Weekends away: Valletta, Malta
Weekends away: Valletta, Malta
A small capital with a monumental past
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For a weekend of culture, history, good food and shopping, there are plenty of city breaks that spring to mind. Paris, Rome, Madrid… Valletta. Malta’s capital may not be the most obvious choice, yet with a flight time of around three hours from London and the promise of warmer, sunnier weather than many European capitals, it quickly proves itself an appealing proposition.
And so it was that I found myself boarding a flight in November, swapping grey skies for golden limestone and blue seas. Malta’s airport is refreshingly close to the city: within 15 minutes by taxi you can be in Valletta itself, or, as in my case, across the harbour in Sliema. My base for the weekend was the five-star Barceló Fortina, a modern high-rise hotel, complete with an adults-only spa with an indoor pool and access to the sleek Manta Lido across the road.
There are 183 rooms, many of which have floor to ceiling windows looking directly across the water to Valletta’s unmistakable skyline. By day, the city’s honey-coloured fortifications glow in the sunlight; by night, the domes, spires and bastions are beautifully illuminated. It is a view that never grows old and each time I returned to my room I couldn’t resist sitting on the balcony, even for just five minutes, to drink it all in. Inside, the room was calm and comfortable, decorated in muted tones that allow the scenery outside to take centre stage.
Arriving in the evening, it was reassuring to know I didn’t have to venture far for dinner. Manta Lido is home to two lively restaurants overlooking the sea. I opted for Tora, the Asian restaurant, where the menu offers familiar crowd-pleasers such as beef with black bean sauce and lemon chicken, alongside dishes like delicate mushroom dumplings. It was an easy, satisfying start to the weekend.
To make the most of a weekend in Valletta, I’d hoped to head out early but breakfast at the hotel’s Stella restaurant proved too tempting to rush. The vast buffet featured everything from fresh fruit and pastries to eggs cooked to order. Service throughout the hotel was warm and genuinely friendly, a theme that would continue throughout the trip.
To get from Sliema to Valletta, you can take a bus or taxi, or a five- to ten-minute ferry ride across the harbour.
Valletta was founded in 1566 by the Knights of St John following their victory over the Ottoman Empire in the Great Siege of 1565. Determined to create a capital worthy of their power and prestige, the knights designed a city that was both formidable and elegant.
The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has one of the highest concentrations of historical monuments in the world. It was intensely bombed in World War II and surviving buildings bear the scars. The city has been undergoing regeneration over the last few decades, blending the old and the new, and today feels immaculately restored yet still lived-in.
Wandering through the city is a pleasure. Narrow streets are overhung with traditional enclosed wooden balconies painted in shades of green and blue, laundry flutters overhead, and cafés spill out onto pavements. Between sightseeing stops, it’s essential to sample local snacks such as pastizzi, delicious flaky pastry parcels filled with ricotta or mushy peas.
One of Valletta’s most astonishing sights is St John’s Co-Cathedral. From the outside, it appears relatively restrained, but stepping inside is breathtaking. Every surface seems to shimmer with gold. The marble floor is made up of intricately inlaid tombstones marking the final resting places of prominent members of the order. The cathedral also houses two masterpieces by Caravaggio, including The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, considered one of the artist’s greatest works and the only painting he ever signed.
To delve deeper into the story of the Knights of Malta, a visit to one of Valletta’s museums is essential. Inside the 450-year-old Grand Master’s Palace, you’ll find a vast collection of armour showcasing the opulence of the Order of St John, as well as showcasing the impressively restored State Rooms.
For lunch, I headed to Trabuxu Bistro, a long-standing favourite with locals and visitors alike. Run by Krista and Kris Fenech Soler, it champions seasonal ingredients and offers a convivial atmosphere. Red-and-white checked tablecloths set the tone, and the wine list showcases excellent local producers. I opted for a beautifully cooked veal rib-eye, perfectly seasoned and paired with a glass of Marsovin 1919, a Maltese wine with real character.
By late-afternoon, it was time to return to the hotel, and specifically to the outdoor pool, which had been calling my name all day. As luck would have it, I had it entirely to myself (note that it usually requires pre-booking). While others enjoyed cocktails and early dinners at the Manta Beach Club, I swam a few blissful laps as the sun dipped behind Valletta’s skyline, turning the stone walls a deeper shade of gold.
Although it would have been easy to stay close to the hotel for dinner, I was keen to explore one more Maltese gem: Mdina. Known as the Silent City, this former capital sits inland and feels worlds away from the coast. Its narrow passageways, honey-coloured palaces and hushed atmosphere are especially enchanting at night. From the ramparts, there are sweeping views across the island, with Valletta twinkling in the distance. Dinner at The Medina Restaurant was suitably atmospheric; I chose seared duck breast fragranced with coriander and cumin, a refined end to a memorable day.
On my final morning, another excellent breakfast preceded a quick visit to Tigné Point next door, where there is a big shopping mall, with international brands and designer stores surrounding an open square.
What struck me most about Valletta was just how easy everything felt. The city is compact and walkable, the restaurant scene is diverse, and the depth of history is extraordinary for such a small capital. With the airport so close, the journey home was effortless: back to Gatwick and straight onto the Gatwick Express into London.
With Malta lying between Africa and Sicily, we enjoyed warm, sunny days in November, with temperatures hovering in the early twenties. Valletta has been named by travel platform Omio as the second sunniest spot in Europe (only pipped to the post by Nicosia, Cyprus) with 3,030 hours of sunshine a year.
For me, Valletta was a reminder that you don’t need much time or distance to feel truly away.
- Superior rooms at the Barceló Fortina start from around £140 per night.
Images: hotel photos by Manolo Yllera / Valletta via Unsplash
