Malta: A jewel in the Mediterranean
Dec 5 2010 By Adrian Osmond
The British influence on Malta is noticeable in more than the fact that virtually everyone speaks English.
Hidden down a back street of the capital Valletta is a small pub called, simply enough, The Pub.
This is the place where hellraiser (and actor) Oliver Reed enjoyed his final drinking session before collapsing and dying of a heart attack in 1999. An extra line – Ollie’s last pub – has now been added to the sign outside and the venue is a favourite with tourists. It’s definitely worth a visit.
But don’t get the idea this tiny island is just about partying. There are so many places to see.
Malta is blessed, although in the past that could read “cursed”, with a berth in the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa. It has been fought over by many nations in its long history. The result is a fascinating land of architectural and cultural variety.
Malta is ideal for a short break. I stayed in the centre of the island, in the fabulous ancient walled city of Mdina – the former capital.
With the luxurious Xara Palace hotel as my base, I spent three days whizzing around some of the island’s varied attractions before heading back to the hotel for top quality food and hospitality.
And the hotel’s location is perfect. Perched on a hilltop it forms part of the wall around Mdina. The 17 individually-designed rooms boast dizzying views down and across the island or into Mdina itself.
Malta is a favourite destination for people from the UK looking for warm winters and hot summers, a largely gentle pace of life (if you don’t venture out on the chaotic roads on your own) and some spectacular beaches.
One of the island’s main attractions is its history. This tempting spot was colonised by the Phoenicians around 1,000BC. They were followed by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, French and finally the British, before Malta became independent in 1964.
All left their mark but the main existing developments date from around the time of the military religious order the Knights of Malta who spent more than a century guarding Christian Europe’s southern borders from invasion by the Ottoman Empire.
They, like me, were based in Mdina, the Silent City. Stepping through the towering walls feels like moving back several centuries in time. Few cars are allowed inside and it is home to a few hundred people who live among the peaceful, ancient alleyways.
No visit to Malta would be complete without visiting Mdina. Outside its walls the rest of the island has moved with the times.
After a visit to the pretty fishing village of Marsaxlokk, complete with brightly painted boats and busy market, it was on to the island’s current capital.
Valletta is home to the booming business sector and some sparkling nightlife. The glitzy clubs are concentrated in just a few streets where the beautiful people congregate.
Despite its long and eventful history, the city seems youthful and buzzing. But everywhere there is a mix of the old and new.
Incongruously close to Ollie’s last stand is St John’s Co-Cathedral, featuring spectacularly gaudy decoration as well as some gems including The Beheading of John the Baptist by Caravaggio and works by Malta’s own art superstar Mattia Preti.
After spending the days wandering around the island’s attractions, it was a pleasure to return to the Xara Palace for a spectacular meal cooked by chef Kevin Bonello in the rooftop de Mondion restaurant overlooking the bright lights of the island.
The setting was spectacular, the ambience relaxed and the food perfection.
Even Ollie would have approved.
TRAVEL FACTS
Adrian flew with Air Malta which operates scheduled services from numerous UK airports.
Room-only rates at the Xara Palace start from around £140 per room, per night.
The Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux, Misrah il-Kunsill, Mdina, MDN 1050, Malta. www.xarapalace.com.mt Tel : (00 356) 21 450 560 or email info@xarapalace.com.mt
For more information, contact the Malta Tourism Authority Tel: 020 8877 6990 or www.visitmalta.com
