You Just Have to Go She Said - Visit Marsaxlokk on Your Travels in Malta

The loveliest and most fascinating fishing village we have ever visited.

Sunday is the day to visit.  

On a Sunday this fishing village is bursting with colour, life and happy people.

We got soaked up in the atmosphere and took so many photos, I can't possibly share them all in one blog.

It attracts people from all over Malta.

Open from 9 - 4 but the fishermen start as early as 7am so if you're there to buy fish ... go early is my advice!  The locals know it well and will be there early to haggle and buy the first pick of the catch.

Moray eels ....

There is a huge selection of fish, including Moray eels.  Everything imaginable some I recognised and some I definitely didn't .... but Malcolm was a little more knowledgeable. (Nothing new there then!)

It's been a hard day's night .....

as families young and old clear and tidy up their nets ..... and it looks like wash their carpets, but can't be sure about that?

A little stroll and then ....

After spending a lot of time at the market we took a stroll towards Fort St Lucian, and an uphill stroll too.  However, on this November day it was unexpectedly hot so we soon ambled back towards ......

and ..... a fish platter

followed by ......more refreshment and the most amazing cheese board

and as you can see Cisk beer evaporates far quicker than Prosecco! 😉

So we find ourselves once again thanking Angela at Corinthia Palace for sending us to Marsaxlokk Fishing Village.  We loved every minute of it.

When you visit Malta this is a must see.

Oh I suppose you'd like to know where we found this gastronomical delight in Marsaxlokk?

Forgive my hesitation .. it's another place that you kind of want to keep to yourself!

It's Terrone  Just sit and watch the world go by .... and be warned, you will want to go back.

Coming soon ...... San Anton Gardens and much more

It All Started as a Hobby - Fontanella

We had wandered around the beautiful walled city of Mdina for a while.

Time for a little sustenance perhaps

As we got to the top looking out over Malta island the weather looked as if it was about to change!

Thankfully we saw a sign that could mean we could take shelter and get a coffee maybe?

Indeed it was time for shelter and sustenance we found in a great cup of coffee.

Being outdoors but with shelter

Fontanella verandah is really pretty and with the most amazing views and umbrellas to protect you from the sun - and on this occasion, the rain!

 Even the birds appreciated this magical view 😊

Drink coffee and the magic

Everything is freshly prepared in Fontanella. As we were full from breakfast we had to make do with a coffee. 

However it allowed us to drink in the magical view of the bastions and Maltese island. Ah and be entertained by the cute little birds.

Be careful what you wish for, as they say ....

Fontanella apparently started out as a hobby by Louisette Sant Manduca.

Long may it continue ..... hopefully next visit we will time it a little better and eat there too!

Coming next our visit to the most amazing fishing village.

Have you Visited Mdina in Malta Yet?

Whew!  Another Christmas and New Year celebrations come to an end and everyone will be starting to think of holidays once again.

We return to the silent city of Mdina to continue with something that will entice you to visit, if you haven't been persuaded by now. 😍

Set up by two gentlemen from the UK 

Opened in 1968 by Eric Dobson and Michael Harris from the UK.  I won't go into the complete history here but if you are interested visit Mdina Glass website, which is interesting and informative.

A collection of stunning handmade glassware made by specialist craftsmen.

Renowned for the new techniques of lampworking and glass fusion, their highly skilled craftsmen and artists handcraft every item.

Beautiful colours and stunning designs.

We visited in November and they had the most beautiful collection of baubles and tiny Christmas trees.  

Really, really wanted to bring some home.

The good news ....

Shhh ..... don't tell Malcolm, but Mdina Glass has an online shop and they deliver to the UK :)

So have you visited Mdina yet?  When you do be sure to visit Malta's first glass factory tucked away in the walled city. 

Or you could, of course, visit their website and online shop where they are currently giving a discount to UK shoppers!  

Be sure to let us know if you visit!

A Whole New Experience - Guernsey in December

It's that time of the year, so it seemed appropriate to repost December in Guernsey.

A short journey from home

- well that's if you live in the UK!

Guernsey is the second largest of the Channel Islands and miles away from the hectic lifestyle we lead.

It's a gem of an island and one of our favourite places to visit.

Visiting in December.....

A whole new experience

To be totally honest, the times we have visited Guernsey in the past has been by yacht.  To see it 'on the land' was a whole new experience for us.

Christmas Time

St Peter Port, with It's cobbled streets and pretty marina makes it an all time favourite place. And at this time of the year it has so much atmosphere with a real party spirit.


