Anyone been to Malta ?

Don’t worry too much about it, people have very different views on the places they visit. But you are on holiday so enjoy!

Serendipity22

Ohhhh THANK YOU.

Wow, it was Sliema that we are booked in !!! Ohhhh heck !

Valletta, I have heard that its beautiful and yes the lady at the travel agents said about tours.

1 problem is I will have a wheelchair with me and wondered about public transport. As I understand it, there is a ferry to Valletta that we want to take. The beach is not a problem because we are too busy sightseeing, but thank you for the feedback on the beach.

Thank you for all your comments, much appreciated.

Lots of ferries and you will have a good view of Valletta from Sliema anyway. There are boat trips easily available too so you can get good views of the island from the sea.
There are plenty of buses especially from Sliema and all should be accessible with a wheelchair now. The roads have improved too!

Mdina is fascinating, the Church at Mosta , St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta are all worth a visit.

It depends what you want from a holiday, some people want sun loungers and beaches, others love exploring and history.
We tend to do a mix, one day exploring, the next relaxing!

Malta is the only place I have ever been that I don't want to go back to. I found it overcrowded, noisy, lacking scenery and greenery. It's far too built up for my taste. I will add though that the hotel we stayed in was superb. I wish I could remember the name of it.

loved it, been a few times but the best trip of all was a saga archaeology holiday, we explored catacombs amongst other places. Such an historical ancient place, much more than you see on the surface in the tourist towns

We weren't keen. We stayed in Bugibba. Lovely seafront cafes and restaurants. Eating out was very cheap, lovely weather.
We got the bus to Valetta a couple of days. One of those days we were stuck in traffic so long that we got off the bus and walked back. Valetta is nice enough. We visited The Pub where Oliver Read (Reid?) died.
Our view is probably coloured as our apartment over directly above a nightclub. People like different things. You may love it.
People rave about Madeira but we didn't like that either!

Yes we’ve been a couple of times and loved it. Stayed at Qwara near Buggiba. Lots of history to see and oh yes those buses! Loved Valletta and it’s views. If you like beaches but the best place but there are sandy ones ie Golden Bay and Ramla Bay. It’s on our list to go back one day.
I’d say go for it.

There is a blue lagoon "on" Comino but I think that is North West varian?

Having lived in Malta for over forty years (my late husband was Maltese) I absolutely love it and would not wish to live anywhere else (I’m originally from Chester).

However, over the years there have been many changes and not all for the better. Definitely a lot of overbuilding and far too many cars causing daily traffic chaos in most areas.

Despite that, there are many lovely places to visit and it has its own beauty even when the sun is so hot it burns all the greenery. At this time of year there is plenty of greenery especially in Gozo which is worth a visit if you have time. When are you planning to visit?

If I can assist you with anything Serendipity please send me a PM. I hope you will enjoy your holiday on this little island I am so happy to call home. ??

I lived there for a while in the 70s and have been back many times, in fact the whole family has a holiday booked for next year. I always feel very much at home there.
Its not a beach holiday but if you like sight seeing and culture its brilliant. Some seaside tourist areas are built up now but go off the tourist track a bit and its still lovely.

Malta is very built up. The best thing was swimming at the blue lagoon - off an island to the north east.

Yes we’ve been a couple of times on Mediterranean cruises.
It’s such a tiny island that actually it’s possible to see the whole island in a day or two.
I remember how beautiful it was sailing in and out of Valletta harbour and we sat on the balcony early in the morning with our cuppas watching us come in.

Valletta is lovely, and the Barocca (sp?) gardens with a beautiful view of the harbour, but it’svery dry and not pretty inland, and I remember the tour guide telling us there isn’t a single river on the island !
We visited Mdina and then we were scheduled to go to the Blue Grotto but the sea was deemed to be too rough.

To be honest, although it was fine for a day on a cruise, I wouldn’t want to stay there, but that’s just my opinion of course!
There are much prettier Mediterranean islands to visit with much more to see like Sicily, Sardinia, and my favourite, Corsica.

I lived in Malta for several years as a child in the late 50’s. There were no hotels and only one P&O tourist boat a year. The beaches were deserted and beautiful, the sea full of fish and safe. I spent my days sailing and swimming and wandering around the orange groves. Magical.

