Malta … the rock in the Med

If you’re looking for long stretches of sand, hammocks swinging under palm trees and coconuts hanging above your head, then Malta is probably not the place for you. But if you’re looking for blue skies, almost 99.9% guaranteed sunshine, value-for-money, and a heady blend of culture, history and sea, then this English-speaking enclave in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, located halfway between Sicily and Libya (two countries which are worlds apart) is probably a good choice.

Traditional Maltese fishing boat near one of the island's many caves and inlets.

What do the British, Italians, North Africans and Arabs have in common? … Malta
Malta is a fascinating melting pot of British, Norman, Italian, Roman, North African and Mediterranean influences … the language alone is a pot-pourri of English, Italian and Arabic although it sounds a little more like Arabic with its guttural vowels and “sh” sounds. No matter how hard you try or how many languages you speak, you’ll be hard pressed to figure out anything of a conversation or article in Maltese. After visiting Malta for the past ten years, I’m just getting my head around names like Naxxar (pronounced Nashar) and Ghar Lapsi (pronounced Ar Lapsy).

Dotted along the coastline are the imposing watchtowers built by the Knights of Malta, while on the next corner there’s a restaurant serving English breakfasts or Italian pasta … that’s the beauty of Malta. All these influences and traditions blend seamlessly together for a powerful fusion of unique, and somewhat exotic, local culture.

EU membership a plus for the island nation
Since Malta joined the EU in 2004, and since my first visit to the island almost ten years ago, the island has developed dramatically. Infrastructure has improved, more hotels and high rises have appeared, recycling has become part of the norm and the island has replaced its Maltese Lira with the Euro. Long promenades along the seafront have been constructed and driving standards have improved. But what’s really nice to see is that as Malta modernizes and European-izes, it has still managed to hold on to its quirky habits and personality. Just take a look at the ancient Leyland buses which weave their way through the numerous small villages en-route to the chaotic Valletta bus terminal. Or the limestone houses with their crumbly facades with a Porsche or BMW parked outside.

The stunning casino at Dragonara.

Locals grumble that Malta’s got more expensive since it entered the EU and adopted the Euro, which is true, but it’s still good value-for-money compared with other Eurozone countries. Expect to pay around EUR 30 for two people in a nice restaurant with starters, main courses, wine and coffee.

One of the biggest draws for me, as an English speaker, about Malta is the language. You get Mediterranean sunshine, warm people, vibrant life and Italian-inspired food but the beauty is that I can communicate with the locals, read the newspapers, chat to people on the street, watch a movie in English and in case I really miss some of my Anglo traditions, I can also enjoy an English breakfast or afternoon tea.

Malta and Ireland: blood brothers?
Many Maltese people tell me that Malta and Ireland (my country of birth) are very similar and in the beginning I used to wonder if they had been smoking pot. What could a rainy potato-eating island on the windy Atlantic coast have in common which went from boom to bust have in common with a sunny, pasta-loving island in the deep Mediterranean? But, after ten visits to Malta, I start to see some similarities. I just hope that Malta doesn’t follow Ireland’s “boom to bust” approach to handling its economy where materialistic greed and overspending have more or less crashed the entire country.

For a start, it’s pretty obvious that both islands are perched on the perimeter of Europe and both were British colonies for many years. And both countries drive on the wrong side of the road, as the Germans are fond of saying. But dig a bit deeper and you see that both nationalities have a similar relaxed attitude to life, living it to the full and both countries have the same Catholic background. Then there is the language issue – English and Gaelic are Ireland’s official two languages; English and Maltese are Malta’s. Both second languages are important for the local culture and are an important source of national identity, but both are pretty much useless on an international level. What makes it even more fun is that nobody – except the Irish and the Maltese – can understand their respective indigenous language.

More recently, I’ve also started to notice another similarity. The little stone walls dotted around Malta and the barren land often reminds me of the west coast of Ireland and the Burren limestone plateau.

View of the landscape on Gozo. Gozo is one of the three islands which makes up the country of Malta.

