Malta can be viewed in some ways as part Italian, part English, with a healthy dollop of Tunisia all piled upon a mountain of history.
We spent almost 2 months in Malta during January and February of 2025, exploring or staying in the following locations:
On the Island of Malta:
- Valetta,
- The Three Cities,
- Mdina / Rabat,
- San Gwann,
- Mellieħa,
- Mosta,
- Marsaskala,
- Marsaxlokk,
- Qawra
And on the on the Island of Gozo:
- Mgarr,
- Victoria,
- and San Lawrenze
The winter weather in Malta was very spring like and pleasant, with a few storms moving through whipping up the Mediterranean Sea. There were also very few tourists at this time of year which in my books is a bonus.
This can be in stark contrast to summer months when it can be hotter than the blazes, reaching up to 50 C in the urban areas, and swarming with tourists.
The only downside was it was a bit too cool to swim (unless you are a hearty soul or happen to be Finnish)
Lotsa People on a Small Island
My first impression of Malta is how crowded it is; it is a small island with lotsa people, and lotsa cars! With a land area of just 316 km² and a population of around 535,000, Malta is one of the top 10 most densely populated countries on the planet.
The most crowded areas are the capital Valletta and the surrounding towns. These areas literally create a concrete and sandstone jungle.
The western and southern regions of Malta, as well as the smaller island of Gozo, are more rural, with scattered villages, terraced farmland, and open countryside. Towns like Mellieħa, Mdina, and Rabat have more of a traditional feel and a slower pace (especially during the tourist off season).
A Very Rich History
Malta absolutely oozes history and you get a real sense of time when visiting here. In fact, Malta has some of the oldest freestanding manmade structures on earth, dating back to 3500 B.C. well before Stonehenge and a good thousand years before the Egyptian pyramids were built.
Malta’s history is a tapestry weaved of conquest and trade due to its strategic location in the Mediterranean.
Layers upon layers of civilization are stacked upon each another here. The Phoenicians colonized Malta around 800 BCE, followed by the Carthaginians and later the Romans. Under Roman rule, Malta became Christianized, a legacy strengthened by St. Paul’s shipwreck in 60 CE.
After the fall of Rome, Malta was ruled by the Byzantines, then the Arabs in 870 CE, who influenced the language. In 1091, the Normans took control, folding Malta into the Kingdom of Sicily. The Knights of St. John, were granted Malta by Charles V of Spain after losing Rhodes to the Ottomans in 1522. In return, they paid an annual tribute of a Maltese falcon of Humhrey Bogart fame.
Napoleon briefly occupied Malta in 1798, but the British took control in 1800. Malta eventually gained independence from Britain on September 21st 1964.
World War II
Malta also played a crucial role in World War II, again due to its strategic location. The island was vital for controlling the Mediterranean Sea and for supply lines between Europe and North Africa. Malta became a key base for British forces, and its airfields and naval ports were used to disrupt the Axis powers supply routes.
The island experienced some of the heaviest aerial bombardments of the war. The Germans and Italians bombed the shit out of the island. The Maltese people were resilient, with some but not all, riding it out in shelters. Many of these former bomb shelters are now museums. We visited one of these museums in Rabat and could only imagine how uncomfortable the situation was for those fortunate enough to be hiding there during the war.
If you look closely, you can still see the impact damage on many of the older buildings in Malta.
The Knights of St John
The Knights of St. John, also known as the Knights Hospitaller or the Knights of Malta, ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798, shaping the island’s history, culture, and architecture. The knights were originally a medieval Catholic military order, under Papal order to defend the Holy Land and fight during the Crusades.
After the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, when the Knights alongside Maltese forces repelled a massive Ottoman invasion, the island was fortified. The stunning grand capital of Valletta was built complete with strong defensive structures, palaces, and churches.
Like many power structures the Knights got fat, lazy and corrupt and thus their economic influence waned. In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte easily overthrew the Knights on his way to Egypt. That was the end of the Knights, however their legacy remains in the form of the island’s architecture, traditions, and history.
Vatican Sanctioned Piracy?
When I first saw the grand fortified city of Valletta – two questions immediately come to mind.
Where did the money come from?
and
Where did the labour come from?
The answers in large part are Piracy and Slavery.
The Knights of St. John were not only warriors and protectors of the Christian faith but also actively engaged in piracy. Based in Valletta the Knights flexed their naval power by conducting corsairing operations (i.e. piracy) in the Mediterranean, attacking Ottoman, North African, and even some Christian vessels (apparently pissing off the Greeks).
