Working Remotely in Malta: Barrakka Gardens

The last thing I explored while I was spending a week in Malta working remotely was Valletta. It was the most historically significant part of the island, and even though I have been there several times before, I still had little areas that I wanted to explore or perhaps see again. I was taking a walk on its perimeter, and eventually stopped by the Barrakka Gardens to take in the glorious views of the Grand Harbour.

Working Remotely in Malta: Casa Rocca Piccola

When I was in Malta for a week of remote working, I based myself in St. Julian's. This is more or less the island's entertainment district, but it was also the place with the most amenities, and interesting restaurants. It also had very convenient bus connections with the rest of the island, so on one of the days that I had free, I simply hopped on the bus, and headed to Valletta. While there, I checked out the Casa Rocca Piccola.

Working Remotely in Malta: Palazzo Falson

In November last year, I tried working remotely for a second time. The first time I tried it, I went to Budapest. And that was fun. So I did it again, and this time, I went to Malta. I found a good hotel deal, and thankfully, the WiFi was strong. I flew in one Saturday, and remained in the island for the entire week, flying back home on a Sunday. I had the weekends, the evenings, and one day for me. And in one of these free days, I went to places I haven't been before. The Palazzo Falson was one such place: I have been to Malta several times already, but there are still a few corners in the island that I haven't seen.

The Manoel Theatre

I was in Malta back in September. It was my second time there. I first visited back in January 2014, for vacation. And this time, I visited it for a conference. Hence, I didn't do any sight-seeing this time, with one exception. I went to the Manoel Theatre one morning, before heading to the conference venue. I wanted to see this place back then, during my first visit, but somehow I didn't have the chance.

Valletta!

Good news boy and girls, next month I will be heading to Valletta!

Meandering in Malta: Città Vittoriosa (Birgu)

The last thing I did before I left Malta was to head across the harbor from Valletta to see Città Vittoriosa, or more locally known as Birgu. It is a small city that sits on a long piece of land that juts into the harbor. It is a fortified city that played a huge role in the Siege of Malta.

Meandering in Malta: Rotunda of Mosta

One of the last things I saw in Malta was the Rotunda of Mosta. I always passed by this large dome of a church between Bugibba (where my hotel was located) and Valletta, hence the day before I flew back, I decided to stop by and check it out. It happens to be the third largest unsupported dome in Europe, and the fourth largest in the world.

Meandering in Malta: St. John's Co-Cathedral

St. Johns Co-Cathedral (Kon-Katidral ta’ San Ġwann) is located in Valletta. It was one of the most impressive buildings that I have seen during my visit, and therefore I heartily recommend this one whenever you are in town. It is a Baroque cathedral, and is considered to be one of the world's greatest cathedrals.

Meandering in Malta: The Palace State Rooms

Of course I visited the Grandmaster's Palace. This is found in Valletta, in a non-descript building, but once you enter, there are amazing thing inside. See, from the outside, most of the country's sights aren't spectacular. It's the interior that will sweep you away.

Meandering in Malta: Old Town Valletta

Finally, I am posting about Valletta. Valletta is the miniature capital of Malta, but even though it is small, there's plenty of things captured within. This is the second-southernmost capital in the EU (only Nicosia in Cyprus is further south), and it is also definitely very small. In fact, I can walk from the city gates to the end of the peninsula in less than an hour.

Meandering in Malta: The Carmelite Church in Mdina

I've found myself coming back to Mdina more than once. After all, it was a transport hub of some sort, and besides, I just loved the idea of a quiet walled city. So one day, I took another stroll, and found myself in the Carmelite Church. It was built in the latter half of the 17th century, and is rather exceptional in being a Baroque church that was built with the shape of an ellipse.

Meandering in Malta: Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra

Malta is peppered with megalithic temples. I have seen several of them, both in the island of Gozo as well as in the main island of Malta. In this post, I am showing pictures of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra. These are two temples that are within close range of each other, located in the southern side of the island.

Meandering in Malta: Armory Rooms in the Grand Master's Palace

As part of my Heritage Malta ticket, I was able to visit the Grand Master's Palace, and so I checked out the Armory Rooms. This is a medium-sized museum that chronicles all of the medieval arms popular during those days. After all, there is a huge swath of Maltese history that has something to do with the knights, so this museum exhibits their weapons.

Meandering in Malta: Mdina

Mdina was the old capital of Malta, situated in the center of the big island. It is a walled city, and was inhabited since around 4000 BC. Nowadays, it is nicknamed as the Silent City, and sure enough, the streets inside the walled city are rather quiet, and there are signs saying that noise is not tolerated after sundown.

Meandering in Malta: Domvs Romana

Seriously, folks, if you ever find yourself in Malta, get yourself a Heritage Pass ticket; it will save you lots of money when you opt to visit the abundant historical and archaeological things that the country has to offer. When I was in Mdina, I visited several museums and archaeological sites, including the Domvs Romana, which is a Roman-era house, dating from the 2nd century BC. It now functions as a historical museum, but there are several things in there that are worth noting.

Meandering in Malta: St. Paul's Catacombs

When I was in Rabat, I spent most of my time underground. Not only because Rabat was where St. Paul's Grotto was, but also it was the location of St. Paul's Catacombs. This is a huge subterranean system of catacombs, dating from the fourth to the ninth century. Currently, it is managed by Heritage Malta, and my Heritage Pass ticket allowed me to visit this place as well.

Meandering in Malta: The Wignacourt Museums

In Rabat, one can visit the Wignacourt Museums. This is a museum with several parts. There are catacombs, there is an art gallery, and there is an outdoor patio area, and overall, I can describe this museum to be a museum of things. There are just several different things that are all related to Maltese history and culture, that one can visit and see in here.

Meandering in Malta: Rabat World War II Shelters

I spent the majority of the day in Rabat underground. First it was the grotto, then it was the shelters. Malta was part of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatre in World War II, as it was a strategic British post. Hence, it was attacked by both Italy and Germany during World War II for a total of at least 2 years.

Meandering in Malta: St. Paul's Grotto

Malta is significant for Christianity, as the Bible states that Paul the Apostle was shipwrecked here, on his way to Rome. Hence, plenty of locations are associated with the name Paul in Malta, including this church and cave, popularly known as St. Paul's Grotto. It is now a museum, and is located in Rabat, just outside Mdina, in the middle of the island.

Meandering in Malta: Tarxien Temples

Malta is known for its megalithic temples. In fact, these are the first-known evidence of human habitation in the islands. Somehow, they all vanished, but they left their temples all over the islands. I have visited some of them in my trip, including the Ġgantija Temples in Gozo. This time, I visited the Tarxien Temples, which are located in the main island of Malta.