We left Cascais on Saturday, June 17, 2023, to catch the Ryanair flight to Lisbon at around 7:30 pm. Our original flight purchased at the beginning of February was at 6 pm, but the company made a change and we accepted after researching the competition and seeing that everything was much more expensive.

We had an early dinner at the airport with the kids and boarded the plane to Malta on time. The flight lasted 3h30 and was a bit annoying with Juju being restless the whole time, but at least Paddy slept and we were able to take turns with the little one.

NOTE: This post is part of a series of articles about a 1-week trip to Malta. Read the summary of the whole trip here.

Arriving in Malta

When we left the airport lobby in Malta, we walked to the left towards the Uber stop indicated in my guidebook. There we ordered a car and although the waiting time on the app was 3 minutes, our driver arrived almost 20 minutes late due to some traffic problem. We didn't quite understand what he was explaining in his English that was heavy on Bangladesh, India, Pakistan or similar... lol

We arrived at our hotel 115 The Strand Hotel by NEU Collective (8.3 rating on Booking) in Sliema without any problems and we really liked the modern reception. Check-in was super quick because my brother had already paid our part in advance and as it was almost 1 am, we went straight to the room to sleep to enjoy the next day.

We didn't really like the room with no view, which was cramped and didn't have an extra bed for Patrick, but the next day I managed to get one for him and we didn't have to sleep so cuddled up anymore (although I loved it!).

Sunday – 06/18/2023

Day to meet Ditch, the famous Maltese capital!

We were woken up by our mini humans, had a nice breakfast with my brother and his boyfriend, and then went out for a walk.

Ferry from Sliema to Valletta

We crossed the street in front of the hotel and walked along the waterfront to the pier where the boat to Valletta left. I was surprised at how hot it was! It's been a while since we've felt 30 degrees on our skin living in Cascais, so my thermal water helped to cool everyone down.

We bought the tickets for ferry round trip (2.80 per person) and we made the 15 minute crossing upstairs with the sun on our heads. We all loved the ride, especially the kids. The views are incredible!

Ditch

We put the kids in the stroller and went to explore the city, which to our surprise was empty, empty. Could it be because it was Sunday? I don't know for sure, but I thought it was great...lol.

Curiosities

Some interesting facts about the aforementioned:

• The city was built in 1565 after the Siege of Malta, a crucial episode in the country's history, when the Knights Hospitaller of St. John bravely resisted the siege by the Ottoman Army. There were 6,000 men against 40,000, and the minority won.
• It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, due to its historical and architectural value.
• It has an area of just 0.8 km², making it one of the smallest capitals in the world.
• It was European Capital of Culture in 2018.
• Valletta is known for its colorful balconies, called “gallarijas”, which adorn many of the city’s buildings.
• It has served as the setting for several famous film productions, including “Gladiator” and “Murder on the Orient Express”.
• There are about 6 thousand people living there.

St Johns Co Cathedral

We followed our guide's map and first went to see the St Johns Co Cathedral, but we had to be quick as a mass was about to start in a few minutes. Built between the 16th and 18th centuries, it has a magnificent Baroque façade and a stunning interior. Its walls are adorned with spectacular artwork and frescoes, created by some of the greatest masters, such as Caravaggio. We were also impressed by the beauty of the floor.

Look how beautiful:

Upper Barrakka Gardens

After climbing some hills and descending others, we arrived at Upper Barrakka Gardens and we were surprised with an Eco Festival going on, with stalls, music and a vibe very nice. We enjoyed the views from different viewpoints, took lots of photos, had some drinks, bought ice cream for the kids and sprayed the thermal water to cool down a bit. It was so hot!!

We continued walking towards our next destination, Holy Infirmary of Valletta, and I was annoyed by the horrible sidewalks for strollers/wheelchairs. We often had to walk through the streets in the middle of cars, which was not at all easy with a 5-year-old who sometimes wanted to run around. In short: it is not a city baby friendly..lol.

Holy Infirmary of Valletta

When we arrived at the attraction, we were informed that it was closed due to a conference. Unfortunately, Google Maps didn’t know this and let us cross the city to see the attraction that was “open”. It was a shame, because I really wanted to see the main wing of the infirmary, which is 155 meters long and was the largest in Europe at the time of its construction. The photos I saw on Google are impressive!

A summary of the location: Founded in 1574, the infirmary originally served as a hospital for the Knights of St. John and was later expanded to serve the local population as well. Over the centuries, the Holy Infirmary has become known for its dedication to providing quality healthcare and charity to those in need.

Having lunch in Valletta

We left the entrance to the Infirmary and went looking for a restaurant nearby. We passed by Wuestenwinds Beach, a nice beach with lots of colorful little houses that I think belonged to fishermen, and we arrived at the restaurant Alexander´s by Zizka, which luckily had a table for us.

It's right at the entrance to the Lower Barrakka Gardens and their menu has several pastas, some of which were even specialties of Malta. Mine unfortunately came out too spicy for my taste, but I tried the other dishes and really liked them. We were unlucky enough to have a grumpy waiter around and the sun shining on one part of the table, but in the end the balance was positive.

Lower Barrakka Gardens

We then walked in the garden next door, Lower Barrakka Gardens, we took photos and continued walking around the city.

The heat was so unpleasant that we thought it best to go back to the hotel and enjoy the pool. We passed by a very tree-lined square, right in front of the National Library, and we love the vibe with several bars and cafes with tables outside, street artists, etc. Look how cool:

Ferry from Sliema to Valletta

We walked towards the pier ferryboat and luckily for us, as soon as we arrived, there was a boat arriving from Sliema. We thought the view from Sliema was pretty cool too, but it doesn't compare to the view from Valletta, of course.

Sliema

Hotel Beach Club

We went straight to the beach club in front of our hotel, Aqualuna Malta, and my brother managed to get us some great sun loungers when we least expected it. Juju continued to sleep in the stroller even with the loud music, to my delight, my son jumped into the pool with his swimming goggles and I could finally relax with a drink and put my feet up while sunbathing. Life was great… We ordered snacks and drinks, took a dip in the pool to cool off and only left when they closed the pool to everyone. It was good while it lasted!

Hotel coverage

We crossed the street and went up to the hotel roof to see the view. Wow!!! Spectacular.

We relaxed on the sun loungers and then in the jaccuzzi until it was time to get ready for dinner. Easy peasy.

Dining in Sliema

We asked at reception about restaurants with Maltese cuisine and the receptionist gave us the same tip as my guide: Ta Kris.

We walked there without really knowing what we were going to see, and we were surprised by the energy of Sliema. So much hustle and bustle, so many cool restaurants! We were really excited about what we saw.

We arrived at the Maltese restaurant and it was packed, as were several others after it, but we luckily managed to get a great table at Tiffany's Bistro. Delicious food, excellent service, vibe delicious. We loved it!

We walked back to the hotel and bed. I was impressed with how much the kids enjoyed the day! I am so proud of my little travelers. 🙂

NOTE: This post is part of a series of articles about a 1-week trip to Malta. Read the summary of the whole trip here.