Malta-Guide

The city of Valletta is Malta's capital, and it's undergoing something of a renaissance as the great bastion walls built by the Knights of Malta are being refurbished and restored to their natural splendour. Built by the Knights to defend Malta against the invading Ottoman armies, Valletta commands a high location overlooking the Grand Harbour.

For centuries the military and commercial importance of this little island has meant that Malta's had more than its fair share of would-be rulers, but it was the famous Order of St John who really gave Malta and especially Valletta the architecture and infrastructure to defend it from invaders. Rising high above the Grand Harbour, the bastion fortifications are like the borders of a living museum with the City of Valletta nestled within. Throughout the city, the Knights have left their mark. It was a city 'Built by gentlemen for Gentlemen' and is now a world heritage protected location.

Filled with a mixture of museums, churches, cafes, restaurants and shops, Valletta mixes old and new and draws visitors from around the world each year. Whether it's the typical Southern Mediterranean pursuits of shopping and lounging at cafes or a hunt through the military and architectural past of the island, Valletta has a lot to offer despite its small size. Recently, the heritage seems to have become of much greater national importance, with funding pouring into the city, regenerating not only the centre, but also the surrounding areas with their fortifications and harbour-side walkways. It's a great place to visit, and it looks like the future holds great things for this noble city.

The Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens in Valletta were built by the Italian contingent of the Knights of Malta and stand as beautiful little reminders of the distant past overlooking Valletta's beautiful Grand Harbour.

From the viewing gallery at the Upper Barrakka gardens, you can see the 'Three Cities' of Cospicua, Vittoriosa and Senglea built by the Grand Master Cottoner to defend Malta's Grand Harbour and the city of Valletta from the island's invaders (at the time it was the turn of the Ottoman empire). The gardens are truly beautiful, with a range of typical Southern Mediterranean plants mixed in among the classic architecture employed by the Italian Knights who created this garden as a private place where they could unwind. Once opened to the public, the gardens became a place for the common man to enjoy the same benefits, with stunning views looking out high over the Grand Harbour and beautiful sunsets each day.

During the time of the British forces, the saluting battery was added - a row of cannons fired to welcome visiting dignitaries to the island, and re-enactments are held at the gardens daily at twelve p.m in which the ceremonial guns are fired by soldiers wearing the traditional uniforms of the British soldiers. Even after independence, much of the history of the British influence in Malta remains and the firing of the cannons is a well-rehearsed and excellent reminder of the roles other nations have played in the history of the Maltese islands.

The lower Barrakka gardens also overlook the Grand Harbour, with a high vantage point over the entrance to the harbour, and an excellent view of the war memorial to the 'unknown soldier' and the 'liberty bell' which sounds daily at twelve noon in remembrance of the lives lost during the second 'Great siege' of Malta. Whilst the Lower Barrakka gardens are slightly smaller than the Upper Barraka gardens, they're perhaps more beautiful in the way that they're laid out and the planting has been organised. Not as many people visit the lower Barrakka gardens so they're generally a bit quieter and offer some great historical statues and wonderful views for visitors to enjoy.

Now this may seem like a strange thing to write about, but I thought it was worth a mention. The tasty little pastizzi is perhaps the most iconic of Maltese foods, it's fattening beauty enticing thousands of visitors into breaking their good eating habits each year.

Made from pastry filled with Ricotta cheese, these delicious morsels can be found at most of the small pizza-selling holes in the wall which cover the island. Extremely cheap, ready-made and heated, the pastizzi is the fast snack of choice for many Maltese people and is found in its pure form only in Malta (although i heard someone's started selling them in Soho in London now!). They're very simple - Ricotta and cheese, and nothing else added and regardless of the calories, they're sold in great quantity to the eager public.

So next time you're in Malta, give one a try - you can get them from 'Maxim's' or 'Champs' or any of the other local fast food outlets and they cost under a euro each.

In the North of Malta, the town of Bugibba is a popular destination for holiday makers from around the world. Another of Malta's coastal towns it was for a long time associated with mainly British tourists, but recently, visitors from a wide variety of nations from inside and outside Europe have begun to call it their home away from home.

The central Bugibba square is where you'll find most of the restaurants and bars which cater to the town's visitors. Along the seafront next to the square, a variety of clothes and gift shops sit on one side of the road, with lidos and beach bars lining the other. The seafront promenade here stretches all the way to the town of Qawra on one side, and St Paul's Bay on the other, and whilst these parts of Malta aren't as built-up as other areas, there's still a fair amount to see and do, although the most obvious attraction is obviously the coastline itself and the crystal clear waters for which Malta has become so well known.

If you're into diving, then you're in luck as Bugibba has dive schools and regular excursions to nearby wrecks and underwater sights which people come from far away to visit. Watersports of other sorts are also readily available, with jet-skis, peddle-boats, and paragliding all available. More than anything, people come to Malta for the summer sun and the chance to lay around in the intense heat which lasts for around 4-5 months of each year, completely uninterrupted by rain or even clouds. It's an amazing thing to know that the next four months will bring nothing but heat and clear skies, and visitors to Bugibba know this well, making use of the entire coastline for swimming and lounging. Although people often look for sandy beaches, the rocky beaches which dominate Bugibba's coastline provide a cleaner, hassle-free way to enjoy the water without having to worry about sand getting everywhere, and with amenities close by, it's always easy to find a drink or some food to keep you going during your stay.

Being in the far North, it might be worth hiring a car to explore the rest of Malta, although it's such a small island that buses will probably do - it depends how much you mind waiting. The main Bugibba bus terminus is a five minute walk from the town centre and offers regular services to the capital city Valletta, as well as the popular towns of St Julians (Malta's entertainment and nightlife capital) and Sliema (best place for clothes shopping and cafes). The trip to St Julians and Sliema will take about 25 minutes by bus, and Valletta will take around 40 minutes. Bus fares are relatively cheap compared to more Northern countries and week-long tickets are available and offer discounted prices.

Being a popular tourist town, there is plenty of accommodation to be found in Bugibba with hotels of all ratings and lots of self catering accommodation. The most prestigious hotels are generally located in towns like St Julians, but there are some excellent choices available in Bugibba, and it's a small town, so nowhere's too far from the centre, shops or restaurants.