Advertorial • August 2015

Island life: Reasons to escape to Valletta

A tiny city with a big personality, Valletta in Malta is a popular destination combining relaxation with exciting culinary experiences and a rich cultural past

Award-winning culture

Valletta was recently awarded the European Capital of Culture for 2018 – and with good reason. The town has been through a process of rejuvenation over the past few years, with many cultural hotspots popping up among the 16th-century walls of the island city. For a small taste, visit the National Museum of Fine Arts and the Manoel Theatre.

History

Malta has been inhabited for 7,000 years, with the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Spanish and British all playing their part in its past. On the tiny island there are seven megalithic temples that date back to the Bronze Age, and plenty of palaces, cathedrals and churches to explore. Visit the Cathedral of St John and marvel at its golden archways. In fact, the entire city of Valletta is a Unesco World Heritage Site, with many of its original 16th-century buildings still standing today.

Food and Drink

Maltese cuisine is inspired by many different cultures, but a broad Mediterranean flavour is infused throughout local dishes. Typical Maltese dishes include fenkata (rabbit stew) and pastizzi (small rolls of pastry stuffed with ricotta or mushy peas). Visit Guzé Bistro for seasonal ingredients prepared in a Mediterranean way, or try Palazzo Preca for unbeatable seafood in an intimate setting.

Rest and relaxation

The island’s diminutive size means it’s easy to escape Valletta, head to the beaches and coves of the island, and recline on the sand. Ghajn Tuffieha is a long stretch of red sand set away from the high-rise hotel complexes, while Blue Lagoon, between the islands of Comino and Cominotto, is the perfect place to take a dip. If you’re looking to be pampered, there are a growing number of spa hotels on the island, including the classically beautiful Corinthia Hotel St George’s Bay.

Architecture

The city boasts some of the most impressive architecture in the Mediterranean. Its fortified walls are all still standing, and have allowed the city to remain small and easy to negotiate. Impressive structures such as the Palace of the Grand Master give an insight into Malta’s past, and the recently remodelled City Gate and parliament building (designed by Renzo Piano) add a contemporary splash to the ancient cityscape.

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