I wanted to fall in love with Malta. I really did.

Maybe it was the crowds. Or possibly the rain. Or perhaps it was because we didn’t venture beyond the capital city, Valletta. Or maybe it was just me.

Whatever the reason, Malta was one of those places that just didn’t touch my heart.

Sailing Into Valletta

The tiny island republic is an impressive sight when arriving by ship. Lying in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and the northern coast of Africa, Malta seems to suddenly rise out of the sea, golden-toned, ancient-looking and imposing. Its history is equally intriguing. Inhabited since 5900 BC, Malta was ruled at various times by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Knights of St. John, French and British. The walled city of Valletta was constructed in the mid-1500s by the Order of St. John, whose origins can be traced to the Knights of the Middle Ages.

A beautiful sail-in…
…with buildings the color of honey.
Passing the Siege Bell Memorial honoring the Matese citizens who died in World War II. A bell is rung every day at noon in their memory.
Valletta Malta Grand Harbour - the modern postcard
Valletta’s Grand Harbour.

The Barrakka Lift

The Regent Voyager arrived at about 8 a.m., docking at a berth beyond the port that required a water taxi ride to reach the terminal. Two ships with a combined passenger capacity of more than 5,500 were already in port – our first clue that we were in for a crowded day. Malta is the world’s tenth smallest and Europe’s fifth smallest country. Valletta is the smallest national capital in the European Union.

My plan for the day was to visit a couple of Valletta’s key attractions and spend the rest of the time exploring the city. Herb and I boarded the Captain Morgan water taxi about 8:30 for the quick ride to the cruise ship terminal. From there, we walked along the waterfront in search of the Barrakka Lift that takes visitors from the harbor to the Upper Barrakka Gardens and the streets of Valletta.

The Valletta Cruise Port Terminal.
Captain Morgan, our ride to reach the terminal.
It costs one Euro to ride the Barrakka Lift round-trip.
View of Valletta’s Grand Harbour from the Upper Barrakka Gardens, just outside the top of the Barrakka Lift.

St. John’s Co-Cathedral

Our early arrival combined with the morning rain led me to assume that our first stop at the city’s main attraction, St. John’s Co-Cathedral, would be a leisurely experience. Instead, we were greeted by an umbrella-decked crowd wrapped around the cathedral’s entrance. It wasn’t an unreasonable wait – maybe fifty or so people ahead of us – but once we reached the doorway, any hope of heart-felt feelings for this city began to evaporate as quickly as the raindrops on Valletta’s limestone streets.

Getting our tickets was a chaotic, fumbling scene, with one cathedral attendant practically tossing audio guides to visitors and another demanding that umbrellas be stuffed in plastic bags before we could get beyond the front desk. I wouldn’t describe the atmosphere as unfriendly. But it wasn’t friendly, either. I think the best way to characterize it is ambivalent. The people we encountered just didn’t seem to care. It was as if they were rolling their eyes, saying, “Here come the tourists again.”

And then there was the matter of the audio guide. Every time we’d finish a number on the guide, it would revert back to the beginning instead of moving on to the next spot. Herb and I tried with no luck to coordinate our guides, finally deciding to turn them off and walk through the cathedral on our own.

The cathedral itself is a gilded wonder of a place. Built between 1572 and 1577 by the Order of St. John, it is known for its opulent Baroque architecture, paintings by Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and ceiling frescoes by Mattia Preti. It’s impressive, to be sure, and easy to see why it’s a top destination. But it didn’t move me. Maybe I had spent too much time a few days earlier in the light-filled, joyous would of Barcelona’s Gaudí to be taken with all the glitzy Baroque-ness and the dark Caravaggio paintings.

Entering the nave.
The main altar.
The Maltese cross is evident throughout the cathedral as well as all over Valetta. Known for its eight points, it’s a symbol of the Knights of Malta.
The cathedral’s intricate marble floor features nearly 400 tombstones of Knights and officers of the Order.
St. John’s Co-Cathedral’s exterior architecture is a stark contrast to its ornate interior.

