ESCAPE
Vfor Valletta
CARRIE LYELL VISITS THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF MALTA
48 Unbeaten tracks in japan
Following in the footsteps of
pioneering traveller Isabella Bird
Clockwise from here: The ancient walled city of Mdina at sunrise, Gozo’s spectacular landscape, the sparkling Valletta waterfront and the azure beauty of Malta’s Blue Grotto
Visiting Malta has been on my bucket list for a long time and, as one-of-my-last-trips-abroad-before-a-global-pandemic-hits, it’s magical.
It’s late February, and the sun is shining when we arrive in Valletta. Malta’s capital city – a UNESCO World Heritage site – is impossibly old and impossibly beautiful, and we can’t wait to get out and explore. Dropping off our bags at the five-star Rosselli (rossellimalta.com), we head up to the rooftop bar to get a better view of the famous Grand Harbour, often described as the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. They’re not wrong.
The smallest capital city in the EU, walking around Valletta feels like being transported through time. Grand, centuries-old baroque buildings are dotted with antique shopfronts and retro 70s signage, bright red post and phone boxes a colourful reminder of British rule. From the language to street names and cuisine, foreign influences are woven into the very fabric of Malta. Covering just 0.24 square miles, we make our way around the walled city in no time.