{"id":71432,"date":"2018-07-03T15:35:28","date_gmt":"2018-07-03T20:35:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=71432"},"modified":"2018-07-10T11:27:21","modified_gmt":"2018-07-10T16:27:21","slug":"top-things-to-do-malta-new-favorite-european-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2018\/07\/top-things-to-do-malta-new-favorite-european-island\/","title":{"rendered":"8 reasons why Malta is our new favorite European island"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Imagine Instagram-worthy lagoons for swimming, spooky underground temples once reserved for death rituals and piles of fresh pasta that rival what you\u2019d find in Italy. This is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/Destinations-In-Malta.d111.Hotel-Destinations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Malta<\/a>, an island tucked just below Sicily that packs an impressive array of things to do in just 122 square miles. Plus, the capital, Valletta, has been named the European Capital of Culture in 2018\u2014an impressive title for a city of its size. In fact, Malta and its sister islands are our new favorite place. Here&#8217;s why.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/10-fantastic-reasons-to-visit-umbria-italy-now\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RELATED<\/strong>: 10 fantastic reasons to visit Umbria, Italy now<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71792\" style=\"width: 480px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71792\" class=\"wp-image-71792 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/St.-Johns-Co-Cathedral-Stephen-Nunney-470x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"470\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/St.-Johns-Co-Cathedral-Stephen-Nunney-470x600.jpg 470w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/St.-Johns-Co-Cathedral-Stephen-Nunney-235x300.jpg 235w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/St.-Johns-Co-Cathedral-Stephen-Nunney-768x981.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/St.-Johns-Co-Cathedral-Stephen-Nunney-266x340.jpg 266w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/St.-Johns-Co-Cathedral-Stephen-Nunney.jpg 1224w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71792\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">St John&#8217;s Co-Cathedral | Trover photo by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.trover.com\/d\/1Nyea-saint-johns-co-cathedral-valletta-malta\">Stephen Nunney<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><strong>A petite, culture-packed capital<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Valletta packs plenty of culture within its small space. There are some <a href=\"https:\/\/whc.unesco.org\/en\/list\/131\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">320 monuments within just 55 hectares<\/a>\u2014just one of the many reasons the city has earned recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the imposing city gate (designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano) to the harbor, you\u2019ll see countless examples of historical splendor, including the <strong>Grand Master\u2019s Palace<\/strong>, <strong>Fort Saint Elmo<\/strong> and the <strong>Manoel Theatre<\/strong>. <strong>St. John\u2019s Co-Cathedral<\/strong>, which is a must for the sheer abundance of gold and exquisite art inside an otherwise unassuming building. Meanwhile, the <strong>Upper Barrakka Gardens<\/strong> are framed by 17th-century terraced arches and an ideal setting for views of the turquoise harbor. Don\u2019t miss out on some of the more modern touches around Valletta, like the intriguing surrealist sculptures tucked throughout the city.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71787\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71787\" class=\"wp-image-71787\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/blue-lagoon-Richard-Spiteri.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/blue-lagoon-Richard-Spiteri.jpg 1224w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/blue-lagoon-Richard-Spiteri-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/blue-lagoon-Richard-Spiteri-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/blue-lagoon-Richard-Spiteri-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/blue-lagoon-Richard-Spiteri-508x340.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71787\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trover photo by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.trover.com\/d\/1Iug6-blue-lagoon-malta\">Richard Spiteri<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Swimming coves fit for mermaids<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Malta\u2019s secret swimming coves, rocky coasts and few sandy beaches are heavenly. The best place to swim is a hot debate, but most people agree that the <strong>Blue Lagoon<\/strong>, just off the tiny sister island of <strong>Comino<\/strong>, is worth a visit. The stunningly beautiful azure lagoon with pristine white sand beaches draws crowds come high season so get there early or scope out one of Malta\u2019s slightly less frequented (though no less gorgeous) swimming spots like the untouched <strong>G\u0127ajn Tuffie\u0127a Bay,<\/strong> the breezy and kid-friendly <strong>Mellie\u0127a Bay<\/strong>, or secluded <strong>Fomm ir-Rih Bay<\/strong>. If you\u2019re into diving, there\u2019s no better place in Europe than Malta to go under the sea.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71791\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71791\" class=\"wp-image-71791\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pastizzi-Hecktic-Travels.