicua and of course, a day trip to Malta’s sister island of Gozo.
On this particular trip, I once again got to experience an epic day trip to Gozo under the expert and friendly guidance of Marvik from Malta Event Design, a company that specialises in wedding planning, event and travel management. Through his excellent organisation and time-keeping, we managed to pack a huge amount of activities into our day. We got the ferry across to Gozo, had a private tour of the Ġgantija Archaeological Park – a unique prehistoric monument situated at the centre of an extraordinary archaeological landscape – and visited an authentic Maltese bakery for a cooking demo and tasting of a traditional qassatat (unreal). We then had a tour of the bastions and watched an audiovisual experience at The Citadel, met ancestral Maltese weaver Alda Bugeja and spent time learning about her craft (and picked up a few bits for ourselves!), had a delicious local food tasting in Azure restaurant, admired the views in Dwejra Bay – another UNESCO World Heritage Site – walked through the miraculous Ta Pinu shrine, before making our way back to the ferry for a 5.30pm crossing back to Valletta.
I’m wrecked just writing all that but it was an incredible day and if your time is short, I highly recommend contacting Marvik to enquire about a guided tour at gozobreak.com.
The next day, Phoenicia Hotel Ambassador Neville took us to see the National Museum of Archaeology, St John’s Co-Cathedral and The Grandmaster’s Palace. I found the museum truly fascinating and my husband and I had plenty of questions for Neville as we wandered through the many iterations of Malta’s tumultuous history. St John’s Co-Cathedral is a place I had visited before but I was thrilled to have the opportunity to go back, in particular to reacquaint myself with the two Caravaggio paintings on display – The Beheading of St John and Saint Jerome Writing. It’s really quite moving to be in the presence of these revered works of art, and to have the time to just look and appreciate them is something I will always be grateful for.
The Grandmaster’s Palace was completely new to me and I was enthralled by the recently restored building that stands in St George’s Square in the heart of Valletta. It was the first building to be constructed by the Knights of St John in the new capital city. During the British period, it served as the Governor’s Palace and was the seat of Malta’s first constitutional parliament in 1921. Today, the Palace is the seat of the Office of the President of Malta. I was utterly awe-struck by the vast Armoury collection which is considered one of the best in the world, boasting the armour suits of Grand Masters Alof de Wignacourt and Jean de Valette, Ottoman armour and weapons, as well as a selection of artillery pieces.
Something that I got to enjoy this time that I hadn’t on my first visit in May 2017, were the magical Christmas markets of Valletta which take over Pjazza Tritoni every year, right outside Valletta’s City Gate. Just two minutes walk from the Phoenicia, we were able to meander through the fairytale light displays and smell the enticing aromas from the food vendors. Naturally, there was much less activity than the period leading up to Christmas but I was delighted to have experienced a taste of the atmosphere never-the-less.
On our last day, we visited the Silent City of Mdina and mostly took it easy – taking in the Natural History Museum, Domus Romana and going for a lunch before heading back to the hotel for our airport transfer. Quick note: The St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat are closed on Tuesdays in January and February so if you are going to Malta during those months and want to see them, plan accordingly!
Where we stayed
We stayed at the Phoenicia Malta, a luxury 5-star hotel set on 7 acres of landscaped gardens yet still on the doorstep of the capital city Valletta. The location was incredible! As well as being just a few metres from 16th century fortifications, it’s just a few minutes walk into the city and also has an infinity pool, several fantastic dining options (more on that later) and the Phoenicia Spa and Wellness which was added in 2020.
With over 132 rooms and suites and every amenity you could wish for, the hotel has played host to royalty over the years, including the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip and more recently includes actor Jason Statham and writer and TV personality David Walliams as fans!
We were also lucky enough to have the Hotel Ambassador, Neville Juan Cardona as our tour guide on one of the days, which was a real treat. There is so much history to absorb at various museums and sites, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed.
I adored so much about the hotel, not least the wonderful staff who could not do enough for us. I love a good hotel breakfast and, boy, did the Phoenicia deliver on this! As well as a separate room with an egg station and platters of sausages and beans, there was an extensive buffet area where you can get everything from honeycomb, smoked salmon, hummus and kidney beans and a wide variety of fruit, nuts, seeds, pastries, cereals and cold cuts, to the most delicious chia pudding with coconut I’ve ever tasted. I was so content, I actually considered not looking at the cooked breakfast menu. Then I came to my senses. The standout was the Balbuljata – a traditional Maltese dish which consists of scrambled eggs in a rich tomato and onion sauce. Don’t be put off by the description, it was delicious.
What we ate
As you may have guessed, I am a serious foodie and could have written an entirely separate article about the food I experienced in Malta. As it stands, these are my recommendations:
- A seriously delicious meal of prawn crudo, the seafood special of the day, and sticky toffee pudding in the Hotel Phoenicia’s newly renovated Contessa restaurant in the stunning botanical garden-inspired conservatory.
- The Torta Tal-Gbejniet from Mekren’s Bakery – essentially a sheep’s cheese and potato pie. One slice will fill you up for hours!
- Pastizzi at the Fontanella Tea Garden in Mdina – these are flaky philo puff pastries stuffed with either ricotta filling or mushy peas and are extremely tasty.
- The Maltija sandwich – a local delicacy made with tomato sauce, mozzarella, caponata, capers, black olives, Maltese sausage, sundried tomatoes, onions and peppered cheese. Yum.
- Cocktails in The Club Bar at the Phoenicia – the choice is impressive, the setting is intimate, and the beverages are exquisite
- Dinner at the hotel’s Beefbar – Ironically, I actually had my first ever Cauliflower Steak in the restaurant renowned for its meat, and I loved it. Side bar, the chips were also fantastic.
- Finally, I had one of the tastiest club sandwiches I’ve ever eaten in the Palm Court Lounge in the Phoenicia while we were waiting to go to the airport. It has ruined me for all other sandwiches. I even took a picture (below).
What I’ll remember
While the history is immense and the views are stunning, I think what I’ll remember most from this trip is the personal connections we made and the unexpected moments of pure enjoyment in the Phoenicia Hotel. Chatting to Alda in her store and watching her weave on the most complicated loom I’ve ever seen, sharing travel stories over lunch with Neville, feeling the extraordinary atmosphere in the beautiful Ta’ Pinu National Shrine, taking in the views around Gozo with Marvik, giggling over cocktails in the hotel lounge and, finally, taking in the fabulous, twinkling lights of the Valletta Christmas markets. A memorable trip, indeed.
Helpful websites:
phoeniciamalta.com
gozobreak.com
maltaeventdesign.com
Gozo Weaving & Creations by Alda Bugeja
visitmalta.com
heritagemalta