If you have only visited in the Summer before, you'll be in for a fabulous surprise in December.

Christmas lights aglow and stunning!

We did plenty of walking on our visit.
A walk to the lighthouse and Castle Cornet is quite spectacular. Day or night.

Oh dear, sorry about that, I don't make much of a model but just to give a sense of the size of this lighthouse!

A delicious coffee is always welcome on a cold day

The Loft Cafe with its beautiful view over the harbour gives you a warm welcome and great coffee. The breakfast looked good too. However, we had breakfast at our hotel, The Yacht Inn, which I have to say was delicious and more than enough.

Your stay in St Peter Port is not the same without

A visit to Le Petit Bistro and Cafe for a truly great experience. 

Booking is essential

Fabulous staff, warm and welcoming and delicious food.

You really do need to book.

We have told many friends about this place and several have not been successful in getting a table. It's extremely popular and definitely worth booking before you leave home!

Yes, and us on a bus!

We didn't hire a car as we were happy wandering around.

However, we can recommend a tour of the island on a bus and at £1. each it certainly is value for money. Great fun!

We also had time to kill on the day of our return journey home and took all our bags on the bus and did it all over again!

The Rectory Hill Skillet Lickers

When you are wandering along the High Street you may well be lucky enough to see The Rectory Hill Skillet Lickers.

A talented group of people and I was totally smitten by the young lad!

Things to remember when you visit:

• Shops shut on Sundays and most close by 5pm most other days
• Even if you rarely do bus trips, a trip around the island is a must do. £1.
• If you want to eat at Le Petit Bistro book in advance, even before your trip. It is very popular and we absolutely know why!

Now where to next?

Shh .. Quiet Please - We're in Mdina - Known as The Silent City

Mdina (pronounced umdeena) known as the silent city.

This walled city sits on one of the highest points of Malta.

Shh .... quiet please

There are strict noise regulations here and a restriction of cars allowed into the city.

A mix of baroque and medieval architecture with its pretty winding streets.

Invade - go on just try

The city's narrow streets, apparently, were built as an architectural system providing shadow from the sun.   

Oh and not to mention a cunning military plan enabling easy ambush at street corners when under invasion. 

So you now know where to go on a hot sunny day in Malta.  Doubt you'll have to worry too much about being ambushed?  Hope not! 😉

Once the Capital

Dating back 4000 years, the city of Mdina is older than Valletta (you can join us in Valletta in our previous blog)


It was conquered by the Normans and at this time was made the Capital of Malta.


In the 1500s it was run by the Knights of Malta ........
just a minute .......

Whew, for a moment there I thought we may have been taken back in time by Dr Who's Time Machine or something!


Another city we loved wandering around, with lots of history to soak up and lots of photo opportunities.

And, of course, as in Valletta you can always hitch a ride in a horse and carriage which are available inside the walled city or outside where you can do the complete tour if you've forgotten your walking shoes!

And just in case you're wondering ...... they can get down the narrow streets!

This wasn't a full day trip for us, but I guess you could make it so.

Excitement took over I think

As this was our first visit to Malta we were visiting as many places as we could.  Maybe when we visit next time we will relax a little.  

There is so much to see on the island of Malta you just get a bit excited by it all!

Coming next ...

Stay tuned for our coffee stop with the most stunning view, a visit by a cute little visitor and stunning glassware .......

15 Years to Build a City - A Day in Valletta

On the first day of our 5 day trip to Malta, we braved the roads in our little hire car to Valletta.

Ummm .. now that was quite exciting.  Bearing in mind we had only driven to the Hotel from the airport, our knowledge of the roads and driving on them was limited!

We did finally reach the multi storey car park .... ah I admit with a quick detour around the bus station! 😌

The Capital of Malta

A little history to begin with.....

The lovely walled city of Valletta got its name from Jean de la Vallette, the Grand Master. Sadly, he died during the construction and never got to see his city completed.  

It took 15 years to build!

When you consider in 1566 there were no mechanical tools and the whole city was built by hand, 15 years is a very short time.

A short stroll

This amazing view is just a short stroll from the Multi Storey Car Park.

It looks like a toy town from this viewpoint.

But the motor yachts looked very incongruous moored here.

Note to self:  tell husband to moor his yacht where it looks more in keeping with its surroundings.😉

Over the other side maybe?  What?  Oh, we haven't got a yacht?  Well just bear it in mind for the future dear, that it might be more in keeping with these modern buildings.....😊

Take your walking shoes

The best way to see this amazing city is on foot.

