Meet me in Malta
In a desperate search for warm weather and a quick adventure, a fellow Fulbrighter and I booked four days on the Mediterranean island called Malta.
Our exact Google search was “warmest European country to visit in March.” Turns out, there are not many warm places to visit in March in Europe. The Canary Islands, Greece, and Cyprus were some of our only choices. After filtering for COVID restrictions, cheap airfare, and political stability, we landed on Malta.
Arriving in Malta on a Thursday morning, we smiled as the warm, breeze hit our faces. We quickly stripped off our outer layer and walked toward the car rental place. Laura, my travel companion for the next few days, promised to drive the whole time, because driving is NOT my favorite. She crunched the numbers and found it’d be cheaper and easier to get around with a car than taxis and public transportation. After much trepidation, I agreed to sit in the passenger seat while she drove us around on the LEFT side of the road in a foreign country.
I’ll skip the stories about roads that should have been one way but weren’t, the abundance of roundabouts, close calls, and countless confusing directions from strangers. Long story short, we survived in Malta and I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was to drive around the beautiful island.
If you have never considered going to Malta, I’d add it to your travel list! I found it to feel like a charming mix of the Amalfi Coast and Cuba. The bright blue sea called out to us everywhere we went. The architecture was charming and reminded me of the ruin bars in Budapest and the people were overwhelmingly friendly. The endless opportunities to engage with nature kept us active and in awe.
Here are my favorites if you plan on making the trip.
Cliff jumping at St. Peter’s Pool
Boat trip to the Blue Grotto
Restaurants and cafes in St. Julian’s Bay
Lattes at Cafe Cordina in Valetta
Popeye’s Village (a little touristy but also so cute)
Exploring the islands off of Valetta
There were definitely a lot of things we didn’t experience. It was not warm enough to sunbathe on any of the beaches and we didn’t make it across to the Blue Lagoon. If I ever go back, I’d love to see the Sunday farmer’s market and the island of Gozo.
