Malta

The sail to Malta took around nine hours in near perfect conditions. We’d planned to anchor in a small bay on the west coast of Gozo, the second largest of the Maltese islands.  The last few nights had been spent in marinas along the south coast of Sicily and we were eager to swim and have some fun with our boat toys.

We arrived at Dwejra Bay mid-afternoon. The first thing we noticed was the huge rock sitting in the entrance to the bay, named Fungus Rock. As we motored in to look for a good spot, we were blown away by the huge rocky cliffs that surrounded us. It was so beautiful. There were six other boats already there, but the bay was large enough that we could comfortably drop anchor without getting too close to any of them.

At the back of the bay was a rocky platform with some doors that appeared to open into the rock.  There was also a set of stairs leading up to the top of the cliff.  Over the course of the afternoon we watched people come and go up and down the stairs from the top of the cliff but never found out where the doors led to.

As soon as we anchored, we launched our boat toys – the kayak, paddleboard and some blow up rings – and spent the rest of the day swimming, floating and paddling around the bay.  We made dinner on the boat and watched the sun set over Fungus Rock.  It was the perfect end to a very fun day!

We reluctantly motored out of the bay the next morning and continued along the south coast of Gozo looking for somewhere else to stop. Our plan was to spend a couple of nights on Gozo before heading to a marina we’d booked in Valletta. 

I’ve visited Gozo once before but had not seen much of it from the water and was surprised to see that most of the coastline was made up of huge rock cliffs.  I was also shocked to see how much development was taking place on what was once a sleepy island.  As we motored past Xlendi Bay, I counted six cranes and many new buildings. Most of the bays were filled with tourist boats. We continued on, a bit disappointed that there was nowhere suitable to drop anchor, and decided to check out Comino, the small island that sits between Malta and Gozo. 

Comino is famous for its blue lagoon and hordes of people visit every day on tourist ferries and small power boats.  It is also close to where the ferries cross between the two larger islands, all of which meant total chaos as we got closer to the island.  We eventually made it through to the quieter side of Comino where we found a small bay to stop for the night. There was an old hotel close to the water that looked like it hadn’t been used for many years.

We’d noticed some food vans near the blue lagoon and as it is a very small island, we figured we could walk across to them and find something for our dinner.  After swimming and relaxing on board, we took the dinghy to shore. As the old hotel was fenced off, we looked for somewhere that would give us access to the rest of the island. This turned out to be much trickier than we’d thought. On one side of the bay, the only access was to climb up some rocks. Some of our group tried this and suggested we find another way. The rest of the group were dropped off near the fence with a plan to find a way through.  It was on old fence … surely there’d be an opening somewhere.  After much searching, we found a hole in the fence and managed to scramble through.

The remainder of the walk was easy and as we approached the bay, we could smell food cooking. Despite there still being a few hundred people there, many of the food trucks were closed. Fortunately, a kebab van was open.  There was another van selling cocktails in hollowed out pineapples. Almost everyone appeared to be very young. It was clearly a popular stop for backpackers.  We ordered our kebab and found a spot on some rocks to eat and take it in all in, before heading back to the boat before dark.  It was not the dinner we’d planned, but was interesting, nonetheless.

After a very peaceful sleep and an early morning swim in the crystal-clear water of the bay, we lifted anchor and headed to Valletta, where we would spend the next few days. Three of our friends were departing and another joining us for the final few weeks of our journey.

As we sailed down the coast towards Valletta, we were again astounded by the number of cranes and new buildings we could see from the boat. I’d stayed at St Julians many years before and found it now unrecognisable as we sailed past. I’m sure the building boom is good for the Maltese economy but I was a bit sad to see the beautiful island had changed so much. 

We’d booked a berth at a marina on the north side of Valletta near Manoel Island but wanted to see Grand Harbour from the boat, so took a detour before checking in.  Most of the people on the boat had never been to Malta before this trip and were blown away by the beauty and grandeur of the old town as we sailed into the harbour.  

Our marina was in a great location, with a view across to the old city and an easy walk to shops and restaurants.  We were ready for lunch and some air conditioning once the boat was secured and found a sushi bar nearby.  The menu was extensive and we were tempted by so much of it.  The sushi tacos were a must and didn’t disappoint … a crispy seaweed shell filled with tuna, salmon, prawns or vegetables. It was all so good and we vowed to eat their again before we left Malta. 

