MALTA: DAY 1, THE FORTIFICATIONS, MALTESE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND MORE

 March 18, 2024

We had an uneventful flight from Catania, Sicily, to Valletta, Malta, where we were met at the gate by our fabulous guide, Julia. She has a master's degree in history and a special interest in the Maltese Knights, but she knew a lot about everything and was pretty open in expressing her opinion, which we really liked.

I knew absolutely nothing about Malta before this trip other than that it is an island. I didn't know it was located in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Tunisia. I didn't know the official languages are English and Maltese. I've discovered that it covers just 122 square miles and is the tenth-smallest country in the world by area. Its capital, Valletta, is the smallest capital city in the European Union by both area (.24 square miles) and population (about 5,200).

We were ferried around town in a large van with a driver. It was a relief to have so much space after our cramped transportation on Sicily, and nice not to worry about navigating. We started off our late afternoon and evening tour by walking along the 16th-century fortifications on one end of the island in the capital city of Valletta. They were added to over the next three centuries, but most of the original structures remain intact. As you might guess, they (along with the capital city of Valletta, which they protect) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I believe these next few photos are taken from across the harbor, looking at Valletta.

As you can see on the map below, Valletta is located on a rather small peninsula between two harbors, which I imagine leaves it vulnerable to attack:

Map from here

The fortifications encircle the city (but not the entire island):

I love this lookout:

The guard who stood here was the eyes and ears of the island, and so that is what is on the sides of the guardhouse: an eye . . .

. . . and an ear!

In one direction, we could see the old city.

In another direction, the 13th-century Fort St. Angelo looks about as solid as a fort can be and totally able to defend the island. It was interesting to see it from the outside before we went inside.

From cruise ships to rowboats--Malta has it all.

I interrupt this post to ask an important question. IS Coke Zero the "Best Coke Ever"? What do YOU think?

Malta became a Crown Colony of the United Kingdom in1814. Britain granted them self-governance after they stood up to the Axis powers in World War II, but it wasn't until September 21, 1964, that they gained their full independence from Britain. Apparently there are no hard feelings as this plaque commemorates a visit by the Duke of York (at that time Prince Andrew) in 1998.

By the way, Julia had a wonderful sense of humor as she talked about her country, outlining how practical the Maltese have been when it comes to converting to new religions so that they can save money in taxes, and also how they ingeniously defeated their enemies during World War II, sometimes using the philosophy that "my enemy's enemy is my best friend." Apparently they are a very sensible people. Julia also told us that Malta was a frequent target of the Luftwaffe and one of the most bombed countries in Europe during World War II, but they never gave up. 

Malta is beautiful in the early evening.

We made our way over to the fortifications and took at look at St. John's Bastion, apparently well known for being used in lots of different movies, including Game of Thrones, Gladiator, and Napoleon (which Julia hated). In fact, Malta is a very popular place for filming movies.  See a list of films shot in Malta here. Part of the reason for Malta's popularity with filmmakers is of course its antiquity but also the light limestone that provides such a great background for action movies.

Julia said that Malta's main industries are tourism, ship servicing/repair, and as a movie set. She said 40 to 50 movies are filmed on Malta each year. 

The first of three city gates, the Advanced Gate:

This is Pawlu (Paul) Boffa, the first Prime Minister of Malta from 1947-1950 when Britain first gave Malta home rule. He must be fairly popular because we saw him a few more times.

I include this panoramic video to show you what the area looks like, but also to catch the wonderful voice of our guide Julia, whose accent is apparently somewhat unique in its combination of Maltese, British English, and several other languages she grew up speaking.

I think this is the bridge over the moat.

The second gate, the Couvre Porte:

The Gate of Provence, aka the Main Gate, is one of the last to have been built.