The Knights targeted merchant ships, capturing valuable cargo, enslaving Muslim crews, and ransoming captives.
The Lucrative Slave Trade
Slavery was central to the Knights economy, military, and society, with enslaved people being used for labor, ransom, or revenue.
The Knights operated a large slave market in Valletta. Some slaves were sold to the wealthy, and slaves from noble or wealthy families were often ransomed back. Others were not so lucky, particularly the galley slaves, who endured brutal conditions rowing the Knights’ warships.
Slaves also worked in agriculture and domestic service. Some were forced to build Valletta’s fortifications, hospitals, and churches.
Blurring the Lines
The knights justified their actions as a holy war against Islam, viewing their raids as part of a broader Christian-Muslim conflict. The spoils of these attacks enriched the order and helped finance Malta’s fortifications and churches. Despite being warriors of Christ, the Knights also saw slavery as both an economic necessity and part of their holy war against Islam, thus blurring the lines between religious warfare and piracy.
I guess rape, pillage and plunder is justified as long as you perpetrate it against people who believe in a different God than you.
The Ottomans and Barbary corsairs retaliated in kind, leading to an ongoing cycle of maritime warfare.
I could imagine that water front property in Malta did not have the same cache as it does today. As one could be easily be snatched by marauding bands of slavers as you walked out your front door for your morning cappuccino.
Today when walking around the ancient parts of Valletta and The Three cities, you can’t help but wonder what it was like living here in the Middle Ages and during the times of the Knights.
You do get the sense it was a very different time.
The Catholic Church
Malta remains one of the most Catholic countries in Europe. The island has over 350 churches, and every church we poked our heads into was absolutely stunning. The standouts were St. John’s Co-Cathedral, the Mosta Dome, with its massive unsupported dome, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu in Gozo.
There is an abundance of religious statues and niches found on street corners and building facades. Many houses display small shrines dedicated to a saint or the Virgin Mary.
Landscapes
Malta’s natural beauty is as captivating as its history. The coastline is dotted with stunning cliffs, hidden caves, and crystal-clear waters.
Gozo, Malta’s sister island, offers a more rural and tranquil experience with its rugged landscapes and charming villages.
The island of Comino, with its famous Blue Lagoon, lies between Malta and Gozo.
The Unique Charm of Malta’s Towns
Each town and village we visited in Malta had its own unique character.
Valletta
Valletta, Malta’s capital, is a stunning UNESCO World Heritage city complete with a rich history, grand architecture, and a buzzing vibrant atmosphere. The honey-colored limestone buildings, narrow hilly streets, and grand fortifications all contribute its distinctive vibe. Founded in 1566 by the Knights of St. John and named after Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette, Valletta was designed as a fortress city with impressive bastions, elegant palaces, and ornate churches. The city is surrounded by massive walls that overlook the Mediterranean Sea, which at times can be sparkling and at other times quite violent.
Valletta is truly the heart of Malta.
Valletta is compact, easy to explore by foot and is a lively hub of cafes, restaurants, and theaters. The city’s waterfront offers stunning views, with traditional Maltese balconies adding to its charm.
There is also evidence of the British influence in Valletta (other than the English breakfast joints, fish and chips shops), there are statues of Queen Victoria and English phone boxes are everywhere.
You always know when it is midday in Valletta as there is cannon fire from the Saluting Battery or an air raid siren at Fort St Elmo, sounded everyday at noon.
Valetta holds many historical and cultural treasures such as the St. John’s Co-Cathedral. Originally designed as a simple church, the modest façade is a complete contrast to its opulent interior. The cathedral is lavishly decorated with intricate inlayed marble floors, ornate chapels, and striking frescoes. The place absolutely drips with gold!
The church also houses two masterpieces by the ‘bad boy’ Italian painter Caravaggio: “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” and “Saint Jerome Writing”. Story goes Caravaggio fled Italy after a killing a man. He sought refuge and amnesty with the knights in Malta. Being the most famous painter in Rome at the time got him admitted into the service as well as picking up a few commissions (the Knights obviously did not run a background check on the guy). His stint in the order did not last long as he was expelled because of his unsavory behaviour towards some of the knights.
Leaving the church I did not feel a sense of reverence, nor was I spiritually moved in any means. Rather I felt a sickness in the pit of my stomach. The same kind of feeling I experienced when visiting the Vatican Museum. Massive egos, over the top opulence and minimal regard for cultures other than their own (especially Asian and African) was the impression I got from my visit to the cathedral.
