Malta Trip report

Just uploaded last day in Malta. www.malta16.blogspot.com

We are in Rome now and will update the happenings of our whirlwind tour of Rome tomorrow.

Thanks for following.

Final wrap up and trip report when we get home. But a David Gilmour concert at Madison Square Garden First <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Safe travels home.....looking forward to more reports. I know how much time these take and always appreciate the effort and enjoy reading about other people's adventures ....so thank you for sharing

Sitting in Philly waiting on the train to NYC.
I hope to post adventures in Rome tonight.
Thanks for following.

Loved the wrap up....why litltle Malta... I could feel the vibe through those words...thank you!

Toast,

Thank you for the kind words. Malta is a special place for those who want to step away from the normal vacation. I still owe the TTOL family a real trip report. We had lots of lessons learned for those who are considering this wonderful destination.

Hi Tom,
I faithfully followed your Malta adventure and looked forward to each new post. As I am planning our own trip to the area (maybe next year Oct-Nov)I thought I would ask your opinion. We are considering renting an apartment for a month and making our way around Malta and perhaps a ferry over to Sicily for a few days. Would Valetta be a good home base or do you have another suggestion? Your opinion is appreciated. Trish

Hi Trish. Although weather is mild in Malta, October/November are certainly the cooler months and off season. We visited in late September a couple of years ago and whilst the weather was warm, it was definitely not what I want as beaching weather. We adored Malta and are hoping to return early this September. You can comfortably 'do' it in two weeks.
Valetta is small by capital city standards, but lovely. Beware coastline to the north east of there as it is extremely commercial in many places.

Trish,

First let me say thank you for following along and that we are truly envious that you may have an opportunity to stay in Malta for an extended period. Saclia may be in a better position to give you advice since we have only been once for a short period, but I will be more than happy to give you my thoughts on your questions. Please realize that I am not a city boy so my opinions may be jaded.

Valletta is absolutely beautiful! We only spent one day in the city and arrived from Mellieha by bus. We did drive through it once on our way to the Sunday fish market in Marsaxlokk. Those familiar with Malta may ask why would you go through Valletta to get to Marsaxlokk? The simple answer is one must be spell the city correctly in the GPS. Ahh… but I digress.

There is no doubt if you stay in Valletta you will be in the center of things. Culture, nightlife, and all the advantages of being in a metropolitan area will be yours in Valletta. However, it comes with a disadvantage… people. Janet and I chatted about staying in Valletta last night and her concern was that if we would have stayed in Valletta we may not have gotten out and about on the island as much. Valletta is rich with the history of Malta, but the richness of the Malta is found outside the walls - IMHO.

Being from Ottawa Trish, you may find Valletta more suited to your comfort level. (BTW – Ottawa is lovely city – lucky enough to go a few times for work). My major concern would be parking. If I was staying for a month, I think I would want a vehicle to be in control of destiny. Of course, there would be times that a bus or ferry would be a better means of transportation, but all-in-all a vehicle will give you much more freedom. The one thing I did not see in Valletta was a parking space. If you rent in the city, maybe one question should be about parking.

As you know, we stayed in Mellieha. The city looks over the sea, but not on the beach, so one avoids a lot of the “beach development” and is more like a real place. I am not sure what towns Saclia was referencing when she said NE of Valletta, but the area around St Paul’s Bay did not really appeal to us either (it is NW of Valletta). Mellieha is a large town, which offered everything we needed. The major advantage for us it was close to the Gozo ferry, great views of the Sea, and enough nightlife to satisfy us. Granted if we would have stayed longer than a week we would have been eating in more often, but the ability to walk to local restaurants and get to know the people was a major plus. The people of Malta are extremely friendly and that was my favorite part of our visit! So… I guess my final thought would be if we were returning for month, we would shoot for early September (warm – lack of tourist) in a village or town with a car.

Tom and Salica, thank you for your helpful replies. We have done what I would consider whirlwind trips in Spain, Germany and Greece and each time we left I thought I'd just like to live there for awhile and experience it rather than just see the main attractions. I want to go to markets, cook with local produce, enjoy the cafes without worrying if I sit too long I'll miss something. We had thought of Oct/Nov as we are having a renovation that we would like to be out the house for and manage from afar (with the assistance of a trusted friend/designer). The tip on the parking is very important. And yes, I love staying in the city - to me a weekend at the cottage is absolute torture. So that is how we came around to thinking about a month in Malta at that time of year. You've given me lots to think about and research. September does sound ideal, maybe we can wiggle our timeline around a bit.
Thank you both, nothing like hearing from someone who's been there. Trish

A city girl <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I am with you on taking the time to really enjoy a place. There are so many places to explore. You know you will be close to the heart of Malta, when you have to fold in both side mirrors to continue down the road. Whether it is a rock wall or the side of house in a small town that force you to fold the mirrors as you transit, Malta will reveal its beauty for those willing to explore.

Trish. You could consider Rabat as an alternative to Valetta. It's a large town, not a city, but then not everyone would call Valletta a city! I believe Rabat does have a weekly market, but don't hold me to that! It does have OK parking though. Very easy to walk into Mdina and some good cafes etc.
The area I, personally, would avoid is around St. Paul's Bay. I'm a country girl who also loves the coast, but that area does not appeal at all. If you are into night life, clubs and lots of shopping Malta possibly isn't for you. As Tom says, it is all about the people and the country. The people are wonderful.
Weather is a particularly difficult issue this year. We are still struggling with a late winter in UK right now. I'm due to go BVI at the end of the week (a time we have visited for the last 10+ years) and the weather out there is not good. You have to make the decision no take chances don't you? Enjoy Malta whatever! I'm sure you will.