Malta has a lot to offer so the chances that you’ll have a good visit are high. But if you want to experience the island like a local, let us give you a few tips.
Take a Dgħajsa tal-Pass (a traditional boat) from Birgu to Valletta
If you’re visiting Malta it’s highly likely that you will go to Birgu and Valletta; as you should. You could even connect the experiences and travel in between them using a local boat service. Crossing the harbor this way is a quintessential Maltese experience. Not to mention picturesque.
The boats are long and very elegant, and the trip is not longer than 10 minutes. That is the perfect amount of time for you to soak in the beauty of the local port.
Listen to Live Għana (Maltese Local Music)
Admittedly, this might be a long shot, but it is not impossible. There are yearly events which you can check out like Għana Fest. You stand a good chance to hear it on the Mnarja public holiday, in Buskett for example. But other than that, there’s no major events happening with the local traditional music. That means you may have to hunt it dow.
If you go to għana’s hometown of Żejtun, you can pass by Ta’ Zgey or Leah’s Bar, where you can experience some live traditional Maltese music. There are also occasional events in the Għaxaq Bocci Club in Ħal Għaxaq.
This is not, however, to say that it’s a fading art form. Clearly, to the people who do it and grow up around it, this is just an everyday reality. It also makes for the most beautiful soundtracks for your days in Malta.
Visit Għar Dalam
The literal translation of Għar Dalam is literally ‘Cave of Darkness’ or ‘Dark Cave’. However, the name does not do it justice. It is a cave that has a geological foundation going back to the Tertiary age, the geological time period of approximately 66 million to 2.6 million years ago.
Apart from the natural beauty of the cave and its location in Birżebbuġa, there is also a small Victorian-style museum. There you can see just what was found in these caves in the past 200 years and the significance of its existence in Malta.
Spend an Evening at one of Malta’s Local Beaches
This is an absolute must when visiting and one of the more romantic experiences to have on the island. Unless it is a super windy evening, you can do so during most of the seasons. Ideally, this is an activity for Spring, Summer and Autumn.
There are many beaches to pick from. When you have made your pick, get some food and drinks, and lie down on the soft sand or warm rock of any local beach. Waiting for the night sky to slowly start replacing the daylight is a uniquely peaceful and serene experience. Make sure to bring a loved one, your family or just spend some time in your own company.
Go an ‘Observatory’ to Watch the Sunset
The upside of a hilly country like Malta, is that you can go to a high altitude place and enjoy the view of the textured country.
Malta is full of these little observatory-type spaces, such as Top of the World in Mosta, or the Walls of Mdina, from which you can see different sides of the country, and sometimes, in the right climate, even Sicily!
I’ve personally spent countless Sunday nights closing the weekend with friends in these places, simply admiring the beauty of the country veiled under the night sky.