Mdina / Rabat
Mdina, is also known as the “Silent City,” because it became mostly uninhabited when the capital was moved to Vittoriosa (aka Birgu) by the Knights of St John. Mdina is now a beautifully preserved medieval town in the heart of Malta. Perched on a hill, it offers breathtaking views of the island and is one of Malta’s most iconic historical sites. With its narrow, winding streets, grand palaces, and ancient walls, Mdina feels like walking back in time.
Originally founded by the Phoenicians around 700 BCE, Mdina later became the Roman capital of Malta. Under Arab rule, it was fortified and given its current name, which literally means “walled city.” The Knights of St. John further enhanced its architecture, blending medieval and Baroque styles. Today, Mdina remains largely unchanged, maintaining its old-world charm.
The city walls offer stunning panoramic views of the Maltese countryside and the towns of Qwara, Mosta and Valletta et. al.
Right next door to Mdina is Rabat, a former Roman settlement with a charming local atmosphere.
One of Rabat’s most famous attractions is St. Paul’s Catacombs, an extensive underground burial site dating back to the Roman period. According to tradition, St. Paul himself stayed in a cave here after being shipwrecked in Malta in 60 AD. Adjacent to the catacombs are WWII bomb shelters.
Rabat has a very laid-back, authentic feel, with narrow streets, traditional Maltese houses, and we took advantage of the bakeries serving local delights like pastizzi and chicken pies.
We liked Rabat so much we went back for a second stay.
Mellieħa
Mellieħa, located in the northern part of Malta, is a charming town known for its stunning beaches, scenic landscapes, and rich history. It sits atop a hill overlooking Mellieħa Bay, with the largest sandy beach on the island. I can only imagine what that beach looks like in peak tourist season, whereas in February we had the place to ourselves.
Mellieħa is also home to intriguing historical sites, including the WWII shelters, dug beneath the town to protect residents from aerial bombings. The Red Tower (St. Agatha’s Tower), a 17th-century fortification, provides panoramic views of Gozo and Comino.
Also close by is “Popeye Village”, the purpose-built filmset village featured in the 1980 film. It is now a tourist attraction.
The Maltese People
The Maltese people have a reputation for being warm and welcoming. This was definitely our experience.
All you need to do is smile and say good morning to someone in Maltese, which often results in being asked “Where are you from?” followed by a 15 – 20-minute discussion involving the weather, what they were growing in their garden plot, their relatives living in North America, world affairs, as well as life in Malta.
The Maltese come across as practical and down to earth, with a keen eye on business. They do not appear to be afraid of hard work, but at the same time there is definitely an island time thing going on in Malta – “Maltese time”. Work hard, but maybe not so fast.
We got the impression that family is important in Malta and often saw gatherings of people in public places sitting around shooting the shit.
However, not everyone in Malta is feeling so hospitable these days. Like the rest of Europe there is a large influx of immigrants – Asians, Africans, Indians and those from the rest of Europe. I definitely got the impression from speaking with residents that immigration is causing some angst among the Maltese.
Malta is also faced with the challenges associated with rapid development, congestion, and generally an increasing pace of life.
Maltese Food
We really enjoyed the food in Malta. We had our fill of the traditional dishes such as pastizzi (flaky pastries filled with ricotta or peas), rabbit stew, braġioli (beef olives) as well as stuffed olives.
The markets are also amazing – fresh seafood is abundant as are fresh fruit and vegetables.
The Class System is Alive and Well
When wondering around places like Valletta and Mdina it is obvious that historically there was a class system in Malta. This is evidenced by the grand Palaces adorned by family coat of arms (not to mention the existence of a thriving slave trade).
In modern Malta there is also an obvious class system as well.
Walk by any construction site, tourism business, grocery store, or villa with domestic staff and it stands out that immigrants occupy the majority of the lower-income roles in Malta.
Malta employs an army of migrant workers from Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.
We had Uber drivers from around the globe drive us around their island.
Only in Malta – a Land of Quirks
The first Quirky aspect of Malta is the distinctive Maltese Language.
Maltese people are bilingual, speaking both Maltese and English, a reflection of their history and a relatively recent stint under British rule.
Maltese is the only official Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet and the only Arabic-descended language in Europe. It evolved from late medieval Arabic, with influences from Italian, English, and other languages including French due to Malta’s centuries of diverse history.
