EYEWITNESS MALTA


malta 48 hours M


malta speaks


Lawrence Gonzi Prime Minister of Malta


“We know we have to appeal to more niche markets and make our island more appealing. We have taken the decision that we will invest more in tourism – not cut back our spending – and this is already paying off with a 12 per cent rise in visitors over the first eight months of 2010.


“Our history is key to our appeal and several major restoration and preservation projects are under way, including the commission of a new ‘entrance’ to Valletta and work to the Presidential Palace that will open it up to visitors.


“Key areas of island life that we will be highlighting in 2011 include our many annual arts, music and sports events, traditional village fairs, agricultural tourism and medical tourism.”


ost delegates at ABTA’s annual trade pow wow, the Travel Convention, arrived in Malta


expecting blue skies and sun-dappled beaches. What few realised was that the Mediterranean island that’s a favourite winter sun getaway for Britons experiences winter rainfall that’s heavier than London’s. It was nevertheless unfortunate for the


island that much of the average 144 mm of October rainfall sheeted down during the three days ABTA was in town. But despite the persistent rain and high winds, there was much to enjoy. In fact the damp climes actually helped


to reinforce Malta’s new tourism mantra! “I have been saying for a while that Malta is much more than a sun-and-sand destination... and now you know that it’s true!” quipped Lawrence Gonzi, the first prime minister of an ATBA convention host country to kick off proceedings. The island will be focussing on its history


and archaeological gems in 2011 and many delegates did their best to see the highlights during their brief stay on the island. An ABTA highlight was the gala dinner


that over 600 convention-goers enjoyed at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, an amazing subterranean venue with stonewalls and arches, housed in an old medieval hospital. Close to the Grand Harbour in Valletta, it was founded by the Knights of the Order of St. John, a Christian military order formed in Jerusalem to take care of sick pilgrims. Most tourists wouldn’t begin their tour


of Valletta in a conference centre, although with a rich past that includes occupation by the French in June 1798, just after Napoleon Bonaparte arrived on the island, it’s worth a look for its place in history alone. Valletta’s history runs deep and has several layers and there are many places you can visit to unveil the secrets of the Knights of St. John. The obvious starting point is St. John’s Cathedral, which the Knights founded. The façade is unremarkable, with straight stone lines and pointed tips, which


leaves you somewhat unprepared for the opulence of the interior, which is brimming with 24-carat gold leaf, intricate carvings, a vaulted ceiling and marble floors holding over 400 richly inlaid tombstones. In a side building are several works


by Caravaggio, including a painting depicting the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. Considered one of Caravaggio’s masterpieces, it is thought to be the only painting signed by the artist. Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its cobbled streets are busy with throngs of people and it’s a compact mixture of squares, grand buildings – where baroque exteriors have been pasted onto renaissance period buildings – museums and galleries. A must-see is the breathtaking view


from the city’s Upper Barracca Gardens, from where the vast expanse of the Grand Harbour makes cruise liners look like bobbing toys. Across the harbour are the sand-coloured spires of the Three Cities, the original home of the Knights when they arrived in 1530. The best way to arrive there has to


be by ‘dghajsa’. A Maltese version of a Venice gondola, it’s the perfect vessel to weave through the crowded harbour to the distinctly Venetian-inspired waterfront at Birgu. Here visitors can explore the Maritime Museum, the Bishops Palace, or


just the cafes and restaurants that grace the restored pavements. Another ‘must do’ is Mdina, the ‘Silent


City’. A 40-minute drive from the capital you enter a world where horse-drawn carriages are the main way of getting around a warren of narrow streets. Mdina gets its ‘silent’ tag because of


its lack of people: fewer than 400 live permanently within its walls, behind foreboding heavy wooden doors that open up to stately homes and grand palaces. Tourists cross a bridge spanning a disused


moat, before entering the city through a classic arch with a magnificent mantle. It’s quite an entrance! The city’s iconic bell tower might look familiar – it featured in the movie The Count of Monte Cristo. There is just one hotel in the city, the Relais and Chateaux-owned Xara Palace. Housed in a former 17th century palace, it’s a good place to lunch; the al fresco Trattoria AD 1530 sits in a courtyard surrounded by stunning Baroque architecture. Or suggest a snack and cold beer in the rooftop Fontanella Tea Garden, for views of a valley floor of sun-scorched vineyards and haze-covered villages. Historical attractions in Mdina include the


austere Carmelite Priory Museum, or the overflowing treasure chest of Palazzo Falson – a bougainvillea-covered medieval house.


Last October’s host of the ABTA Travel Convention showed you can pack a lot into two days - including thousands of years of history, discovers Steve Hartridge and Laura Gelder


www.shortbreaksholidays.com • Spring 2011 23


9 6


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52