Little Britain: a Guide to Visiting Malta by Greg Cook
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Welcome to Malta, an island of soaring bastions and Neolithic mysteries that somehow retains the dreamlike quality of visiting an England of half-a-century-ago during a summer heat wave. It’s the mythical home of Calypso, the nymph who seduced Ulysses on his journey home and waylaid him here for seven years. You may want to stay longer.
There is an old Maltese proverb, which says ‘asking is the sister of knowing’. It’s an adage well worth remembering for anyone touching the shores of the small but extraordinary island of Malta for the first time.
Just accept it – you’ll do a lot of asking. Some of it will be out of necessity (or you’ll never correctly pronounce the name of a single village!), but more importantly – a bit of general asking around on this friendly, intimate little island, with its vehemently anglophile population, could well net you your dream property overseas.
Lying 90km to the south of Sicily and 290km north of the coast of Libya and the leviathan landmass of North Africa is the Maltese archipelago; an exceptional, sun-baked little outcrop of land sitting slap-bang in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea and compromises the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, as well as the uninhabited islets of Cominotto, Filfia and St. Paul.
The largest island in this group is Malta, being roughly 27km long and 14km wide, and the archipelago’s total surface area only amounts to 320km2 – meaning that, with a permanent population of 350,000 inhabitants, the Maltese Islands have the bizarre and unlikely statistic of being the most densely populated country in Europe.
This is perhaps less surprising when you realise that just about every major power in the Mediterranean for the last few thousand years has laid claim to, or wrestled for control of, this strategically important crossroads between Europe, Africa and the Near East.
As a result, intermarriages throughout the ages between the Greek, Semitic, Latin and Arab races – not forgetting a late dash of Anglo-Saxon blood for good measure, has produced a rich diversity in the physical ‘type’ of the Maltese, without adversely affecting their uniformly good-natured and hospitable character.
Past and present
History has made the Maltese a nation of pragmatists and realists; they grumble about trivialities on a day-to-day level as a matter of course but shine in the face of true adversity. This national psyche holds much in common with another island race – the British. This shared outlook not only the forms the foundation of a deep-seated affection in the Maltese for all things English, it is also the reason why, on the 15th of April 1942, King George VI awarded the George Cross Medal to “…the brave people of the Island Fortress of Malta” for holding the island secure against the onslaught of the Axis countries of Germany and Italy who, at that time, controlled virtually all the rest of the Mediterranean. The symbol of the St. George Cross has been proudly displayed in the top left-hand corner of the red and white Maltese flag ever since.
British rule in Malta began at the turn of the 19th century after ousting Napoleon. The island was granted self-government in 1921, but a British military presence, mainly naval, remained in Malta up until 1979. The residue of empire is still present today – giving Malta, as with India, that strange feeling of being simultaneously alien and yet totally familiar. Buses (driven on the left of course), with sun-flower yellow coachwork, have well-known names like ‘Bedford’ and ‘Leyland’ embossed in their shining chrome radiator grills and look as if they have been inexplicably transported here from a seaside outing to Margate at some point during the fifties.
The incongruous apparition of a red telephone box will suddenly appear at the top of a dusty flight of steps down a narrow street in Valletta. Here you can buy a bag of jelly-babies from The British Confectioners before popping your postcards home in the pillar-box on the corner. Beyond this, you will still be surrounded by architecture of the highest baroque, overhung by a dozen Venetian-style balconies and smiled down upon benignly by statues of the saints from their alcoves in the walls.
Valletta
Valletta, the capital of Malta, with its outlying districts and suburbs, occupies nearly the entire south-eastern corner of the island, and this is where the majority of new property development is being undertaken on the island. Larger apartment complexes and up- to-the-minute shopping and leisure facilities hug the coastline northwards from the capital through the adjoining towns and districts of Sliema, St. Julians and Paceville.
