Malta & The Islands II

Mellieha

It’s sunny but not hot, as the season transitions from winter to spring. My boyfriend -LB- and I travel for an hour on an air-conditioned passenger bus from Valletta to Mellieha, a village in the northern part of Malta.

We get off the bus at its last stop in Golden Bay: a stretch of gleaming sand facing the azure expanse of the Mediterranean Sea.

Even with the sun, it’s not warm enough to swim. So we stroll instead, bare feet on soft sand, slippers held in one hand, palms clasped with the other. The view ahead is of bubbly waves breaking on the shore, and an endless blue ocean framed by pale brown rocky hills.

From Golden Bay, we try walking to Miracle Beach but have to call a car when we realize the route is on a two-lane road, with no sidewalk to keep us safe from oncoming traffic.

Turquoise waves swell toward the shore at Miracle Beach, and I feel the urge to run straight into the water; I don’t, but I would have in the warmth of summer.

Our last stop in Mellieha is Popeye Village: an old movie set that’s been converted into a theme park.

The attraction is closed for construction, but we’re still able to see the colorful display of wooden houses and the jagged cliffs that dip into Prajjet Bay.

Gozo

A taxi driver takes us from Mellieha to the ferry terminal in Cirkewwa, where a boat is boarding passengers to Gozo. In my seat, I close my eyes, stretch out legs that are tired from walking, and try to nap for the 25-minute ride that’s separating me from lunch.

We choose to eat in the sunroom at One80 Kitchen, whose floor-to-ceiling glass windows face the Marina, and fill the room with warm daylight. Outside the windows, brightly-colored sailboats float in neat rows by the dock.

As starters, we have fresh bread and goat cheese that’s made on the island, crispy fried fish, and a juicy hamburger slider. Our entree is a spread of grilled, well-seasoned chicken and lamb, served on a steaming platter with thin strips of salted fries.

As the day crawls into evening, we leave the restaurant to Gozo’s capital city, Victoria. From the backseat of our taxi, I can see the sand-colored walls of the 500-year old Ciutadella looming majestically over the city. Inside, a maze of staircases and arched alleyways lead us to a lookout point with panoramic views of the quiet town beneath us.

Back in another car, we travel to Xlendi Bay, our final stop in Gozo. Here we walk along a smooth concrete path overlooking the ocean and watch as the first pale hues of sunset stain a blue sky.

Good to Know

• Malta is made up of 3 major islands: Malta, Gozo, and Comino 

• The best way to get around Malta is by car: it could be Bolt (which seemed more accessible than Uber), hiring a private driver, or renting a car. 

• If you choose to rent a car, be aware that the roads are narrow and may be more difficult to navigate for that reason. 

• We took a bus from Valletta to Mellieha (€2), and then a ferry (€7.50), from Cirkewwa to Gozo.

• If you want to travel to the different islands, I recommend booking to stay at least 4-5 days in Malta. If you’re planning to only visit Valletta and her sister cities, then 2-3 days is okay. 

• We only paid for transportation and food on this day; entry to the beaches, the Ciutadella, and Xlendi Bay was free. 

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I have been wanting to visit Malta since I wrote about it on my blog here, and I’m so thankful I got to fulfill that dream this year. If we could have planned a longer trip, I would have, but I’m grateful that we got to visit, and that we used our time as best we could.

Which destinations have you been dreaming of lately and why? Leave me a comment to let me know. 

As always, 

Thank you for reading.

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Same Footprints, Different Sands