The Maltese flag is a simple red and white, with white "in the hoist" (next to the pole) and red "in the fly." It was likely inspired by the flag of the Knights of Malta, which had a white cross on a red field. You may note that in the top left corner there is a cross. This represents the George Cross bestowed on Malta by King George of Britain in 1942 in recognition of Malta's courage during the war. It is controversial, with some wanting to replace it with the Maltese cross.

One of my most favorite things about Malta are these covered balcony windows, a legacy of the Arab rule days when women could not be looked upon by just anyone. With these curtained balconies, they could see out but not be seen. Julia told us that there are strict rules governing the design and the painting of these balconies.  For example, the balcony and the door and any additional windows that are part of the same property must be the exact same color.

Malta joined the European Union in 2004 and uses the euro as its currency. This large EU banner is not celebrating that union, however. Note the strands of barbed wire connecting the stars. The caption says, "The poor treatment of the migrants today will be our dishonor tomorrow."

Julia told us that Malta, like other European countries, struggles with the influx of undocumented immigrants from Africa.

Another of my favorite things about Malta was the very old residential neighborhoods in the nice part of town. These narrow streets look straight, but they don't stay straight for very long. They make sharp 45° or tighter curves every so often, and they are not marked with street names. Julia told us that is a creative defense mechanism. The residents behind those walls can hear people coming long before they arrive, but the people coming can't see very far down the street. Also, the bends make getting one's bearings difficult, and every house made of the same limestone and every street lined with two or three story buildings and paved with cobblestones look the same to someone not very, very familiar with the neighborhood. Genius.

These are meant to be pedestrian streets, but sometimes we saw small cars parked on the street, and a few motorcycles vroomed loudly past us, their engine noise reverberating between the walls. This street (below) really means it when they say "NO CARS."

Sometimes a figure in a niche way up by the balcony might mark a particular street.

Some of the houses' windows had lighted up Easter dioramas--crucifixion scenes, mostly, but also resurrection scenes. Easter was about two weeks away, and the sense of anticipation was lovely.

Yes, I can imagine a movie being filmed on this street!

The Maltese are very serious about their doors, and we saw some beautiful designs.

(By the way, Maltese poodles and Malteaser Malt Balls do not come from Malta.)

They are also very serious about the Maltese Knights, a Catholic religious order operating for the last 925 years. These European noblemen were granted the Maltese Islands by the king of Spain in 1530.

I just can't get enough of these streets, but all good things must come to an end . . . 

. . . and the end of the walk through the Malta Maze is the Chapel of Our Lady of Damascus, a former Greek Catholic church that is now part of the Oratory of St. Joseph. 

On the outside wall is a really beautiful sculpture and a listing of the names of those from this parish who died in World War II.

Strolling through Malta at night with a good guide is a must-do. It is quiet and safe and beautiful.

We could see St. Paul's Cathedral on the hill, which we would visit later on.

This is the 17th-century St. Lawrence Church, and it isn't really two separate pieces. There is a statue on a hill in front of it that appears to be cutting the church in two. During World War II, much of this church was destroyed by bombs, but it was rebuilt between 1949 and 1952.

The statue that obscures the center of the church is part of the Freedom Monument, a mound of dirt that represents an event on March 31, 1979, the day the British government closed down its military base in Malta. 

Well, that was a lot to cover in one afternoon on our first day in Malta. We were ready to be dropped off at The Gomerino Hotel, rated 9.6 on Hotels.com. It was . . . interesting. The architecture was really beautiful, but our room didn't quite meet the same standard.

Whoever came up with this bathroom design was overpaid. What a wet mess that open shower made.

We were tired, but luckily there was what looked like a pretty upscale restaurant next door, the Beati Paoli ("Blessed Paul"?).  Bob had rabbit liver as an appetizer, and Bob and Stan both had roast rabbit cooked in "traditional Maltese sauce." (Rabbit is a popular dish in Malta.) I had Garganelli Manzo Tartufo e Porcini, or penne pasta with beef, black truffles, porcini, parmesan, and cream, and it was delicious. Unfortunately, I can't remember what Chris had and I didn't take a picture of it.