I’m floating in the warm waters of the southern Mediterranean, taking in the bright limestone cliffs of Malta’s shoreline and marvelling at its rugged beauty. The small island nation between Sicily and North Africa hadn’t been on my travel bucket list, but I’m so glad I’m here.
Malta has it all—sun-drenched days, an incredibly rich history dating back more than 7,000 years, and a delicious fusion of Mediterranean and North African food. There’s even a church for almost every day of the year in the Maltese archipelago, which is made up of three islands: the main island of Malta, smaller and quieter Gozo, and tiny Comino, which has no main streets and a permanent population of just three people.
Comino is where I’m floating, in the tranquil turquoise water of its Blue Lagoon. It was a short water taxi ride from Cirkewwa, on Malta’s northern tip, and it’s a popular day trip spot—especially in the summer. People are packed along the rocky coast with beach chairs, umbrellas and towels staking out any available spot in the unforgiving limestone. Food trucks line the small hill overlooking the water, which isn’t really a lagoon but a shallow and sandy inlet with views to Gozo in the distance. Listening to locals and tourists happily chatter, I’m entertained by the constant flow of small boats, tour boats, and yachts either anchoring in this little piece of paradise or dropping off and picking up passengers.
My water taxi ticket gave me the option of going to Gozo next, which is also just a short jaunt away. Bumping along over waves, I watch a skyline dominated by a towering church get closer. We dock at the ferry terminal and I catch a bus (Malta has a great bus system) to Victoria, Gozo’s capital, in the centre of the small island. All roads lead here and the city’s crown jewel is its walled Citadel or Cittadella. Built atop a hill and towering over the city, the famous Cittadella can be seen from almost everywhere on the island. After climbing to the top, I take in sweeping views as far as the eye can see.
It’s a short ferry ride back to Cirkewwa on the Gozo Channel Line ferry, where I use my transfer to catch a bus back to our hotel in the St. Paul’s Bay area of Malta’s northeastern coast, which is the main holiday and resort area. It’s a popular travel destination for Brits and Europeans and I felt totally safe walking by myself at night. While there are some historic spots here, it felt a little bit like a Mexican tourist strip, but without the sandy beaches.
We’re staying in Bugibba because my 17-year-old son, Tate, is on Team Canada for the World Sub-Junior & Junior Powerlifting Championships. It’s the reason for our unexpected trip to this European gem, which is the 10th smallest country in the world by area and the ninth most densely populated. Valletta, the country’s capital, is also the smallest capital in the European Union by both area and population but boy, does it pack a punch!
From the moment we get off the bus (I really can’t say enough about Malta’s efficient bus system), and walk through the famous City Gate and down Triq ir-Repubblika, Valletta’s main street, we’re awed by this golden city of stone that’s perched on a peninsula between two beautiful harbours. The walled city is a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s full of history and oozing character and, like in much of Malta, colourful doors and balconies brightening the limestone buildings. Walking around Valletta, I lost count of how many photos my son and I took and my only regret was not having more time to explore this special spot.
Malta is also home to some of the world’s oldest free-standing structures, the Megalithic Temples of Malta, which date back to between 3600 and 2500 BC and we didn’t have to go far to find one. The Bugibba Temple just happened to be on the grounds of our hotel and we had a perfect view of it from our balcony.
One of my favourite day trips was to the walled city of Mdina, a tiny time capsule of a town that was the country’s capital from antiquity to medieval times. Imposing walls first built by the Arabs, beautiful Baroque palaces—many of which are still occupied by noble families—and the grand St. Paul’s Cathedral with its elegant dome were all highlights.
Since Malta’s history dates back to the Bronze Age, it’s only fitting that my son brought home a bronze medal in bench press and set two new Canadian records. To celebrate, we took a sunset cruise on our last night from St. Paul’s Bay to Comino’s Crystal Lagoon, where steep cliffs meet incredibly clear waters. Jumping off the boat, we swam to the caves etched in the limestone cliffs before continuing on to the nearby Blue Lagoon for one last magical swim in the Mediterranean.