Casa Rocca Piccola

Our next stop was Casa Rocca Piccola, a privately owned 16th century palace that is home to a noble Maltese family. The tour’s description sounded interesting, but for me it turned out to be just okay. We were guided through various rooms, looking at the paintings, personal photographs and possessions of a family we knew nothing about. Our guide would point out items in each room – from dishes and furniture to books and collectables – and then allow us more than enough time to take a closer look. Many of the rooms seemed tired and in need of renovation. The tour left me feeling kind of empty, and both Herb and I couldn’t wait until it was over.

I took only one photo at Casa Rocca Piccola. The family parrot Kiku entertained visitors while waiting for the tour, squawking a few words and balancing on one foot.

Kiku the parrot, the best part of the tour!

Malta Postal Museum

We stopped in several cafés to check out menus and encountered the same ambivalent welcome we had found at St. John’s Co-Cathedral. It almost seemed as if the city wanted to close its doors for the day! The one bright spot we found was the Malta Postal Museum. The two young women working at the counter couldn’t have been more welcoming, even though we were only picking up stamps and postcards and not buying tickets to the museum.

The Malta Postal Museum, 135 Archbishop Street.

Maltese Balconies 

As morning turned to afternoon, specks of sun began to peek through the moody sky. I was hoping to photograph Valletta’s famous wooden balconies, and the break in the rain offered a window of opportunity. Painted in bold primary colors, these unusual structures jut out from the city’s residential and commercial buildings like little boxes, enclosed on all three sides with windows running along the upper half.

Republic Street

I couldn’t get over the commercialization as we walked down Valletta’s main thoroughfare. The vendors, street performers, crowds and carnival-like atmosphere made it feel as if we were at a modern-day State Fair instead of a 16th-century historic street. We continued all the way to the end – or actually, the beginning – to the Triton Fountain just outside the Valletta City Gate entrance.

Heading into the crowd on Republic Street.
The modern Parliament Building, completed in 1914.
Triton Fountain.
A tree-topped Valletta wall at the entrance to the city.

And then we saw it: A visual metaphor for our day in Valletta. We couldn’t help but laugh as Herb captured this video:

Sailing Away

It was raining again as we headed to the Barrakka Lift for the ride down to the waterfront. I usually stretch out our travel days as long as I possibly can, but this time I was ready to leave. The Captain Morgan bounding across the harbor was a welcome sight indeed.

Back on the Voyager, we watched the sail-away from our balcony as rows of Valletta’s wooden balconies slowly drifted by.

The Captain Morgan water taxi heads across Grand Harbour.
View of the Barrakka Lift from the water.
Victoria Gate, built by the British in 1885 and named after Queen Victoria, is the only surviving gate within the fortifications of Valletta. It serves as the main entrance to the city from the Grand Harbour.

The pilot boat leads us out of Grand Harbour.

I’ll never know why things didn’t quite work out with Malta. But for now, we were off into the sunset, ready to make some new memories.

8 Comments

  • Hi, Mary,
    Great post on Malta! Honest but fair. We felt the same way about the place, putting some of our disfavor squarely on the shoulders of our overly-professorial, overly-ponderous guide who had us fidgeting within the first ten minutes. Your word ‘ambivalence’ is perfect for the local attitude. Your photos, as usual, are great. Thanks! Happy Holidays to you, Herb and your family! Eric (and Kathy)

    • Eric, Thank you! “Honest but fair” really means a lot. I always struggle when writing about a not-so-positive experience. I’m glad to know – in a reality check sort of way – that you had a similar reaction to your day in Malta. It was great spending time with you and Kathy on our fabulous voyage. Happy Holidays to all!

  • Hi Mary! I loved Malta, but mostly because we did take a private tour to several parts of the island; the weather was perfect, so when the sun is out, I am always a happy camper. Thanks for your review, as I found it to be very well done.

    • Suzy, thank you for the kind words about the blog. I’m glad to hear that you had a positive experience in Malta. You were wise to explore the areas beyond Valletta, and it sounds like you had a terrific guide. Thanks so much for sharing your experience here!

  • I just discovered your blog. I’d be reading more of your travels.

    I arrived in Malta via a cruise too. I had the exact opposite reaction. I fell in love with Valleta and I am still waiting for the opportunity to go back again.

    I love how you write.

    • It’s always interesting to compare experiences about a destination. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for your kind comment about The Modern Postcard. I’m happy to hear that your time in Valletta made you want to return!

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