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pastizzi-Hecktic-Travels.jpg 1224w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pastizzi-Hecktic-Travels-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pastizzi-Hecktic-Travels-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pastizzi-Hecktic-Travels-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pastizzi-Hecktic-Travels-511x340.jpg 511w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71791\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trover photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trover.com\/li\/vA5Y\/dJOM\">Hecktic Travels<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Pasta and pastries aplenty<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Pack an appetite\u2014but leave your low-carb diet back at home. The Maltese passion for all things starchy manifests early in the morning, when hole-in-the-wall bakeries start pulling pans of <strong>pastizzi<\/strong> out of the oven. These flaky, buttery pastry pockets come packed with ricotta and parsley or smashed peas and onions, making for a tasty breakfast or mid-afternoon pick-me-up. The carb fest continues straight through dinner, when restaurants churn out piles of fresh pasta and rabbit ravioli (a local favorite!).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71788\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71788\" class=\"wp-image-71788\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Hagar-Qim-Neolithic-Temple-Earthseeing.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Hagar-Qim-Neolithic-Temple-Earthseeing.jpg 1224w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Hagar-Qim-Neolithic-Temple-Earthseeing-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Hagar-Qim-Neolithic-Temple-Earthseeing-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Hagar-Qim-Neolithic-Temple-Earthseeing-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Hagar-Qim-Neolithic-Temple-Earthseeing-511x340.jpg 511w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71788\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trover photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trover.com\/d\/bKMK-hagar-qim-neolithic-temple-qrendi-malta\">Earthseeing<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Prehistoric sites to wander<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Prepare to be humbled\u2014the prehistoric sites scattered across Malta and sister island, Gozo, will remind you that we\u2019re all here for but a moment in time. The <strong>National Museum of Archaeology<\/strong> in Valletta provides a thorough introduction to the creations of prehistoric people, with displays of catacombs, Phoenician-era sarcophagi and Bronze-age daggers. But it\u2019s even more profound to see ancient sites in their original settings. Take, for example, the <strong>\u0126a\u0121ar Qim<\/strong>\u2014a complex megalithic temple preserved in all its limestone glory on a dramatic cliffside. You can still walk through the interconnected chambers, where fertility rituals are rumored to have taken place some 5,000 years ago, using the \u201cfat lady\u201d statuettes displayed at the museum. Gozo\u2019s <strong>\u0120gantija temples<\/strong>, which local folklore suggests were built by a giant, will continue to stoke your sense of wonder on an island that\u2019s just a ferry ride away.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/rewards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>ALSO<\/strong>: Join Orbitz Rewards and start saving today!<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Spooky underground sites<\/h2>\n<p>Even more fascinating than the underground burial chambers in Malta is the below ground <strong>Hal\u00a0Saflieni\u00a0Hypogeum<\/strong>. Constructed around 4,000 BCE, the neolithic necropolis was the final resting place for some 7,000 people. It consists of multiple chambers once used for death rituals, including a cemetery and funeral halls. Most impressive is the \u201cOracle Room,\u201d which has curved stone carvings that amplify sounds throughout the complex. Chanting and drumming likely took place in that room, made even more mystical by a ceiling painted with swirls of red ochre that seem to dance like a flickering flame when lit up. Book tickets <a href=\"http:\/\/heritagemalta.org\/museums-sites\/hal-saflieni-hypogeum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">online<\/a> well in advance\u2014only 10 visitors are allowed on each of the eight hour-long daily tours, in an effort to preserve the space&#8217;s delicate climate.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71789\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71789\" class=\"wp-image-71789 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malta-balconies-Calli-and-Travis-Have-Blog-Will-Travel-400x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malta-balconies-Calli-and-Travis-Have-Blog-Will-Travel-400x600.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malta-balconies-Calli-and-Travis-Have-Blog-Will-Travel-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malta-balconies-Calli-and-Travis-Have-Blog-Will-Travel-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malta-balconies-Calli-and-Travis-Have-Blog-Will-Travel-227x340.jpg 227w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malta-balconies-Calli-and-Travis-Have-Blog-Will-Travel.jpg 1224w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71789\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trover photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trover.com\/li\/vA5Y\/ZZ1G\">Calli and Travis<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Balconies on every building<\/h2>\n<p>Malta is an extremely safe place for travelers, but locals warn of one potential danger: neck pain. Why? Your gaze will constantly be looking up at traditional Maltese balconies. Nearly every building seems to have an elegant stone balcony projecting over the city streets, a feature reputed to have stemmed from the country\u2019s Arab influence. Many of the balconies feature elegant carved designs of flowers and foliage, gargoyles and animals. As if they needed more help gaining attention, the balconies are traditionally painted in shades of burgundy, emerald, yellow, and cerulean that look striking against the tan buildings. Don\u2019t say we didn\u2019t warn you about that stiff neck!