The Malta Edit
6,000 year old ruins, medieval cities and everything I wish I’d known before visiting this tiny island nation
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The Malta Edit
Our trip to Malta last April was part of a larger spring break trip stopping first in Milan, then Athens — and on to Malta.
Due to our kids’ different school break schedules, my older son and husband flew home to New York after our stay in Athens and my younger son and I went on to Malta.
And if you’re wondering, “why Malta?” like literally everyone we told our itinerary to, read on!
We had five days to ourselves and wanted to choose a destination with a direct flight from Athens and direct flight back to Milan where we had our return flight home (when you find business class on points, sometimes you do what you’ve got to do!).
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Malta. We had so much travel planned for the year and as a last minute addition to the itinerary, I didn’t have time to do a lot of research ahead of time.
It was shoulder season (early April) when we visited, so we didn’t spend much time at the beach. Instead, we leaned into the historical sites and local charm and got to know the unique island.
You may be reading this with a trip planned to Malta — or perhaps you’re considering it for a future trip. Perhaps you’ve heard it has some historic ruins. Or that it’s a tax haven. Or the beaches are beautiful. All of the above are true!
But there is more to Malta. The history and architecture are inextricably linked and tell a fascinating story, which you don’t want to miss.
Here’s what I wish I knew about Malta before I arrived:
During the prehistoric (before 2500 BCE), the earliest Maltese inhabitants built stone temples using limestone slabs, some of which can still be seen today (if you get your tickets early! More on that below).
Malta changed hands many times. In the Middle Ages and before, there were Phoenician, Arab, Norman and Roman rulers who created fortified cities — such as Mdina with its gates, moats and sharply curved streets.
Before the British took over in the 1800s, Malta was occupied by Napoleon’s armies for a brief two years in which the city was destroyed and buildings dismantled throughout their chaotic rule.
As a British colony, neoclassical monuments were erected such as St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, The Victoria Gate and The Great Wall of Malta. They built Victorian townhouses that featured iconic colorful enclosed box-like balconies coined in the 1600s called “gallariji” which are a trademark today of Maltese architecture.
During WWII, Malta sat directly between Axis-controlled Europe and the North African battlefields (the desert coastlines of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia) and was the most heavily bombed place in the world, per square kilometer.
Between 1940 and 1943, over 15,000 tons of bombs were dropped by the Axis Powers on the small 95-square-mile island. Through post-war grants, the island was rebuilt.
In 1964, Malta gained independence and now exists as one of the only sovereign island nations in the Mediterranean Sea.
This is an island packed with history — prehistoric temples older than the pyramids and some of the most dramatic harbor views I’ve seen anywhere in Europe.
Below the paywall you’ll find:
The hotel we loved and all the reasons why we’d stay there again
Our favorite sites (and a trick to get tickets to one that sells out 6 months in advance)
The restaurants and sights we loved
Tours we recommend (and those we’d skip)
and more….
We flew into