Or maybe not?
So what’s different? Well the weather for a start. And secondly, Ireland definitely has more, and longer, sandy beaches than Malta, although they are wasted in a country where the temperature rarely soars above 20 degrees! The Maltese definition of a “beach” is often a bunch of rocks from which people dive into the water. There are some sandy beaches scattered along the north and west coast – Golden Bay, Paradise Bay, Armier Bay to name but a few – but they are all quite small and can get crowded in the summertime.

Well, if you’ve done Spain, Greece and Portugal and don’t want to go too far from western civilization and the Euro, Malta’s a great vacation choice for a long weekend or for a two-week summer vacation. (Sicily is just a two-hour boat trip away and makes a nice trip from Malta, if you get itchy feet.)

Get there: Ryanair, Air Malta and Lufthansa offer good fares and regular scheduled flights; while SAS flies direct from Stockholm.

When to go: Weather is pretty decent the whole year around although March and April can be a bit blustery and the occasional “freak” storm is known to hit in August and September. Summers are hot.

Popeye’s home …in Malta

If you think of Popeye, you probably have fond childhood memories of the spinach-guzzling cartoon character but you probably don’t remember the Popeye movie from the Eighties. If you’ve seen the movie you most likely didn’t think twice about where it was filmed as it looks like a sleepy Canadian fishing village. But, in actual fact, the movie was shot on the Mediterranean island of Malta where imported timber and eight tons of nails were used to recreate a “northern village” without a palm tree in sight.

View of the Popeye Village in Malta

From cartoon character to movie
The Popeye cartoon character was originally created in 1929 by Elzie Segar but it wasn’t until 1980 that work began on a movie based on the popular sailor, directed by Robert Altman. And, after much searching for a location, he decided Malta’s stunning Anchor Bay with its sheer limestone cliffs, jagged rocky coastline and azure waters was the perfect spot. There was just one problem: the film set needed to resemble a sleepy Northern Canadian-style village so there could be no palm trees or tropical landscape in sight. Work began to import timber from Holland and wood shingles from Canada to make the houses and rooftops look as authentic as possible. It took eight tons of nails and 2,000 gallons of paint to complete this huge construction project.

Robin Williams – who at this stage was not the Hollywood star he is today – took on the role of Popeye and Shelley Duvall played a convincing Olive Oyl. In the movie, Popeye comes to Sweethaven Village to find his father where he bumps into Olive Oyl who is set to marry Captain Bluto. Romance with Olive blossoms and the two adopt an abandoned baby Swee’ Pea. I won’t tell you the end of the story in case you want to watch the movie!

A tourist magnet
Tucked away in Anchor Bay on the northwest coast of Malta, Sweethaven Village, as it was known during the filming, is today “Popeye Village”  where the film set has been preserved as a tourist attraction instead of being knocked to the ground. Yes, it is touristy but it’s also a great experience for adults and toddlers alike. (My 28-year-old sister even went so far as to call it the highlight of her trip to Malta!) It’s probably a good idea to watch the movie first but they do have a small cinema where they show clippings from the production of the movie and scenes from it. And yes, there are the usual touristy magnets – a gift shop, café/restaurant and plenty of souvenirs to splash out on if you’re a fan. For thirsty adults, there’s also a wine tasting room where you can sample rosé, red and white wines from a local winery.

Meet the real life Popeye and Olive Oyl
Wandering around the village, you’ll probably bump into real-life actors dressed up as Popeye and his entourage. The Olive Oyl I met with her long skinny arms and legs and quirky personality was a perfect copy of Olive, while the Mediterranean-style Popeye with his pipe may have looked like a Latino version of Popeye but he certainly cast his charm on the audience!

If you are looking for the Black Pearl schooner which appeared in the movie, you won’t find her here. After sinking in a storm after the movie, the Black Pearl was moved to the Ta ‘Xbiex marina (on the eastern side of the island) where she was lovingly restored and turned into a bar and restaurant in 1987.

More than just rabbits and rocks

Seafood Towers, local Maltese wines, restaurants carved into rocks, English breakfasts and steaks for 60 Euros – just some of my gourmet adventures on a recent trip to Malta, renowned for its rabbit stews, rocky cliffs and British colonial history.

