Where can you get sunshine almost every day of the year?
Where else can you stay in the same hotels as the Queen herself? Where else has the cleanest waters of anywhere in the EU?
It’s Malta! QX had the pleasure of visiting this delightful isle last year and it’s definitely a secret you should know about. It’s beautiful, cultural and accepting, plus it’s got amazing food and nightlife! And don’t get us started on the handsome men….
The capital city Valletta has been named the European Capital of Culture for 2018 and it’s easy to see why, as the architecture is stunning. For a place that started life as a military stronghold, the buildings are a striking mix of fortress and Mediterranean city.
Take a stroll in the morning through the city and you can see totally modern Zumba classes taking place in the ancient square, a wonderful mix of old world and contemporary that really encapsulates present-day Malta.
It’s an island so beautiful that several of its most stunning vistas have been used as a location for television programme Game of Thrones.
The island’s original capital city of Mdina is an eerily surreal and beautiful citadel, located in the picturesque countryside of the island and has played host to several scenes during the show’s run.
Another famous location for GoT fans is the Azure Window, a striking 30 metre tall rock formation that was used as the setting for Daenerys and Drogo’s wedding scene.
Located a short ferry ride from Malta on it’s sister isle, Gozo, it’s well worth a day trip to soak in the splendour of this natural wonder.
Speaking of weddings, Malta’s also a hugely popular place to get married, on an island well known for being a lover’s haven, so maybe take this into account when you’re popping the question to your husband-to-be!
We mentioned that the waters were some of the cleanest in the EU and that’s nowhere more apparent than in the seafood!
Try the amazing shellfish on offer at restaurants like Munchies and you’ll never want Birdseye fish fingers again. If you’re not a fan of eating the fish though, you can always swim with them instead.
Malta was recognized as the 3rd best diving destination at the DIVER awards in 2015, with gorgeous underwater vistas to explore, so pack your flippers, girl! Or if you don’t want to get your hair wet, take a boat ride around the bay with one of the friendly boatmen in Valletta.
The island is also totally LGBT friendly. Last October, to coincide with the legalization of civil unions on the island, Malta hosted their first-ever same-sex marriage fair.
They have their own Malta Pride celebration every year, plus great little gay bars like Morpheus, as well as AXM bar. They’re the places for a holidaying gay to see and be seen (plus drool at the gorgeous European boys on vacation).
All in all, our week in Malta was a proper good getaway! We’d recommend it to anyone who fancies a week in the sun or even wants to get married amongst some gorgeous architecture and friendly, welcoming community of islanders. More Malta please!
• To find out more about Malta and how to get there, check out these links:
Twitter: @visitmaltauk #visitmalta
Facebook: www.facebook.com/visitmalta
Instagram: http://instagram.com/visitmaltauk
