Index
Day 1: Flying
Day 2: London
Day 3: St. Julian's
Day 4: St. Julian's
Days 5/6: Valletta
Day 7: Mdina
Day 8: Gzira
Day 9: Gozo
Day 10: Return
Malta
With the weekend finally here, spent a leisurely day heading up the coast towards Gozo. First stop was Mellieha (Santa Maria Estate), which was another typical Maltese town-- although they had a more modern section just a few blocks away from the old parish church/historic area. Our plan A for lunch was closed, there was no plan B, so ended up at (sigh) another tourist trap that at least had some World War II history. Massive portions and so-so quality, but at least it was extremely affordable (and yes, we waaaaay over-ordered). A coffee shop a few doors north proved a bit more enjoyable, and then it was off to Cirkewwa, for the ferry to Gozo.
Gozo, a quick 20 or 25 minute ferry ride away, is supposedly beautiful, with one historic city, and supposedly some of the most clear water in the area. We were perhaps a bit too leisurely today tho, and by the time we made it to Gozo, we barely had time for a quick walk around the (decidedly unimpressive) harbour before having to head back to Malta for dinner.
Dinner, at least food-wise, was pretty good. We'd gotten the octopus pasta as take-out from Palio's Trattoria at the hotel earlier in the trip, and tonight's meal continued the trend. Despite having a reservation, the rest of the experience was kind of meh. The entrance/first dining room is beautifully done, but the main dining room has a low ceiling and insufficient ventilation to keep up, plus we ended up right by the kitchen-- a decidedly different and less enjoyable vibe.