Well, during a recent vacation in Malta, aside from enjoying an English breakfast or two, some touristy pasta and pizza joints, I found some cozy local restaurants in Malta and enjoyed some great meals with first-class service.

Secluded and romantic

View of the Lupanara wine bistro

The first is a real hidden gem – and when I say hidden, I mean hidden as it’s literally carved into a wall of rock without any sign of a name or menu hanging outside. The only giveaway is a few scattered tables and lounge seats perched on the quayside. To find it, you pass the Birgu waterfront’s marina on the left hand side and the Vittoriosa casino on the right hand side before you reach what seems to be a dead (and dimly lit) end of the street. But venture around the corner and walk around the water’s edge to the other side and you’ll discover the Lupanara (www.lupanarabistro.com) wine bistro. I liked it so much that I’ve been back several times – with friends for a cheese platter and bottle of wine and once for a romantic dinner with my fiancé.

The cuisine at Lupanara is a mix of everything from seafood dishes to cheese and ham platters – modern European food with a local flair – and with a great selection of local and international wines. It’s a classy but understated place where you hear nothing but the quiet murmur of voices around you and the occasional lapping of water, with the rocks illuminated as a backdrop behind you. Prices are very fair – a bottle of wine, two coffees and two main courses will set you back just EUR 46.

Steaks and seafood towers
If you’re after a decent steak or an assortment of seafood, check out the newly opened Grill 3301  at the Corinthia Beach Resort in St. George’s Bay. There’s a pretty nice view over St. George’s Bay and the Dragonara Casino – regardless of whether you are a sun-starved tourist who wants to sit on the rooftop to soak up al-fresco dining or if, like the locals, you prefer to sit indoors in air-conditioning (which might leave you stepping outdoors to warm up!!). No matter where you sit, you’re guaranteed a view!  

Tucking in to the Seafood Tower at Grill 3301

And then there’s Grill 3301’s house speciality, the Seafood Tower – a three tiered mountain of seafood where you’ll have to get off your chair to see what’s on the top. On the bottom there are clams, langoustines, mussels; on the second layer you’ll find shrimps, swordfish carpaccio, octopus and on the top lobsters. It’s perfect as a shared starter or main course and with some champagne. 

Then comes the tough decision of choosing a main course; unless you are like one member of our group who only eats chicken, then your choice is narrowed to the corn-fed chicken. But if you have your eye on a steak, it’ll take a while to decide if you want rib-eye Kobe beef, a fillet of grass-fed Aberdeen Angus, or, what I opted for – the porterhouse 600g Charolais steak. If you think selecting your meat is the toughest choice, then you have to choose between Madagascar peppercorn, organic mustard or Stilton cream sauces which come served in a cute little saucepan with a miniature soup ladle. If you’re neither a steak, seafood nor chicken lover, then there’s plenty of pasta and risotto dishes. As a crème brulée fanatic, I savoured every mouthful of my dessert, finishing up with a coffee and Baileys.

Dinner here can be pricey – a steak can set you back anything between EUR 19 and 60 – but in today’s recession-hit climate, Grill 3301 has been smart enough to also cater for those on a smaller budget. The pasta and risotto dishes start from EUR 8.50; and there are set menus including starter, main course, desert and coffee for around EUR 30 per person all in. This means it pretty much covers everything from a business dinner to a romantic meal to a group get-together … and with impeccable service.  

When in Malta, do as the locals do
If you head further south in Malta, La Favorita in Marsaskala offers great seafood in a relaxed unpretentious atmosphere and is popular with locals. Other locals recommend the waterfront seafood restaurants in Malta’s main fishing village, Marsaxlokk.

So, after a great vacation, my conclusion is that if you are ever in Malta, don’t be put off on your first day by the McDonalds and pizza signs and “so so” pasta dishes in the touristic haunts. Like anywhere, there are plenty of great restaurants around, just be a bit adventurous and get off the beaten tourist track. If you don’t have any locals to ask for advice, check out the survey-based guide called The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta & Gozo which lists the top 150 survey based restaurants in Malta & Gozo.