Sliema and St. Julians are two of the most popular areas for purchasing property on the island among foreign buyers in general, but most noticeably among the British, possibly because there was a large military complex located here during British rule. However, Sliema has been the favoured summer resort of affluent Maltese since the 1850’s. When the servicemen left, the old villas were pulled down and the majority of the islands large hotel complexes were erected here in their place.
St, Julians, the suburb of Sliema, can boast an older heritage. Here a hamlet sprang up around the chapel dedicated to St. Julian (patron saint of hunting) in 1580. The grand hunting lodges built here by the Knights are long since gone, replaced by a profusion of hotels, restaurants and bars that make this seafront area the most bustling tourist resort in Malta, and a venue that’s popular with the younger crowd.
Valletta itself is built around the intricate geography of a deep, natural harbour, and its almost confusing profusion of tributary creeks and inlets means that nearly everyone living here gets a view of the water. Valletta old town itself is positioned on the tip of a jutting, central peninsular, with the Grand Harbour on it’s right flank and Marsamxett Harbour and Manoel Island to it’s left, all of which are cocooned within the awe-inspiring 16th-century fortifications built by the Order of St. John, now serving to repel a different kind of invader -- the developers of unsightly flats and office blocks, who are kept firmly on the other side of the limestone bastions.
The charming old town, with its steeply inclined streets laid out across the peninsular in a simple grid system, is somewhat reminiscent of a small scale European prototype of Manhattan, but on a pitch more akin to San Francisco. Here, within the walls, renovation and refurbishment of many of the old wharf buildings and warehouses along the waterfront has gradually been accepted as a preferable solution to building from scratch. And many of these older structures have now been converted into apartments and high quality living accommodation, which actually aesthetically improve the surrounding area.
The city was constructed during what is, these days, perceived as Malta’s golden age by its most famous inhabitants, The Knights of the Order of St. John. Across the island their livery is on display, carved on the façades of Baroque palaces, emblazoned on tail of Air Malta’s planes and embossed upon countless kitsch, plastic souvenirs; the eight-pointed or Maltese Cross.
The Knights’ most glorious hour was undoubtedly The Great Siege, Malta’s most celebrated chapter in history, when the Ottoman Turks pitted 48,000 of their crack troops against 8,000 men commanded by a mere 540 Knights of the Order and were repelled. The money received by the knights from a grateful Europe helped Grand Master of the Order, La Vallette to begin the grandiose system of fortifications on the island that, to this day, give Malta it’s unique character and rich cultural heritage.
During this period, much of the islands most stunning architecture was constructed, including the St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the Grand Palace, both in Valletta. The Maltese themselves are staunchly Roman Catholic in faith, and the magnificent cathedrals and churches they have built form the hub and pride of every town and village on the island.
In fact, modest, inland settlements can seem to have quite incongruously large religious buildings at their centre, one of the most extraordinary examples being at Mosta, a small town in the middle of Malta. The chief attraction of the town is a monumental church, inspired in design by the Pantheon in Rome and boasting the fourth largest dome in Europe.
Malta preserved
Small towns and villages in the island’s interior, such as Mosta, have become more popular with foreign property investors in recent years, as many of their old, outlying agricultural buildings are purchased for renovation into dwellings. For the older Maltese, the concept of living in a building that was used for housing farm animals is still unthinkable, so many of these beautiful, sturdy stone structures, often centuries old, have been purchased at comparatively bargain prices in recent years.
Another part of the island popular with foreign house buyers, and with unique religious connotations, is the area St. Paul’s Bay, including the villages of Bugibba, Qawra and Xemxija. Here, in 60AD, the apostle St. Paul came ashore after he was shipwrecked, while being conducted to Rome, under arrest for his beliefs and to be judged before Caesar. From here, he spread his evangelistic message and converted the islanders to Christianity. This is a small region at the northern end of the island containing several small sandy beaches (Malta’s coastline being predominantly rocky), making it a popular choice within the family market.
