Destination Mellieha , Malta. Though smaller than the Isle of Wight in the UK, Malta is an island steeped in history, where invasions from Phoenicians, Arabs, Romans and crusading Knights of the Order of St. John have left their marks, not forgetting the prehistoric settlers.

More recently you have the Maltese epic struggle during the Second World War, where they withstood the might of the German Armies; that is a whole story in itself and as you will know this is how the island gained its George Cross.

Away from the history you have some beautiful sandy beaches and coves surrounded by a crystal clear sea. With such clear water it was the place where the British Navy and Royal Marine Commandos trained their divers and frog men. Marine wildlife is richer than in many parts of the world due to Malta's location away from the polution of major cities and silt-bearing rivers.

The weather is usually very dependable with plenty of sunshine and warm breezes to keep the heat at bay.

Malta has one of the highest sunshine records in Europe and during July/August you are well into 30 c. Sea temperatures can reach 25c in August and September. Travel time from the UK is under three hours.

  
Categories Family, Singles, No Kids, Over 50's, Disabled
  

Travel Agents The Mellieha Bay Hotel is on the Thomson list of ‘Gold Award’ establishments and fully deserves the accolade. I found the whole set up by Thompson’s to be excellent, with good flights and probably one of the best airport transfer systems to be experienced, with very little waiting around and plenty of trolleys to hand. The airport lounges etc. are really first class.

 
Length of Stay 7 Days
 
When To Go Personally I find May to the middle of June and September to be the most agreeable periods. Being a bit of a wimp my preference is September as it has the added advantage that the sea has really warmed up without the blistering sun, whereas July and August can be a bit crowded and very hot.
  

Hotels there are plenty of good hotels on the island. It really depends on what your priorities are, sightseeing or swimming? If you are deeply into the history and culture of Malta then somewhere in or around Valletta might be best although the island isn’t that large. On my last visit I stayed at the Mellieha Bay Hotel in the resort of the same name.
This is a four star establishment and is ideally placed if you want to visit the island of Gozo and is on the bus route to Valletta, so getting around from this resort is no problem.

We found the hotel to be very good and the food equally so. This hotel has good extensive gardens which lead down to the sea, so swimming is literally on your doorstep.

  
Fab Tips 1) Use the local buses to get around as they are cheap and great fun, although not perhaps when it is too hot, seeing that air-conditioning hadn’t been invented when they were built! 2) If you plan to visit churches you'll need to wear long trousers or a long skirt and something to cover your shoulders with. 3) In summer you'll need lightweight cotton clothes to beat the heat plus a hat and plenty of suncream. 4) If you want to enjoy some walking bring good stout walking boots because the bare limestone is rough and the vegetation often thorny. 5) For best photographic results shoot your landscape pictures early and late in the day - before 10am and after 4pm. The blazing summer sun will give a flat and washed out look to pictures taken in the middle of the day. Remember to keep your films in a cool place. 6) Malta's tap water is heavily chlorinated so you may like a supply of bottled water.
  
Tours There are any number of tours available from the hotel but we personally like to use the public transport and in this case it tends to be on the oldest bus service we have ever come across. It’s a vintage bus enthusiast’s delight with old Leyland and Bedford vehicles of unknown vintages, where the drivers take great pride in their vehicles.
 
Activities You Can Enjoy Swimming, sunbathing, snorkelling, scuba-diving, windsurfing, sailing, boat trips, walking, running, bird watching, horse riding, visiting historical buildings, sites and museums.
Children Malta is a good destination for a family holiday. Children are made welcome and there are plenty of activities including the following: boat trips, sandy beach with safe paddling and swimming at Mellieha Bay, Splash and Fun Park at Bahar ic-Caghag has water slides and a playground, Popeye Village at Anchor Bay and the Mdina Dungeons (great for older children who love spooky sound effects and gory torture scenes!).

Must See Attractions

Valletta is a fascinating old city with some beautiful old buildings full of character. It was built by the Knights of St John in the 16th Century and is home to the beautiful and ornate Co-Cathedral of St John. It is from here that you can view the Grand Harbour from the fortified walls.

Many years ago when we had a fleet, there were occasions when both the ‘Home’ and the ‘Mediterranean Fleets’ were anchored in the harbour at the same time and it is said that you could walk from one side of the harbour to the other across the decks, whereas today if our entire navy were to be anchored here, you would simply drown!

Lascaris War Rooms in Valletta are worth a visit to see the tunnels from where the defence of the island was organised during the second world war. The bombing raids that the island endured far exceeded that experienced in London and how they survived is a miracle.

While you are in Valletta you can visit the Maltese House of Government which is run on the same lines as ours, without so much shouting I believe!

Mdina is known as the ‘silent city’. This is well worth a visit as originally it was the capital of the island but many years ago the powers to be had Valletta built and virtually the whole city of Mdina moved from this site down to coast at Valletta. Mdina is full of history and ancient buildings where it has been occupied at various times by the Arabs and Romans among others.

Churches/Cathedrals It is said that there are over three hundred and sixty churches of one sort or another on the island so I guess there are plenty of vacancies within the clergy! There is one church (the Mosta Dome) that was struck by three bombs during the Second World War while around 300 people were waiting to hear mass. Two bounced off and landed in the square without exploding. The third actually pierced the dome, smashed off a wall and rolled across the floor without exploding. No one was hurt. This happened on 9th June 1942 and the event was regarded as a miracle……I bet you could have heard a pin drop after the device landed don’t you? You wouldn’t have heard my heart beating that’s for sure! At the top of this report you can see a picture inside the Mosta Dome.

The churches, many with high domed roof, are architectural gems. The Maltese used a special rock material that is mined on the island and when extracted is soft, almost like cheese. This is then carved into blocks to suit the construction and left in the open air, whereupon it solidifies to become a durable stone.

Popeye Village is a more recent tourist attraction and is one for children and adults alike. It is located in ‘Anchor Bay', not too far from Mellieha Bay; in fact we walked there. This is a village that was created in 1980 for a film of ‘Popeye’ the comic strip character using, in this case, people instead of cartoons.

The film set was originally to be dismantled after filming but the Maltese asked for it to left and while the village is a great success, I think the film ‘went down the pan’. It is fascinating to walk around the village and the eye to detail made by the craftsmen who constructed the buildings etc. is to be applauded.

The island of Gozo is well worth a visit I am told but unfortunately this is a trip I have yet to do ….the sea was too rough for the ferry crossing on the day we scheduled a visit…something for next time.

Prehistoric sites are plentiful on the island and one that should not be missed is that of ‘Hal Saflieni Hypogeum’ which consists of a vast labyrinth of caves and is believed to have been created in 3000BC. Truly a fascinating place.

  
Eating Out Valletta has plenty of places just oozing with atmosphere. I tended to dine in the evening at the Mellieha Bay Hotel, being that I was on half board.
  

Shopping Sliema is a place to visit for shopping, with modern hotels and ‘designer label’ shops in abundance….not exactly your ‘quaint village’ type ware, if you know what I mean. Clothes in particular are very cheap and it is worth shopping around before making a purchase. Gozo has some good bargains.

  
Useful Website www.visitmalta.com
  
Recommended Lonely Planet Travel Guide
  

Whether you're interested in ancient temples or five-day feasts, water sports or basking on beaches, this brand new guide is jam-packed with advice on the best Malta has to offer.

  • 30 detailed city and regional maps
  • illustrated feature on the Knights of St John
  • top swimming spots
  • an insider's guide to Maltese food, from quick pastizzi to quality seafood
  • helpful language guide and glossary

  
©2003 Fabulous Holidays