Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
Malta is a set of islands in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Northern Africa. Once connected to Sicily it developed a rich cultural heritage. Because of its strategic position it saw many rulers come and go, including the Knights Hospitaller and the British leaving their visible traces on the islands. As an important base during the Crusades or as an unsinkable air-carrier during World War II, war has always shaped the past of the islands.
Continue reading “Three islands”
The Rocky Bay of Gozo is an often-visited area on the island. Tourists get to this place to walk through a moonlike landscape with many small ponds engraved into the rocks by the sea. Often you can observe a rough sea here with high waves spreading their water when crushing against the rocks. It’s a magnificent place and there is also a small grotto.
Continue reading “Lost Azure Window”
The Wied il-Għasri gorge is a wonderful natural phenomenon at Żebbuġ on the island Gozo. You can walk down in steps and enjoy swimming at this very secluded beach, or you can hike above it and find cart ruts in the rocks with unknown origin. The gorge is 250 meters long and up to thirty meters wide.
Continue reading “Wied il-Għasri”
High above the city of Victoria on Gozo you can see a strong fortification, the Cittadella. It was created in medieval times and later became a home to the Knights Hospitaller. Over time the fortification lost its importance and was replaced by castles at the sea. Today you can walk on the remparts and enjoy good views on the island, visit the cathedral Santa Marija and explore three museums (natural history museum, ethnological museum, archaeological museum).
Continue reading “Cittadella”
The most important megalithic temple site on the island of Gozo is Ġgantija, located at Xagħra. It’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Megalithic temples of Malta’ and has good infrastructure with an exhibition at the entrance and a small shop at the exit. It was built from 3600 BC on and it received its name because people believed that a giant has built it. In fact, it must have been really hard work to move these giant stones around.
Continue reading “Ġgantija”
When you’re visiting Malta, you shouldn’t leave at the two smaller islands: Comino and Gozo. Comino is free of cars and has the wonderful blue lagoon as its main site. Gozo is much larger, offers amazing flat-top mountains, rocky beaches, and lots of history. If you want to get there you need to take ferry boats, all starting in Cirkewwa at the northern end of the main island.
Continue reading “Fun with ferries”
Visiting the two temples Ta’ Ħaġrat and Skorba belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Megalithic temples of Malta’ is like searching for treasures. Both are rather small megalithic temples hidden in villages belonging to Mġarr. Ta’ Ħaġrat is one of the oldest temple sites on Malta created from 3600 BC on and the bigger one of the two.
Continue reading “Ta’ Ħaġrat & Skorba”
A country located on islands needs an aquarium, for sure. If you don’t want to go diving in the sea you can still have a look at the animals living underwater: the Malta National Aquarium is located at San Pawl il-Baħar in the north of the main island. The building looks like a sea star and is home to around 175 distinct species of fish.
Continue reading “Dry diving”
What to do on Malta when it’s raining? Thats a question that nobody seems to be asking when coming to the island in high season when this situation occurs rarely. In low season I experienced days on which it was raining cats and dogs: the streets were flooded; people were sometimes turning the warning lights of their cars on because they couldn’t continue. Obviously even the road authorities of Malta don’t calculate with rain.
Continue reading “Esplora”
The St. Peter’s pool close to Marsaxlokk is no secret hint. Many people use the natural pool for swimming and especially for jumping into it. Boat tours bring tourists close to the rocks to enjoy the rough landscape. It is located on the peninsula protecting the harbor and behind a large power station which doesn’t hinder the pleasure.
Continue reading “Natural pool”