Valletta (Day 2)

So no Turkey or cranberry sauce, but we had a very nice birthday dinner at Wigi’s Kitchen https://www.wigiskitchen.com/ last night!

Today we took a ferry to Valletta, Malta's capital. This is one of the world's smallest capital cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The steep streets of this historic district wind through the sandstone architecture with colorful balconies and 370 views of the harbor below.

Malta's history spans over 7000 years, starting with its Neolithic period when the mysterious temple builders constructed awe-inspiring megalithic temples, such as Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra (we’re hoping to visit those on Saturday, weather permitting!)
Over the years the islands of Malta were successively inhabited by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Knights of St. John, French, and British. The islands gained independence from Britain in 1964 and joined the European Union in 2004.
Each culture left its own mark which makes this such a layered and unusual place!

We kicked off our tour of Valetta at the Triton fountain. Next up was an audio tour of St. John's Co-Cathedral with its over-the-top baroque interior and two famous Caravaggios! After an early lunch at Trattoria Romano Zero Sei (and an escape from the rain) we walked to the National War Museum at Fort St Elmo. This multimedia-enhanced museum was a fun surprise.

We finished our ~15,000 step tour of Valletta in the Upper Barrakka Gardens which held a 4:00pm canon salute (done daily for tourists) and a beautiful sunset.

Alex was in charge of dinner again tonight, but this time it was hands on (see photo). And of course, it was delicious!Read more