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71790\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71790\" class=\"wp-image-71790 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Migra-I-Ferna-cliffs-Sharon-Zahra-400x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Migra-I-Ferna-cliffs-Sharon-Zahra-400x600.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Migra-I-Ferna-cliffs-Sharon-Zahra-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Migra-I-Ferna-cliffs-Sharon-Zahra-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Migra-I-Ferna-cliffs-Sharon-Zahra-227x340.jpg 227w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Migra-I-Ferna-cliffs-Sharon-Zahra.jpg 1224w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71790\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trover photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trover.com\/d\/hfpL-mi%C4%A1ra-l-fer%C4%A7a-rabat-malta\">Sharon Zahra<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Dramatic <em>GoT<\/em> backdrops<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The struggle to wait for the next season of <em>Game of Thrones<\/em> is real. But it gets a lot easier with a trip to Malta, where you can see some of the places where the show was shot. <strong>Mesquita Square<\/strong> in the quiet, walled city of <strong>Mdina<\/strong> served as the backdrop for the fight between Jamie Lannister and Ned Stark in the first season. The show turned the <strong>San Anton Palace in Balzan<\/strong> into the stables for the Red Keep and the spot where Arya chased cats. And the Dothraki camped at the <strong>Mtahleb Cliffs<\/strong>, where Daenerys and her baby dragons first surfaced from the flames. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.maltafilmtours.com\/game-of-thrones-tour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Malta Film Tours<\/strong><\/a> hosts <em>GoT<\/em>-themed tours, where two actors who appeared in the show take you to more than a dozen sites.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71786\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71786\" class=\"wp-image-71786\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/San-Anton-Palace.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/San-Anton-Palace.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/San-Anton-Palace-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/San-Anton-Palace-768x468.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/San-Anton-Palace-600x366.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/San-Anton-Palace-557x340.jpg 557w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71786\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of San Anton Palace<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Interesting places to stay<\/h2>\n<p>Valletta makes a convenient base for exploring the rest of Malta and its sister island, and boasts plenty of cozy accommodations. You can\u2019t go wrong by booking one of the artsy duplex suites at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/Malta-Hotels-Ursulino-Valletta.h12286467.Hotel-Information?chkin=10\/16\/2018&amp;chkout=10\/18\/2018&amp;rm1=a2&amp;sort=recommended&amp;hwrqCacheKey=c4d2ce02-9762-403a-a9ff-ea89f0202ab0HWRQ1530803955583&amp;cancellable=false&amp;regionId=111&amp;vip=false&amp;hotelname=Ursu&amp;c=67cbbe50-9076-4801-8da7-dfb4991da191&amp;&amp;exp_dp=186.32&amp;exp_ts=1530804033345&amp;exp_curr=USD&amp;swpToggleOn=false&amp;exp_pg=HSR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ursulino Valletta<\/a>, a traditional family townhouse transformed into a colorful boutique hotel with the best rooftop breakfasts. Looking for something even more lavish? The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/Malta-Hotels-Palazzo-Paolina-Boutique-Hotel.h21543370.Hotel-Information\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Palazzo Paolina Boutique Hotel<\/a> has walls and ceilings with beautifully painted floral motifs, marble floors, and elegant stairwells draped with red carpets (not to mention spacious rooms!). It\u2019s a design-lover\u2019s dream.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/g\/lc\/traveldeals-free-flight-friday\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-68010 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/FFF-blog-banner.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/FFF-blog-banner.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/FFF-blog-banner-300x50.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/FFF-blog-banner-768x128.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/FFF-blog-banner-600x100.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/FFF-blog-banner-720x120.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Visit this tiny autonomous nation before the tourists rush in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":249,"featured_media":71793,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[1856],"class_list":["post-71432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","tag-destinations-2"],"acf":{"api_active":null,"api_title":null,"api_excerpt":null,"api_featured_image":null,"api_lob":null},"posts_api_cpm_point":"","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>8 reasons why Malta is our new favorite European island | Orbitz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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