Non-fiction

2/6 – Malta

Our next microstate on the list was Malta, this was also a one-day trip, but as it is the furthest away, it was easier to visit as part of a cruise holiday.

The beauty of Malta started offshore at about 5am. My eldest daughter and I set the alarms early and made our way to the open top deck. Along the way from deck two we helped ourselves to fresh juice, a cup of tea, and as many pain au chocolats as we could carry. We placed two loungers as close to the front of the ship as possible and watched as the red sun rose from the sea.

With the sun rising to our left, we sat enjoying our breakfast. Over the next 2 hours we watched as the tiny yellow rock in the distance grew closer and closer until we were completely enclosed by the yellow sandstone buildings of Valletta Harbour.

I didn’t stay in Valletta too long as I boarded a speed boat and headed to the small island of Comino. Briefly stopping near the Santa Marije Bay, we watched as the Fried Egg Jellyfish danced in the water, and through the rock formation known as the Ghemieri Window we could see the Parish Church of Mellieha.

We eventually disembarked the speedboat at Mgarr Harbour on the island of Gozo, and jumped straight into a jeep to explore the island. We stopped at Xlendi Beach, a visually stunning clear bay where we could swim and enjoy a gelato.

We arrived back in Valletta with enough time to explore the shops around the harbour and to make the most of the duty free.

There are plenty of beautiful sights to see but 1 day isn’t enough time. I would have liked to explore the north coast of the island of Gozo to see the salt pans and the Mixta cave by Ramla Beach. I would 100% recommend going, and would like to go back again for at least a week!

– Colin Woodgate