That evening we had dinner at a nearby fish restaurant, recommended by the owner of the marina and then went looking for an ice-cream shop.  The walk took us through the streets around the marina. There were many restaurants and bars, but also lots of food vans. The view across the water to the old town was lovely and we relished the cool evening as it was much hotter in Malta than we’d experienced so far on this trip.

Hop-on, hop-off buses are a great way to see a city and in Malta they take you over the entire island.  Early the next day we caught the bus that covered the southern part of Malta as it would stop at Marsaxlokk, a lovely fishing village. It was a very hot day and the bus wasn’t air conditioned.  By the time we reached Marsaxlokk, we were desperate for some shade and a drink.  The next bus was an hour away and we figured we’d have plenty of time for a look around once we’d cooled down. We found a nice restaurant with some shade and a large fan and ordered drinks.  Forty-five minutes later we were still there and decided it was way to hot to be wandering around so walked back to the bus stop and finished our tour of the south end of Malta. It was an interesting trip but not quite what we’d planned.

We continued on the bus until we reached Valletta and got off near a very tall lift that takes you up to a terrace with views across the Grand Harbour. From there we wandered into the centre of the old city and spent the next few hours exploring the shadier streets, before heading back to the boat. Two of our friends were departing the boat the next day and took us out for a beautiful seafood dinner at a restaurant in nearby Sliema.

I often do food related tours, or cooking classes when I travel. It is a great way to meet locals and learn about the history of a city and its people.  I found a food and culture tour of Valletta online and the next morning three of us took a cab to the city gate to meet our guide. We started with a talk about the history of the city and learned that it had been extensively bombed during World War II.  Many of the buildings that we’d assumed were original, have been rebuilt since, mostly with EU funding. As a UNESCO heritage listed site, they are required to use similar architecture to the existing buildings. The new Parliament House is a good example of how this has been achieved, using the same stone as the older buildings but with a modern, complementary design. There is still some rebuilding to be done, including the Opera House, but the city is a stunning example of how to retain original character and style, despite devastation and loss.

Our first food tasting was a traditional Maltese pastizzi, made with filo pastry and filled with a mixture of mushy peas flavoured with onion and curry spices. As we continued the walk our guide talked about the history and significance of some of the grander buildings we passed. Along the way we stopped to taste a few other local treats, finishing with a three-course lunch at a restaurant where we tried the traditional rabbit stew.  All the food was delicious and we left the tour very full and knowing a lot more about Maltese history, culture and traditions.

That night we went searching for a Thai restaurant we’d seen online. We loved the local Italian and Maltese food but needed some of the Asian flavours we take for granted at home. After walking up and down the street a few times we discovered it at the back of a cool bar filled with locals partying and watching the European Cup.  The food was all that we’d hoped for and the atmosphere was lots of fun, with the soccer being played on big screens and lots of cheering from the crowd.  Regardless of who is playing, the people in both Italy and Malta come together in bars and restaurants to watch the game and cheer along their favourite team of the night. 

On our bus trip around the island we’d missed visiting Mdina, Malta’s original old city and capital. We took an Uber early the next day to check it out. The city was virtually empty when we arrived but a few hours later when we were ready to leave, it was packed with people. Perfect timing!  

Later that day, we went back to the old town for a final dinner with Janette and Gerard who had been on board with us since Trapani. After a delicious seafood meal, we wandered about the streets enjoying the cool night air and the sights and sounds of the old town. We walked back to the terrace overlooking the Grand Harbour and were delighted to see fireworks being launched from somewhere in the distance.

We also farewelled my brother Terry the following morning.  He’d been travelling with me for a month and had been on board since we launched the boat. It was his first time sailing with us, but he easily settled into life on board and became an integral part of the crew who would be missed. 

Our sail back to Sicily was rough and took a bit longer than we’d hoped. As we approached Licata, there was a spectacular lightning display across southern Sicily which went for several hours and included unusual shapes, such as the figure eight, that we’d never seen before.  

Over the next three days and nights we sailed back to the west coast, stopping at Licata, Sciacca and finally Marsala where we met an agent who had been hired to take care of requirements for checking out of the EU and Italy. He had done much of the paperwork before meeting us and picked us up the day before our departure to have our documents and passports stamped. We were required to leave Italy within 24 hours of our official exit time which was 8am the following day.

As we hadn’t already visited Marsala, we walked into the old part of town for dinner and a look around. It was a long walk but worth the effort.

After lunch the following day, we dropped our lines and sailed out of the marina towards Tunisia. The entire trip would take about 20 hours and we’d be sailing through the night. We had little idea of what to expect when we arrived but as we sailed past the Egadi Islands, hoped for a smooth passage to our destination.