MALTA - THE ISLAND OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN - WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT MALTA - WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SEE IN A WEEK IN MALTA - DAY 4 MDINA - RABAT -BLUE GROTTO

 

The Mdina Gate

  

 

TRIP TO MALTA - THE ISLAND OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN

Day 4: Visit to Mdina, Ir-Rabat and the Blue Grotto

 

Mdina is the old capital of Malta. It is a quiet place, also called the "silent city", full of architectural and natural beauty. This area has been inhabited since 700 BC and is located in the center of the island.

The medieval, fortified medina has narrow streets and is inhabited by 292 inhabitants. It has two gates, the Mdina Gate, built in the 18th century with medieval and baroque architecture, accessible by a stone bridge, and the Greek Gate.

 

Cathedral of St. Paul the Apostle

Cathedral of St. Paul the Apostle

 

We highlighted in the city center the Cathedral of St. Paul the Apostle and various locations where filming for the series Game of Thrones took place.

 

House at Santa Sofia street 

 

The Greek Gate

 

Leaving Mdina we visited the city of Rabat (Ir-Rabat), the Kolleġġjata u Proto-Parroġġja ta' San Pawl, a 17th-century Catholic church built over a cave where Saint Paul is rumored to have lived for three months.

 

Ir-Rabat

 

Kolleġġjata u Proto-Parroċċa ta' San Pawl

 

 

Ir-Rabat

 

Visit to the Blue Grotto

In the southwest of the island is a fascinating complex of natural caves, where the reflection of sunlight in combination with the fluorescent colors of the submerged flora and sand give a deep dark shade of blue to the sea inside the caves. You can go boating, diving and swimming in the very clear and deep waters.

 

 

Blue Grotto

 

Blue Grotto in the background

 

 

Tower

Xutu

 

There we had the opportunity to watch a flight by a trained falcon, since falcon training is a traditional occupation on the island.

 

Falcon training is a traditional occupation on the island of Malta

 

MALTA - THE ISLAND OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN - WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT MALTA - WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SEE IN A WEEK IN MALTA - DAY 3 THREE CITIES - SENGLEA (L-ISLA) - VITTORIOSA (BIRGU) - COSPICUA (BORMLA)

 

Metal airship sculpture, Bormla Marina, Cospicua Malta. The sculpture Dghajsa tar-Rih was designed by Matthew Pandolfino in 2020 and combines a traditional Maltese ship with an airship

TRIP TO MALTA, THE ISLAND OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN

Day 3: Visit to the Three Cities

 

The Three Cities (It-Tlett Ibliet) are three castle towns, Senglea (L-Isla), Vittoriosa (Birgu), and Cospicua (Bormla). The oldest is Vittoriosa, it has existed since the Middle Ages, and we liked it the most. The three cities are surrounded by the Cottonera Lines (Il-Kottonera) walls.

Senglea

 

Senglea

 

 

In Senglea we visited the La Guardiola - Safe Haven Gardens and from there we walked to the second city, Birgu.

 

La Guardiola - Safe Haven Gardens     La Guardiola - Safe Haven Gardens

Knisja Kolleġġjata tal-Kunċizzjoni

 

We passed by the Catholic Church of the Assumption, the Malta Maritime Museum, the Fort of St. Angelo, the St. Lawrence Collegiate Church and took a nice walk along the Birgu Marina. We had coffee at Café Riche, walked to St. Helen's Gate and returned to the hotel.

 

St Lawrence Collegiate Church at Vittoriosa

Café Riche at Birgu

Notre Dame Gate, Birgu

Notre Dame Gate, Birgu

Marina of Birgu

 

Malta Maritime Museum at Birgu

 

The third city  Cospicua or Bormla is welcoming us

 

In the evening we went back to Valletta for a drink and a night walk.

 

Night walk at Valletta

MALTA - THE ISLAND OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN - WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT MALTA - WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SEE IN A WEEK IN MALTA - DAY 2 VALLETTA

TRIP TO MALTA, THE ISLAND OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN

 

Day 2: Visit to Valletta

 

The view of Valletta from Sliema's pier

The new capital of the island, Valletta, was founded in 1566 by the Order of the Knights. Increasing their power and wealth, the Knights left an architectural and artistic legacy on the island.

 

Fort St. Elmo with its breakwater

 

They managed to imprint their cosmopolitan character on Malta and its inhabitants, even though they had little social contact with them. It became a city with magnificent palaces and unparalleled fortifications.

 

 

Triton Fountain at the entrance of the city

 

Triton Fountain

 

2 on wheels in front of Triton Fountain !

 

The old town is a place with a long history, with cobbled streets, full of shops, well-kept gardens, such as the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens, houses with beautiful balconies and large mansions.