History brought to life daily 

The Saluting Battery is a must visit.  For nearly 500 years the guns protected the harbour against naval assault. 

The Saluting Battery has been restored by the Malta Heritage Trust and Malta Tourist Authority.

They are not fireworks you hear 

The guns are fired here daily at mid-day.  This follows the custom begun in the 1820s when a gun was fired to signal the exact hour of day in order that Ship Masters could calibrate their chronographs on ship.

You can hear the guns all over the city.  

When we first heard them we thought it was fireworks and were missing out on a celebration somewhere! 

There is a very informative display on the wall giving a brief history.

If you'd like to know more you could visit the Saluting Battery website which is very informative.

This little chap was capturing every piece of history on his camera. Very cute.

You want to see the city sir?

If you haven't got your walking shoes with you, there are many other ways you can get around too.

The opportunity arises all round the city to hop on a Horse and carriage ....

always touting for business, so if your feet are aching you maybe be glad of a ride.

In the centre of the city there is a tourist Malta Fun Train too!

Hustle and bustle, a mix of old and new

We loved it here.  The hustle and bustle of every day life, the city seemed alive and buzzing and yet it still felt somehow you were walking back in time.

A mix of old and new.  There was a feeling of warmth and friendliness and lots of places you'd like to sit and watch the world go by.

As the sun goes down

It's time for us to make our way back to the car.  A little sad as I loved it here and also I really would have liked to see the Christmas lights on 😔

Farewell Valletta, I have a feeling we'll be back.
Lots of walking means weary legs and Malcolm has to fight the traffic and potholes. 😖

Anyway the comfort of our suite is calling!

Thanks for stopping by.  Back soon ..... lots more to see on our travels to Malta

Rewind Back to our Travels to Malta and The Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa

So after being swept off our feet by the friendly welcome here, we now leave the comfort of our suite to explore the grounds.

(This is very difficult, just want to curl up in that bed to be honest!)

But the view from the balcony is inviting us outside.

Fountains and floral prettiness 

Outside it is as sophisticated as inside.  Here and there fountains sprinkle the surrounding plants.

Flowers are in bloom and fruits on the trees seem to be inviting us to take photos. 😊

Leaving the UK in November, where there are few flowers in bloom and few leaves on the trees, to see these beautiful flowers and plants was a bonus.

Spa and Poolside

As we roamed around these pretty gardens the pool looked very inviting, even though the late afternoon was getting quite cool. 

Nope we didn't take the plunge, not this time. 😌

Every corner a surprise 

Lots of places to sit and relax, like the Herb Garden.

There seems to be a surprise round every corner.

I definitely liked the look of the Athenaeum Spa.  As this was our first trip to Malta, we had lots to see and do so we put the Spa on the to do list for another time.

Smile please

Oh hang on Malcolm's pointing the camera at me!  Oh no that means I've got to try and pose.  So, try I do!  Apologies.

Those pillars are very grand though aren't they.

Time to change for the evening

Now back to our suite to change ready for our evening meal.  We booked the Rickshaw Restaurant in the Hotel for our first night.

As we're getting ready, there's a knock on the door.

Wow, delicious little canapes!  What a treat.

And just time for a quick photo of the evening lit garden beneath our balcony. 

A gastronomical delight

Wow, oh wow, good choice!  The Rickshaw served us up a feast for sure. Every mouthful an absolute delight.  

Oh dear, as we hadn't really lunched properly because of flight timings, it seemed we rather over ordered.  We were mortified because we couldn't eat it all. 😟 We asked our waitress to apologise profusely to the chef.   

However, the food was so delicious we booked a return visit for the night before our departure.  This time we didn't order as much and managed to eat it all, much to the delight of the waitress and chef too I should think.  

We have mentioned before how the staff are friendly, professional and attentive at The Corinthia Palace Hotel.  Well, there's no change here. The staff are attentive in this Restaurant too.  They make you feel very spoilt.  

We highly recommend The Rickshaw.

We loved it here

So from me on our balcony, where I found myself taking morning tea each day, and Malcolm from the desk he had become quite attached to....

Actually he looks very thoughtful doesn't he?  Do you think he may be working out a way of coming back here soon?

We loved it here ... 

and if you missed our first post you can rewind too by clicking the image below.

We will never tire of rewinding back to this fabulous place, it has wonderful memories for us of a very special Wedding Anniversary.
Thank you to Angela and all the staff who made it so very special..
and yes, we will be back for sure.

And stay with us for our day trips around the island of Malta and the Palace gardens opposite the Hotel.  See you soon.