When listening to Maltese in conversation or on the radio, sometimes you think you are listening to Italian, other times Arabic or English with the occasional French word thrown in just to make it interesting.
For instance, good morning is Bonju.
The Strategic Placement of Water Bottles
Another quirky thing you see in Malta is the strategic placement of water filled plastic bottles in front of people’s front doors.
Why is that?
To prevent dogs and cats from urinating on your front door step of course!
How do water bottles keep dogs and cats from peeing on the doors or walls?
Who knows?
When you ask the Maltese why this works, they shrug and say they have never seen a dog pee near a water bottle (neither did I and we walked more than a few dogs in Malta ourselves).
It’s probably an example of one of those things that has been done for generations, thus the tradition continues. But if it works – it works.
The Maltese Absolutely Love, Love, Love Their Cars
Despite having an awesome public transportation system, King car rules the roads in Malta!
Malta has the 11th highest per capital automobile ownership rate on earth. Combined with being the 8th or 9th most densely populated country you get the picture.
As a result, Maltese traffic can be soul crushing. Congested roads, accidents, honking horns and stressed drivers just go with the territory.
But at the same time why walk to the corner store when you could drive? Probably to avoid the big piles of dog shit piled up on the sidewalk. Like Italians, the Maltese like their dogs, but not necessarily picking up after them. The water bottle trick definitely does not work to prevent canine defecation.
Back to Cars
The love of cars is not just about getting from A to B. The Maltese just seem to like to hang out in their cars. Walk along a street during the day and you might notice that every 4th or 5th parked car will have some live occupants. People parked up reading, chatting, having a nap or just watching the world go by. It is almost like an automobile is an extension of a Maltese living room on wheels.
Driving in Malta
Driving in Malta is can also be quirky. The roads are narrow, winding, complete with jarring turns. While Malta follows left-hand driving due to British influence, the local drivers let their Sicilian influence shine through with their creative interpretation of the rules of the road. We had some interesting Uber rides in Malta that’s for sure!
The Maltese might drive like Italians but they park like the Brits.
Where as the Italians aspire to have all four tires touching pavement markings when parking their cars, the Maltese more often than not often park bloody proper, that is straight and dead center.
That being said, with the shear number of cars in Malta, parking is often a creative art form in itself.
Other observations:
Turn signals do not appear to be standard features on cars in Malta.
Driving or cycling while on the phone is a cool thing to do.
Abandoned Structures in the Midst of a Building Boom
Another thing that makes you go Hmmm, is the number of abandoned buildings in Malta.
It is obvious there is a building boom occurring in Malta by the sheer number of cranes and building sites.
At the same time there are also an inordinate number of abandoned buildings, often right next door to a new build.
Some estimates state that over a quarter of residential properties in Malta are either empty or underutilized. Not a real estate market that I would be interested in participating in.
We stayed in a very nice neighbourhood in Melieha where the villas had Porches and Land Rovers parked out front and sold in the 2.5 to 5 Million Euro range. Even in this neighbourhood every 4th property appeared to be abandoned and falling into ruin.
There definitely is an active sense of decay here, giving Malta an almost third world vibe in places.
Some of the limestone used to build walls and barriers is very soft, and as a result it is continually crumbling and dissolving adding to the sense of decay. Some parts of Malta just come across as run down and neglected.
A Vast Country on a Small Island
Despite being a small country, Malta can also feel weirdly vast at times.
When we told people in Rabat we were going to stay in Marsaskala. They said “Oh my, watch out for the people in the South – They are different!”
Maybe it was because I was looking for something different – what the thinker thinks the prover proves sort of thing.
But it did seem like things were a bit more rushed down south. Drivers were quicker on the horn and less willing to stop for you at pedestrian crossings, in contrast to the vast majority of Maltese drivers who are extremely courteous when it comes to pedestrians.
The distance between Rabat and Marsaskala is about 17 km, which is considered spitting distance in Canada.
Maltas quirks adds to the charm of the place, which can be lively and sometimes flummoxing.
Wrapping Things Up
Malta has a cool friendly vibe and can sometimes come across as a hodge podge of architecture, language and ethnicities. It can also seem somewhat higgly piggly, a place where things work, sort of, some of the time, but in a charming unoffensive way. At the same time there is an underlying sense of order.
Malta offers up a fascinating blend of history, culture, landscapes, good food and its charm is really encompassed by the warm welcoming people who live here.
Malta to me was part Italy, part England with a healthy dollop of Tunesia built on a mountain of history.