 

 

Statue at Lower Barrakka Gardens

 

The Fort St. Elmo with its breakwater and surrounding harbour dominates the city, as do impressive churches, such as St. John's Cathedral with its museum, and the Basilica of the Madonna of Carnation (Bażilika Santwarju tal-Madonna tal-Karmnu). There are theatres, museums, fountains, such as the Triton Fountain near the Valletta Gate, and statues, and of course the magnificent Grand Master's Palace.

 

In St. John's Cathedral there are two paintings by the Italian painter Caravaggio. Caravaggio travelled to Malta on a ship of the Knights of St. John, arriving in July 1607. He was soon accepted into the order, despite his turbulent past, and on 14 July 1608, Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, received him as a Knight of Obedience with papal permission. While in Malta, Caravaggio painted "The Beheading of St. John the Baptist" and "The Writing of St. Jerome", both of which survive in the Cathedral. 

 

"The Beheading of St. John the Baptist"

 

"The Beheading of St. John the Baptist"

 

 

"The Writing of St. Jerome"

 

During his stay in Malta, Caravaggio also painted a picture depicting a “Sleeping Cupid” and the “Portrait of a Knight of Malta” (Fra’ Antonio Martelli), which are now on display in the Palazzo Pitti in Florence. He also painted the “Portrait of Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt with a Page”, which is on display in the Louvre in Paris. 

The painter seemed to have entered a period of relative calm in his turbulent life, but in late August 1608 he was involved in a brawl in which several knights were injured, arrested and imprisoned in Fort St Angelo. Dishonored and unable to paint, Caravaggio did not wait for his trial but escaped and fled Malta. At a meeting of the Public Assembly held in the Oratory of St. John's Church on 1 December 1608, Caravaggio, in front of his masterpiece, the "Beheading of St. John the Baptist", was "expelled and thrown out like a rotten and wretched member" from the Order.

 

 

St. John's Cathedral

 

 

St. John's Cathedral

 

Parliament of Malta

 

It is worthy having a drink in one of the many bars located on the steps between St. Paul's and St. Ursula's streets, Stairs Triq Sant' Orsla, and having your coffee in historic cafes, such as the Cordina cafe. Of course there are plenty of options for a quick lunch or dinner!

 

Many bars located on the steps between St. Paul's and St. Ursula's streets, Stairs Triq Sant' Orsla

 

 

It is worthy having a drink in one of the many bars

 

located on the steps, we drank ours at Cheers bar

 

The historic Caffe Cordina at the centre of Valletta

 

Also very impressive are the cannonades that take place every morning at 10:00 and every afternoon at 16:00 at the War Museum, Fort Lascaris and you can watch them from the Upper Barracks gardens.

 

The cannons and cannonades at the War Museum, at Fort Lascaris below the Upper Baraka Gardens

 

The cannons and cannonades at the War Museum, at Fort Lascaris below the Upper Baraka Gardens

 

MALTA - THE ISLAND OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN - WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT MALTA - WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SEE IN A WEEK IN MALTA - DAY 1 GZIRA - SLIEMA

 

Valletta's view from Tigne Point, Sliema, Μάλτα

 

TRIP TO MALTA, THE ISLAND OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN

Day 1: Airport – Gzira – Sliema

At the airport we bought a seven-day multi-route bus card and went to our hotel.  

 

The roof of the hotel Grand Suites Hotel Residences & Spa, which is located at Gzira, the heart of Malta.

 

 

 

The Grand Suites Hotel Residences & Spa is located in the center of Malta, in Gzira, with easy access to public transportation, a spa, an indoor pool and a gym in the basement, as well as a restaurant with an outdoor pool on the rooftop with a wonderful view of the sea and Valletta. 

 

 

The indoor swimming pool of Grand Suites Hotel Residences & Spa

 

The outdoor swimming pool of Grand Suites Hotel Residences & Spa

 

 

The visitor can easily enjoy a walk along the marina of Gzira and Sliema and/or take the boat from the waterfront to the capital Valletta from the Sliema Ferry stop. 

 

St. Elmo Breakwater

 

We walked along the main seafront street of Gzira Triq Ix – Xatt, stopped for a coffee at The Black Sheep drink and dine, continued to Fort Tigné, Tigné Point, with excellent view of Valletta, and The Point Shopping Mall, excellent for your shopping or a break for a drink. 

 

 

Fort Tigné

 

The Point Shopping Mall

 

 

Tunnel under The Point Shopping Mall

 

 

We continued our walk through the streets of Sliema, ate at a waterfront restaurant, Trattoria del Mare - Malta Restaurant and returned to the hotel.