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Ix-Xatt ta’ Spinola

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    • Malta
      Day 7

      Veganer Kuchen

      August 27, 2023 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

      Nach einer abenteuerlichen Busfahrt, bei der wohl selbst der Busfahrer aufgrund einer spontanen Straßensperrung keine Ahnung hatte, machten wir eine kleine Pause in einem Cafe mit selbstgebackenen, veganen Kuchen. Eine absolute Seltenheit auf dieser Insel und unglaublich lecker. Hier werden wir wohl noch mal wieder kommen.Read more

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    • TravelerMalta
      Day 2

      What to do in Valetta in the rain?

      October 5, 2017 in Malta ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

      As we leave the ferry in the rain I spot a sign for a free exhibition, "Fort Builders" so we duck in there. It's a detailed and interesting exhibition about the development of the fortifications of Malta over two millennia. Malta has been so historically significant in the Med due to it's superb location in the channel between Italy and North Africa, dividing the Med into the east and west basins, it has been blessed with a magnificent harbour and is easily defendable so that maintaining strong defences has been of paramount importance to its many occupiers.

      We leave and, hey, no rain! So we start wandering the streets to get a sense of this city. After a while we swing by Ortygia, a Sicilian restaurant, for lunch and enjoy a platter of meats and cheeses. Stepping outside afterwards it's clear we have, again, escaped the rain!

      We check out the city gates, the massive walls, wander the streets and finally end up in Upper Barakka Gardens shortly before the firing of the evening gun at 4pm. This cannon was traditionly fired twice daily at noon and 4pm to advise any ships in the harbour of the correct time.

      We drift down the city, passing the arrival of a bride at a church, ending up right at the end where the massive St Elmo's Fort guards the harbour entrance. No time for a visit today so we head back to the ferry.

      One's in but there is such a huge line waiting that they leave without a lot of people. We join the remaining queue for the next ferry and are 74th and 75th in line (some of us have too much time on their hands!). This crossing the coveted seats are outside on top and we get two of the last. We're straight on a bus after disembarking, and crawl back to San Giljan in the evening traffic.

      Next, a couple of asides...      Read more

    • TravelerMalta
      Day 2

      Maltese balconies

      October 5, 2017 in Malta ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

      As you wander the streets of Valetta, take the time to look up and you will see the unique Maltese balconies in abundance. Their origins are vague but one thought is that they were acceptable forms of decoration for the Knights whilst Valetta was being built. Others believe an Arab influence seems likely and it is a popular thought that women in the 18th century could sit hidden up there and watch the world go by.Read more

    • TravelerMalta
      Day 5

      To the Three Cities

      October 8, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

      Across the harbour opposite Barakka Gardens are three promentaries of land that create magnificent harbours. The end of each promentary was fortified. Three Cities, Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua, subsequently grew around the main inlet to support the forts. We're here to do a bit of exploring today.

      We bus, ferry, mini bus and ferry again to Birgu, catching the Noon Gun being fired as we cross the harbour. It's taken us two hours, mainly due to waiting for the ferry and ridiculous loading times. I'm beginning to go off the ferries.

      We cross round the top of the harbour to Senglea and walk the length of the quayside, admiring the harbour and town opposite. We climb up to the garden at the top for the sweeping views and walk the length of the pretty main street, before deciding on a quick pasta lunch down by the water.

      After that we walk back around to Birgu for a spot more pottering around the streets and view admiring. As we are here, we decide to visit Fort San Angelo.      Read more

    • TravelerMalta
      Day 5

      Fort San Angelo

      October 8, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

      There has been a fort on this spot since medieval times. The Knights of St John rebuilt it and during the 1565 Great Seige of Malta it became their headquarters. It was garrisoned by the British for nearly 180 years, until 1979.

      We're hot and sticky so decide it's time to leave. We see the ferry coming in and pick up speed. They execute an almost lightening turnaround this time and are already undoing the ropes as we yomp up! A few minutes later we're back in Valetta and take the lift to Upper Barakka Gardens, with the intent of returning to the other ferry for our journey home. Crossing Valetta, we are so close to the City Gate I suggest a bus might be quicker. It is. We're back less than an hour after jumping on the ferry.

      Dinner in Gululu is rabbit, followed by braised pork cheeks. Mmm...

