About weekends…part I.
Perhaps one of the most exciting questions for a non-Maltese person is,
The answer is roughly anything that doesn’t involve leafy trees and green forests.
Normally, a person’s imagination, interests, wallet, and mobility tools frame the range of possibilities.
My interests related to leisure activities, like probably many other people (unfortunately), are limited to a few things:
- discovering new places
- revisiting known and loved places
- listing these places
- having coffee
- cycling
- watching videos of cyclists having coffee and talking about their favorite places (https://youtu.be/5CqiT90b1aU?si=ISjBCfLpDiTMObd6&t=1135)
- watching sunsets
- sightseeing
- exploring nightlife (sometimes)
- swimming in the sea
- recently snorkeling
- reading on a beach
- walking,
in the forest, by the water, in the city, anywhere.
Of course, the list could go on, but perhaps it’s not worth it, since what’s much more important is which specific places, based on my experiences, are really worth visiting?
And at this point, how useful are my much-criticized lists?!
From this perspective, it’s clear that it’s impossible to cover this in one post, as even on such a small island, there are too many good places.
So the concept would be to bring one beloved and recommended place in each of these weekend writings.
So let’s see:
Cafés
Coffee Circus - I don’t know where, but I’m sure I’ve seen the logo somewhere before. They offer specialty coffee, delicious cakes, Maltese draft beer, and everything that might interest a coffee lover at various bohemian, new wave locations across Malta. If I counted correctly, they’ve opened 10 places so far, including Gozo.
My favorite spot is Coffee Circus Smile, located in Rabat, near the main square, nestled among charming little streets. This location is perfect as it also offers a good opportunity to explore Mdina and Rabat.
Urban Walk
Mdina and Rabat
A fortress on top of a hill (or a mountain, depending on the perspective), narrow streets, authentic architecture, bougainvillea flowers on the walls, views over much of the island, a few restaurants, and a great ice cream parlor (Fior di Latte), with an outlet also by the city gate.
Mdina was a great experience due to its atmosphere, further enhanced by the fact that our living room overlooks this fortress, making it visible to me day and night.
Rabat, which means suburb, surrounds Mdina and is similarly good for wandering around its downtown area.
I’m in a bit of trouble now because I usually explore cities without prior research, so I don’t have the tools for a detailed and beautiful introduction. The tactic is always to start exploring, wandering aimlessly, and at a certain point, when I’ve experienced enough, sit under a tree (yes, unfortunately, this won’t work here… :-)) and read what else is worth seeing?
So what?
Maybe the catacombs, but don’t expect them to be spacious or continuous, the prison museum, although I haven’t been there yet. Museums, churches, and other cultural sites are plentiful in these two small towns.
And since I can’t (and don’t aim to) give a detailed introduction, I would mainly advise you to go from Mdina’s entrance with the described strategy, with a Fior di Latte ice cream, and let chance shape the rest. And if there is a bench under a tree (well, actually there are a few wooded parts on the Mdina-Rabat border), then browse through this blog, because it seems they have the tools for a good introduction.
Cycling Routes
Exercise, especially cycling, can be a very ideal, therapeutic, and rejuvenating activity. It can, as long as one doesn’t register on Strava and push oneself into some kind of self-competitive spiral 😊 Of course, this can be avoided with the right will and by reminding ourselves that we are not professional athletes but enthusiastic amateurs.
Malta is by no means a cyclist’s paradise, as there is heavy traffic, drivers are quite aggressive and fast, hills follow one another closely, reportedly there are many potholes (though as a Hungarian, this is not noticeable), buses run frequently and push us off the road. And of course, everything is reversed.
Despite this, cycling/exercising in Malta is good.
It’s good because the body quickly adapts to these routes filled with elevation changes. The stress level maintained by the feeling of cars and buses speeding by inches from us probably also gives good (mental) fitness.
There are green-painted bike lanes with solid lines along some busier roads. For example, the coastal road, part of which is quite flat.
As I mentioned, within 7 hours of my arrival, I was already the proud owner of a nice red road bike. I got a lot of things with it, like 2 helmets. It had a meaning I didn't know at the time.
My first trip from St. Julian’s led to Mosta via a detour on this coastal road. The left-hand traffic, a heavy backpack on my back, a large bag in my hand, a metal pump, helmets, and keys all increased the stress level I had to endure on my first day here.
Since then, however, this has become one of my favorite routes. It’s almost entirely protected, nearly flat, and runs along the coast.
So this is my first recommendation for those who want to get to know the Maltese cycling opportunities.
It won’t be comfortable, good luck! 🙂
Beaches
Riviera Beach / Għajn Tuffieħa
The reputation of this beach arrived even before I did, as it is considered the most beautiful European beach this year according to Forbes’ list. Even sight unseen, I would argue with this, but it is true that the fact that a pass embraces the beach can give a very great experience to those who come here. This, along with the dark-colored sand-covered shoreline, is one of the favorites of the Maltese. Naturally, Coffee Circus has also eyed this place, so you can enjoy the aforementioned delicacies with a panoramic view of the beach.
It’s easy to get here by bus too, as buses come here directly from several locations. The sunset from the cliff is perhaps the most perfect on the whole island.
And with this point, we reach the end of this post, as there is another beach I like even more for practical reasons, located in the middle of a cycling route, and with the described sunset spot, it offers a perfect one-hour after-work workout-swim-sunset-watching opportunity.
And all about that in part 2…
