I have been dreaming for years to visit Malta: a small island country near Italy. When we lived in the US, I used to joke, “I can’t hear you, I’m in Malta” when they were crazy little bros 🙂 And there I was: in Malta! This new country experience did not disappoint. We went in early March when the weather was still cool, so we didn’t get to experience some of the sea trips (like to Blue Grotto) boating excursions we’d normally choose to take. But even despite some cloudy and cool weather, we experienced Malta’s charm, beauty, incredible food and great people. Couldn’t recommend a stay enough! We did not rent a car in Malta to make sure Logan had a true vacation, too. With the stress of driving on the other side of the road like London as well as confusing roadways and from what I researched, very affordable Bolt trips and it being hard to find parking spots, we decided to stay car-free and I’m glad we did.

Where we Stayed

We stayed in the absolutely coolest area of Malta that I recommend so much. It was called Rabat, a small historic town with shoppes and restaurants about a 15-minute drive from the airport. Rabat had some of the most charming streets, filled with flower-lined lampposts, designed so uniquely in local Maltese style. Around every turn, we experienced a new street to explore and everything was so walkable in the town of Rabat. We also had some of the best meals we’ve had in our lives in Rabat, which I’ll absolutely share more about. The rental we chose was awesome and super unique: a rental in a limestone cave. It was a traditional Maltese cave home, with limestone walls, multiple floors and an authentic kitchen. We had a great stay in Rabat!

What We Did

We attended a local Sunday market in Rabat which was so different than anything we’ve ever experienced! Because Rabat is such a small village, the locals do not have a lot of food, clothing or supply options. Every Sunday, a market comes to them where they can buy things like fresh produce (which is normal) but also underwear, shirts, laundry detergent, batteries – it was so cool. 

Another recommended place to visit when in Malta is the ancient town of Mdina. Located walking distance from Rabat (which again makes Rabat the best location when staying in Malta), Mdina is an amazing site not to miss. This ancient city is intact with stores, museums, cathedrals, restaurants and lots to do for  an afternoon – we loved it so much we went twice. Mdina is great for both adults and kids, giving lots of hours of how you can spend your time, even on cooler days.

We also spent a day in Valletta, Malta’s city capital. While we were there in March, it happened to be Carnaval so we got to experience locals dressed up for and dancing on parade floats. It made it busier for sure, but it was a cool local experience to see. Valletta was much busier than Rabat, and while it was great to visit its windy streets with beautiful views, we still preferred Rabat to Valletta. If it had been warmer weather or summer, we probably would have visited Blue Lagoon or Gozo by boat, with launching points being from Valletta. In Valletta, you can still see beautiful ocean views and finds lots of shopping and dining options. 

Where we Ate

One of the best things in Rabat was the authentic 24/7 bakery called Falzon Bakery. Locally-owned, this bakery had the most delicious pastries – MOST DELICIOUS – and it was a tiny hole-in-the-wall shop without frills. It was incredible how it was open 24/7: it was unlike anything we’ve experienced. While in Mdina, we ate at our first-ever Michelin Star restaurant and it did not disappoint. Called The Medina, this restaurant had a great, cozy atmosphere and great food for lunch. We enjoyed delicious soups (both the cauliflower and prawn soup), along with the bros really enjoying their meals, too. It’s very moderately priced for the quality of food you receive and we couldn’t recommend it enough. 

Out of every dining experience we had in Malta, or perhaps ever, we found a gem of a restaurant in Rabat around the corner from our rental called Yanna’s. It had great reviews and so we wanted to visit it while there and ended up eating there twice on the trip. Their signature meal is their family-style lasagna, served hot and ready for a family of four. It was incredible and we couldn’t recommend a visit more!

Another delicious and affordable food option for families was also in Rabat called Zaika’s. This Indian restaurant had great dishes that our family really enjoyed and they were super affordable. 

Overall, Malta exceeded our expectations. It truly had a unique culture: not as fancy as Monaco (we saw lots of hard-working locals during the days) but a more unique experience than like Sardinia, Italy. Great food, nice people and amazing Biblical history. It was awesome to go into cathedrals and sites that were referenced in the Bible.