About weekends… part II.
… what does it mean that practical reasons?
Well, the situation is, if a person goes often by bicycle, practicality is indeed important.
Let's go backwards now:
Beaches
Golden Bay
Golden Bay is located next to Riviera Beach, separated by a cliff. My assumption is that the name might be related to the so-called "Golden hour" or perhaps to the color of the sand, but it doesn't really matter what it's related to; if someone likes associative games, they will remember this name.
The beach is also easy to reach, located on the west side of the island, making it perfect for sunsets. There are a few restaurants and kiosks nearby, and a hotel above it.
After the sun dipped below the horizon
There are usually many people, but if one goes during the "golden hour" on weekdays, as I do, the number of people is ideal.
So far, I've seen only one purple jellyfish, while on the Il-Kalanka beach at the southeastern tip of the island, I saw about a hundred, so it is not necessarily endangered.
And finally, a few words about practicality, which probably made every reader (my mother) very curious.
If you are on a bicycle, it is important that:
- You can roll all the way down to the beach.
- The ascent on the way back is only moderately steep.
- There is a "foot shower" because of the sand, so you don't have to put on socks and shoes with sandy feet.
- You can lock your bike.
- It is safe.
- You can watch the sunset from a nearby spot beforehand.
All of this is provided here, so I highly recommend this beach to cyclists, those looking for a good beach, sunset lovers, everyone!
Cycling Routes
What makes an ideal bike ride (for me)?
- It fits within an hour.
- It includes a sunset, beach, good café, and ice cream shop.
- It has a sightseeing, low-traffic, relatively flat part.
- It has a protected bike lane section.
- It includes at least one big climb.
- But no more than a 250-meter elevation difference.
And here it is, my post-work, sunset-watching, beach-going, sightseeing, ice cream eating, relaxing, 1-hour bike ride that includes all of the above:
Mosta-cliff between beaches-Golden Bay-St. Paul's Bay-Mosta
I recommend it to all 10 people who ride bicycles in Malta! :)
Urban Walk
St. Paul's Bay - Bugibba
This part of the island is good because it is very diverse, consisting of several parts, and because you can roll down from Mosta in 12 minutes, or about 20 minutes by bus. All the touristy parts are there, boats depart from here to Comino and Gozo, you can rent a SUP for sunset watching, and watch the sunset.
There are entertainment venues, including the notorious (Cafe del Mar), an aquarium, a rocky beach, a pretty main square, bars, restaurants, good ice cream shops, and a tree-covered (!!) park.
If someone wants to rent accommodation away from the more expensive Sliema, St. Julian's, Valetta parts, this can be a good alternative because everything is really local, and if we still want to go to the mentioned parts for some reason, we can get there very quickly by bus or taxi along the coast road.
The other side of the island (Mellieha, Gozo ferry, Comino - Blue Lagoon) and the good beaches (Golden Bay, Riviera Beach, Paradise Bay) are much closer.
It might be worth walking along the coast; at least that's what I usually do and what I like. This part is good, worth checking out!
Cafés
As I mentioned, the Coffee Circus stand is located between the two beaches, at the entrance to the sunset cliff.
This place is ideal because the bus drops you off/picks you up here, there is a parking lot, the sunset spot is a 1-2 minute walk away, the view of the beach is beautiful, and everything they make is very delicious.
I don't know what else to write; I love this place. Here is a picture of when I was fixing my flat tire there instead.