We didn't spend long in Malta as it felt very built up but loved Gozo and would go back again in a flash.

It was some years ago so maybe Gozo is spoiled too now...
I hope not.

Oooooo lots of positive feedback, it sounds so interesting. Adding all these positive posts together with the positive comments I have had, I am looking forward to visiting Malta.

1 friend said it reminded her of the South of France ( my favourite place on earth )

Thank you everyone

No way could you have done it in a wheelchair back then. I am sure it will be fine now. Malta is in the EU and has to abide by their stipulations and will have had money from them to see that they do it.

My Mum went and really hated it - she thought of it as a concrete island.

Malta is magical, once I'm there I never want to leave. I agree about the freedom of an apartment in a hotel, best of both worlds as the restaurants are wonderfully varied. At our age we don't want beaches ,but
Mellieha has beautiful bays and beaches for those who do.
The history is fascinating from Romans, Moors , Crusades and the wartime and British influences. Gozo is another favourite island with Ta'Pinu not to be missed, an architectural masterpiece.I ❤️ Malta

We went in our backpacking days so I doubt if anything I can remember would be of any help.

It was a most unusual place, the Arabic influence of those days has probably dwindled by now.

A Libyan chap picked us up when we were tramping the streets looking for accommodation and offered us a room for a few nights. He overloaded us with gifts when we left and carried on sending us Christmas cards for several years afterwards.

Then we stayed in a Youth Hostel which was very informally run.

I remember looking into the back of a lorry on dustbin day - it was an ordinary lorry and some men were sitting in the back with the rubbish, sorting through it.

The green buses were rickety and rusty and old ladies would cross themselves when they got on.

The main sights were prehistoric villages - quite different from anything we'd ever seen, with cloverleaf shaped dwellings and temples. Also this was the first we had seen of the castles and fortresses from the Crusades - later we joined up the dots along their routes in Turkey, Rhodes, Slovenia, and Israel.

It's always worth reading up about a place before you go or you find you missed so much when you find out about it later.

I was delighted to find a branch of Boots in the main street in Valetta.

We left by boat, to Sicily where we spent a similar week to 10 days.

I love Malta. A family member has a house in Valletta. We have stayed there. Used the local buses for sightseeing. Many interesting and beautiful places /gardens to see. If you like history and culture you should enjoy your holiday in Malta.

Friends of ours went for a month in January and are considering two months at a similar time next year, they loved it.

Ohhhh THANK YOU.

Wow, it was Sliema that we are booked in !!! Ohhhh heck !

Valletta, I have heard that its beautiful and yes the lady at the travel agents said about tours.

1 problem is I will have a wheelchair with me and wondered about public transport. As I understand it, there is a ferry to Valletta that we want to take. The beach is not a problem because we are too busy sightseeing, but thank you for the feedback on the beach.

Thank you for all your comments, much appreciated.

Valletta and Mdina are beautiful - full of quaint streets and history. We did a bus tour on the local buses - they have different routes and you can get on and off. We also had an organised trip to the blue Grotto which was interesting if a little scary on the small boats. The caves have phosphorus and makes everything look blue under water - hands included. We didn't go to any beaches so can't comment. We went to the market in Valletta which was interesting - I like markets.

I have been a few years ago now. Loved Valletta and the bus rides (as said up thread) were something never to be forgotten.
The weather was beautiful when we were there.
Glad we went but wouldn't go again.
Definitely think its worth going.
The year after we went to Spain and that was that really, went back there year after year.
Enjoy your holiday.

I was born in Malta, such happy memories. My sister and I holidayed in Sliema before Covid and were horrified with the change. Far too many cars. The trip to Valletta was fantastic though and the architecture is wonderful. Definitely worth a visit though.

I've been twice and loved it.
There's no beach or greenery which doesn't suit everybody. There is plenty of sea, so go on a boat trip or three.
Don't book a tourist hotel. Try an apartment. Our landlady worked at a museum and we got free tour. Everyone speaks English and is friendly so you'll have no problems.
Book some excursions. The islands are tiny so you'll be able to see it all.
Take a bus, it's an experience!!
We first visited for the history and we have a relative buried there from WW2. The taxi driver to the cemetery didn't want payment, waited for us and even found us flowers for the grave.
I'd say try a short trip. You'll never know if you don't try it.