What’s one thing most people hope for when they travel? Good weather, right? My husband and I are on a 12-day Holland America Mediterranean cruise with our friends, the Fishers. And thankfully the weather gods have heard our prayers as we’ve dodged the forecasted precipitation in all eight ports. Will Malta be the ninth? Based on the ominous cloud cover as we pull into the capital city of Valletta, we’re not so sure.
“I’ve got an umbrella just in case,” Anna Grech Sant reassures when meeting us. “Malta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been called an open-air museum. I wouldn’t want you missing a thing.”
Photo: Jane and Brent Cassie
It’s clear that, whatever the weather, our award-winning tour guide is passionate about her job. For 44 years, she has been educating visitors about this island, the largest of three that make up the Maltese archipelago, located south of Sicily, north of Africa and smack dab in the middle of the Mediterranean.
Because of its strategic location, we discover that Malta has had a line-up of rulers: Romans, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John and French. And based on which side of the road we’re now driving on, clearly the British. From the early 19th Century until 1964, Malta was a British Crown Colony and, in 1974, it was declared a Republic.
With our proficient chauffeur, Ron, behind the wheel, we make a quick getaway from the cruise crowds and, by the time we reach Upper Barrakka Gardens, the clouds have magically dispersed and we’re bathed in full-on sun.
From this pretty perch overlooking Grand Harbour, we’re privy to stunning views of the city’s bastion walls, limestone structures and sapphire waters that stretch beyond. Adjacent, are colonnaded gardens that offered recreation to the Knights of the Langue of the Order of Saint John back in 1661. They were opened to the public in 1824, then suffered major damage during the Second World War and required full restoration.
Today, this park-like hilltop is a magnet for flower lovers, view seekers and lots of tourists, just like us. We walk in the footsteps of Roosevelt, Churchill and other greats when strolling around the central fountain where assorted monuments, plaques and statues share other significant people and events from the past.
Just beyond the park’s arched entrance is old town Valletta, a labyrinth of cobblestone streets where golden-hued churches and baroque buildings rise in juxtaposition to the more modern; The Renzo Piano-designed City Gate, the open-air Royal Opera House, and the breathtaking Parliament Building, completed in 2014.
Photo: Jane and Brent Cassie
We pose in front of the flowing Triton Fountain and next to the cannons of Auberge De Castille, where the current Prime Minister hangs his hat, then head along Republic Street, bordered by shoe stores and retail outlets. But they are bypassed for now as our next cultural magnet is waiting, the National Museum of Archaeology.
“These amazing artifacts showcase our history,” Anna informs, as we meander through the impressive venue. Beneath preserving glass are tools that date back to 5200 BC and 5,000-year-old prehistoric figurines that were locally excavated. We gaze at the recumbent Sleeping Lady, Fat Ladies with their rounded thighs, and the headless Venus de Malta, aka Goddess of Fertility, who is only about 10 cm tall. Phoenician amulets, ancient boulders, temple replicas – so beautifully frozen in stone for us all to view.
Photo: Jane and Brent Cassie
“At our next stop, you’ll see where some of these originated,” Anna assures. “But first, you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the Blue Grotto.”
Although a boat tour will provide a closer encounter of these limestone sea caves, from our cliff-top stop, we have the perfect photo-op of the clear emerald waters and the magnificent wave-eroded arch far below.
Nearby and also boasting an unparalleled sea panorama are the megalithic temple of Ħaġar Qim. The hands-on Visitor’s Centre and 4D presentation (complete with rain droplets) is a good prep to these well-preserved structures. But nothing compares to the real thing. Beneath the protected canopy, we wander in awe along the series of interconnected pathways that lead past oval chambers and 18-tonne boulders. It’s hard to fathom how these pillars were erected back in prehistoric times.
At our next stop, we once again step back in time. And I mean way back! The Hypogeum, located in the working-class community of Paola, is certainly unassuming from its exterior. But after descending stairs to this subterranean grotto, it’s anything but. “It dates back 5,000 years to the Bronze Age,” Anna announces with pride, “and is believed to be the oldest prehistoric underground temple in the world.”
For good reason, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is kept preserved, protected and free of photographers by limiting admission to 10 visitors at a time. Booking six months in advance is a must and is well worth the pre-planning.
With audio sets glued to our ears, we listen intently while first watching a slide show, then getting up close and personal with this prehistoric time capsule. A scaffolding-like ramp then leads us along a labyrinth of claustrophobic corridors to hand-chipped chambers where elongated skulls, skeletal bones and heaps of the dead lay until this discovery in 1902.
Stairs that drop off to basement chambers were possibly used as a defence strategy for unwanted intruders. Vaulted domes, archways and okra paintings decorate the more important rooms like the Holy of Holies and the reverberating Oracle Chamber. We’re informed by our audio guide that acoustics come alive here with any sounds. Although I have a yearning to test out my vocal cords, I’m silenced by the awestruck effect from this underground graveyard.
The same overwhelming sensation hits me again after we skip the long line-up (thanks to Anna) and enter our final attraction, St. John’s Cathedral. Don’t let the plain-Jane 16th Century exterior deter you from going inside. This Baroque beauty in the heart of Valletta that escaped destruction from World War II boasts some famous works by Mattia Preti and Caravaggio. Every inch of the stunning interiors is adorned with either 22-karat gold, polished silver, gleaming marble or colourful paintings. And eight glitzy chapels represent different Orders Of The Knights, which now rest in peace beneath patterned gravestones in the adjacent naive. For a little workout and spectacular panorama, we hoof it up 45 stairs to the balcony. Literally and figuratively, the view is brilliant!
An old-time favourite, the Caffe Cordina, is a perfect place to wrap up our day with Anna. Although once a small Bormla tea shop, this popular Valletta icon occupies a special place in the hearts of locals today. And while enjoying healthy salads and fruit-infused smoothies, we commend our guide – while also sending a quiet thanks to the weather gods for a sunny day on amazing Malta!
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