Melliah, is one of Malta’s more popular ‘off the beaten track’ locations, as it is the gateway to Gozo, Malta’s smaller sister island, and a popular destination for day-visiting tourists and many affluent Maltese, who have weekend homes here. Ferries depart for Gozo from Melliah on an hourly basis throughout the day, and the crossing is a short and comfortable twenty-five minutes.
Despite its profusion of churches, citadels and fortresses, some of Malta most fascinating stone structures predate the island’s conversion to Christianity by thousands of years. At a point in time somewhere around 4000 BC, the very first human settlers, stone-age farming families from Sicily, came to these shores and became the earliest temple-builders in the world. Evidence of their sophistication in stone-working can be seen at sites throughout the island, and some of the work that remains has recently been discovered to pre-date even the first pyramids.
With it’s unique culture and history, Malta is a magical island where man has wanted to live and settle since the dawn of civilisation – it’s good to see that some things haven’t changed in the last 6,000 years.
Eating and drinking
Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the islanders and the many foreigners who made Malta their home over the centuries. The influences are too numerous to list, but many popular Maltese specialities are Sicilian or Moorish in origin.
In the tourist districts most cafes and restaurants seem to follow a fairly basic Italian, pizza and pasta formula, but although pasta is the dietary mainstay for most Maltese families, more unique, traditional Maltese dishes can now be discovered at a growing number of venues, from inexpensive, family-run bars to more upmarket restaurants along the seafront.
Maltese food is healthy, hearty and homely – one thing you’ll never complain about here is the size of the portions. Many Maltese still regard an early lunch as the main meal of the day; if you’re invited to one of theses, watch out – a two-hour siesta afterwards is virtually unavoidable!
Rabbit (or Fenek) is so popular on the island that it’s virtually the unofficial national dish. Fenkata, a recipe of rabbit and spaghetti, is so well-liked here that the word now has a dual meaning, and going for ‘fenkata’ signifies a particular kind of night out where friends go to dine together solely on rabbit.
Other Maltese specialities include Bigilla, a delicious puree made of fava beans and Minestra, a thick, hearty soup of mixed fresh and dried vegetables, which is soaked up with thick wedges of Hobza, the crusty local bread.
Vineyards on Malta are small, and much of the wine comes from Southern Italy, however most international grape varieties are grown here alongside the island’s two indigenous varieties, Gellewza and Ghirghentina.
Climate
Malta’s central Mediterranean location means a predominantly warm and temperate climate throughout the year, with hot dry summers and mild, slightly more humid winters. Rain falls for very short periods during this time, only averaging 583mm for a whole year.
Temperatures for the months of November to April average a comfortable 14oC, with the average daily sunshine hours for this period being 6.5, making it a popular winter destination for many older people.
From May to October the average temperature is 23oC, with daily sunshine hours averaging 10.5, the hottest period of the summer being between mid-July and mid-September – sea temperatures during this time reach a very pleasant 25oC.
Five must-sees on Malta
St John Co-Cathedral iin the heart of Valletta, completed in 1578 by Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar, its austere façade was designed not to betray the breathtakingly opulent interior. The floor in itself here is amazing – a wall-to-wall paved mosaic of memorials to the Order’s aristocracy.
Mdina jutting high above the Rabat plateau, with a 360-degree view of the island, this ancient walled and fortified city was the early medieval heart of the island. Its evocative stone streets were recently used in the filming of The Gladiator.
The Pub in Valletta continues the theme. A tiny bar in a narrow, nondescript side street running along the flank of the Grand Palace, this is the spot where the late Oliver Reed infamously supped his last.
Neolithic Ruins fascinating and too numerous to mention are scattered across the breadth of the island. Some of the most important and impressive are at Tarxien, Hagar Qim, Mnajdra as well as the mysterious, 4500 year old, four stories deep, subterranean chambers of the Hypogeum.
The Blue Grotto on the spectacularly precipitous western coast is a deep sea-cave travelled to by boat, where the sea bottom is of the most luminous, intense blue.
Planning your dream Mediterranean break? Check out our collection of luxury hotels in Malta.