Malta: 3 days itinerary

#100waysoftravel #summerdestinations #seascapes My three day Malta itinerary consisted of visiting many of the island’s top attractions. It brought me to beautiful cities, ancient historical relics, and dazzling natural attractions. Day 1: VALLETTA is Malta’s largest and most visually striking city. Deemed “a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen” upon its founding, Valletta is full of 16th-century elegance and grace. Malta’s romantic and picturesque capital city is characterized by brightly colored balconies, narrow alleyways and domed cupolas. Spend whole day exploring the cathedrals, forts and twisting streets of Valletta. In that time, I visited the Co-Cathedral of St John, strolled through the Upper Barakka Gardens, and soaked in views of the city’s pictureque skyline from its waterfront. Day 2: The Three Cities of Malta offer an intriguing insight in the island’s history. Left largely unvisited, these fortified cities offer a glimpse into Malta’s maritime fortunes. Mdina: The Silent City The mysterious gold-stone city of Mdina sits smack in the middle of the country and affords breathtaking views of the island’s arid terrain from its fortified walls. Deemed Malta’s Silent City, Mdina is characterized by shaded alleyways, arched doorways exquisite balconies and the beautiful St Paul’s Cathedral that towers over the city’s maze of golden buildings. Day 3: Southern Malta. Marxaslokk Fishing Village is a quaint and colorful fishing village characterized by its picturesque harbor. In the Marxaslokk Harbor, traditional boats bob up and down, creating a colorful contrast to the city’s golden buildings. These cheery boats are known locally as luzzus and are painted in bright, primary colors. Each boat is decorated with eyes that are said to protect the fishermen at sea. Every Sunday, the whole population of Malta seems to flock to Marxaslokk to attend the fish market–a weekly affair featuring everything from swordfish to sea bream to rockfish to clams. Then try St Peter’s Pool–a nearby swimming hole that is a favorite among locals. Had my day trip to southern Malta gone flawlessly, my visit to the megalithic temples would have been followed by a stop at the Blue Grotto. Yet, a combination of poor planning and a winter reduction in visiting hours meant that I arrived at the site’s ticket booth shortly after it had closed. It was only 3:30pm, but the last boat ride to the caves had already left a few minutes prior.