Much
Ado
About
MALtA
You’ll want to spend a
long time visiting this tiny
island nation that’s packed
with places to go, people
to meet and sights to see
by ShAwn MicALLef
When you first find Malta on the map,
it looks incredibly small. In terms of
total area, it’s not even half the size
of Edmonton. Like most second-
generation Maltese-Canadians, I often
have to explain where the Maltese
archipelago is to curious friends.
“It’s 90 kilometres south of Sicily,
just under Italy’s boot,” I say. “Right
in the middle of the Mediterranean.”
Despite its diminutive size, Malta
punches well above its weight as
a vacation destination. The hilly
terrain and meandering, medieval
roads of the country’s three islands
make them seem much larger, and
there’s enough to see and do without
repeating yourself for many months.
The Maltese diaspora knows it’s an
ideal place for a long-stay vacation,
and friends and family regularly go for
weeks or months at a time.
Italy
Rome
Valletta
Malta
Sicily
A long stay gives visitors a chance
to get to know the islands intimately;
to discover both the subtleties of the
culture and the hidden gems tucked
along all those curvy roads. The recently
renovated Seashells Resort in Qawra,
about 15 kilometres from the Maltese
capital of Valletta, is an ideal home base
from which to explore the country.
Qawra is part of the St. Paul’s Bay
area, long a vacation destination for
locals and tourists alike: Some families
keep small seaside flats here to escape
the heat and congestion of the more
crowded parts of Malta. It’s a laid-
back place, with rocky beaches, bars,
restaurants and tourist excursions
close at hand, including scuba diving
and boat trips to Comino and Gozo,
the two other Maltese islands.
Calgary residents Mitch and Di
Granger spent three weeks at Seashells
last January, after learning about
Malta through AMA Travel. “It was
an excellent hotel, exactly what we
were looking for,” Mitch says. It’s
home to one of the largest pools on
the island; by night its deck trans-
forms into an outdoor lounge with live
entertainment.
The Grangers also appreciated
the resort’s proximity to a lengthy
waterfront promenade that’s great for
strolling, jogging and people watching
during busy evenings after dinner—
or you could pop into the Malta
National Aquarium, which is located
on the strip.
For exploration further afield, Qawra
has a number of car-rental outlets
(rates are among the lowest in Europe,
starting around $11 CAD per day), and
Malta’s extensive public transit system
offers affordable unlimited-travel
passes for visitors. »
AMA InSIder
Summer 2018
25