DESTINATIONS SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL |MALTA
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Michelin-starred de Mondion restaurant; farmer Cane Vella; olive
trees have been reintroduced to the area PICTURES: Shutterstock/bohemama; Dan Cam
TRIED
& TESTED The Xara
Palace Relais & Chateaux
Hidden away in the medieval city of Mdina, The Xara Palace is old-school hospitality at its finest. Stepping inside its 17th-century walls, you’re made to feel like royalty in this former home of Maltese nobility. And with Mdina being known as the silent city – no honking of car horns is allowed – it really is a haven of peace and tranquillity. The five-star hotel has 17
and we intend to develop our sustainable credentials with many more experiences in the coming months and years. We have been working closely with many tourism partners creating farm-to-fork gastronomic experiences and a variety of cleaner and greener ways to explore the archipelago, such as electric buses, electric tuk-tuk trips and e-bike tours, as well as ensuring more of our accommodation partners secure eco-certifications.” Many of those changes are happening already. At the Marsovin Cassar Estate in Paola, they keep their carbon footprint down by handpicking grapes and using solar panels on the winery and electric vehicles for deliveries. They also give refunds on returned bottles, with some being used up to five times. At the Girgenti Olive Grove in Siggiewi, Ivan Galea wanted to bring olive trees back to the area. He says hundreds were destroyed in the 18th century to make way for cotton plants. He now has 400 trees and six different types of olive. An obstetrician by day, this grove is clearly his other baby. We are the first guests outside his family to
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sample his first yield. He managed to produce 40 litres of olive oil, which will be for his own consumption and for visitors to enjoy.
GREEN PLANET We are joined by chef Karl Mallia, who is championing local produce and enthuses over our lunch of simple Maltese food. “This is the taste of our childhood,” says Karl
as he pulls apart huge chunks of ftira bread and smothers it with tomatoes. Dipped in the oil, it’s simply heaven. “We have all these amazing things on the island,” says Karl. “Let’s look after it.” One company doing just that is EcoMarine Malta. Established in 2017, it collects data on bottlenose dolphins and monitors their behaviour. Going out on a boat from Kalkara Marina with marine
BOOK IT
Rooms at The Xara Palace start from €236 per night. Flights to Malta from Heathrow with Air Malta cost from £134 per person.
xarapalace.com.mt airmalta.com
Kirker Holidays offers three nights at The Xara Palace on a B&B basis from £746 per person in low season, including return flights and transfers.
kirkerholidays.com
travelweekly.co.uk
biologist Patrizia Patti, we all squeal in delight as we spot a pod of eight dolphins, including a calf and a juvenile, jumping in unison for food. Patrizia says they can identify which dolphin is which by the nicks and notches on their dorsal fin. It gets a conversation going about how we humans are affecting their environment, and is certainly food for thought. Farmer Cane meanwhile believes now is the time for action. “That’s why I’m here at Xara, because they put their foot down and said ‘we need to do this’. I already see the effects of this small garden. Imagine if we scale this up, how much benefit it could have. We are importing lettuce and cabbages from abroad when we can grow it on our doorstep. We need to change perceptions.”
TW
luxury rooms and suites, some with their own Jacuzzi and all immaculately designed with antique furniture, paintings and luxurious fabrics. Indeed, the decor throughout is impeccable – look out too for the confessional box, a nod to its past. In the hotel’s Michelin-
starred de Mondion restaurant, chef Kevin Bonello conjures up an ever-changing menu of exquisite meals based on seasonality and availability. There’s also the trattoria in the piazza, serving pizza, pasta and salads. It’s open to non-residents too. Sister property Xara Lodge, a five-minute shuttle away, has a pool for escaping the heat of the day and recharging batteries after sightseeing. And with Malta’s 300 days of sunshine, this would be a perfect retreat at any time of year.
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