      I've been keeping an eye on my pedometer and we've been averaging six miles a day. And, apart from the first two days, the weather has been really nice, probably hovering in the mid 20s and nice enough to sit outside first thing in the morning and in the evenings.      Read more

    • TravelerMalta
      Day 1

      Now we feel we're here

      October 4, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

      We settle in and gradually the clouds begin to break up. We're not talking clear blue skies but enough to give us a teaser of what to expect. A small glass of red improves matters and I can see this terrace getting a lot of use over the next week.

      Our dinner reservation tonight is at Wigi, just next to where we ate at lunchtime. We need to arrive early if we're going to get one of their coveted window seats. We do! But by five past seven all four window tables are gone. We have a lovely view across the water to Balutta Church.

      We enjoy Thai style calamari fritti and beef carpaccio with celeriac remoulade for starters. I retract my avowed dislike of celeriac and redesignate my dislike to cooked celariac. Main courses are a local fish called meagre, in a delicate olive oil and lemon sauce and pink rack of lamb served with Moroccan spiced vegetables. Mmmm. Predictably, I am defeated too soon, leaving John with some of the fish and most of the lamb to deal with...

      Then back for final drinks on our terrace, before an early night.      Read more

    • TravelerMalta
      Day 7

      A new plan

      October 10, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      We now need to rethink today. There is still plenty to see and do round here so our new plan is to visit the Palace of the Grand Masters in Valetta, have lunch and then catch the ferry back to Slimea and take a Two Harbours cruise. Sorted.

      The first bus is a direct one to Valetta which is a lot better than messing around with the ferry. We arrive and immediately change our plan by visiting St John's Co Cathedral, which was founded by the Knight's of St John. It became a co cathedral in the 1820s when the Bishop of Malta was allowed to use it as an alternative see to the one in Mdina, as it had, by then, become as important.

      Wow! Jaw droppingly lavish. It's in a whole different league to the many other churches we've visited here      Read more

    • TravelerMalta
      Day 7

      The Palace of the Grandmasters

      October 10, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

      We stop at Pappani's for lunch. We have a very tasty fish soup and a cheese and meat plate. Both are starters but that's plenty for us. Replete, we continue on our way.

      We enjoy the Palace. Like anything to do with the Knights, lavishness and opulence seem to be key words. Our visit also includes a trip to the Armoury which has an extensive and fascinating array of weapons and armour from the time of the Knights. A suit of armour with decorations in gold? Nothing was too good for these Knights!Read more

    • TravelerMalta
      Day 7

      Two Harbours Cruise

      October 10, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

      We bus back to Slimea from Valetta and stroll the quay to find a cruise. As it's late it turns out there's only one left today, leaving at 5pm. But it's a luzzu, there are only a few people on board and we can have a beer so all is well.

      It's a thoroughly pleasant trip. The sun is shining, we have beer and we're out on the water. Puttering along you can see how fantastic this harbour is - sheltered, lots of different inlets and big. No wonder it has been so strategically important for so long.

      We see the Grand Harbour first and then swing round Fort St Elmo into the Three Cities harbour. There are three cruise liners in today which probably explains why Valetta seemed very crowded earlier. The industrial part of the port can hardly be described as attractive but it's a working port so this is a necessity.

      The queue at the bus stop afterwards is massive so we cunningly walk back one stop to be ahead of them. Our ploy doesn't work as not one, not two but four buses sail past all packed to the gunnels. After at least twenty minutes one finally let's us on. It, too, is packed but we're on the move. We're heartily sick of the buses now.

      Dinner's at Bianco's this evening. We enjoy a trio of Maltese sausages, don't enjoy a beef cappuccino much and enjoy the pizza with double mozzarella and Parma ham.

      I bring up the subject of Gozo tomorrow and the buses. We're both in agreement : we can't be bothered with hassle of the buses so we're not going to go...zo      Read more

    • TravelerMalta
      Day 8

      The War Rooms

      October 11, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

      We decide on the Lascaris War Rooms, beneath Barakka Gardens, this morning. The tunnels were dug deep into the bedrock in 1854 and played a vital role in the defence of Malta during WW2. Malta suffered sustained bombing from the Axis troops and the quick responses of Allied fighter planes, controlled from these War Rooms, was critical to the survival of Malta.Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Ix-Xatt ta’ Spinola, Ix-Xatt ta' Spinola, Spinola

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