We travel on a budget and usually prefer small family run places with character but the modern 4 star Calypso Hotel at the end of the trip on Gozo really hit the spot, especially after the grotty Grand Harbour Hotel. In the following order, we stayed at:

VALLETTA, MALTA
www.vallettastudios.com
Lm16 per night, no breakfast
Great little self-contained studio, budget price, well equipped. We were pretty much left on our own to pretend to live life like a local for a week. Fabulous harbour view from the little balcony and very central. Michael has two studios to rent and we found him very helpful.

SIRACUSA, SICILY
Hotel Gutkowski www.guthotel.it
Euro 90 per night breakfast incl.
OK hotel, friendly and helpful staff but did not particularly like the location or the décor which is best described as ‘modern industrial’ – ugh. We were actually in rooms in a building just down the road from the main hotel.

LIPARI, SICILY
Diana Brown’s Rooms www.dianabrown.it
Euro 40 per night, no breakfast
Bright and cheerful room, central, well equipped and great value. We had a balcony, drying space outside for laundry, fridge, kettle, small amount of crockery, books and mags to read etc. Diana is helpful and friendly.

TAORMINA, SICILY
Hotel Villa Gaia www.hotelvillagaia.com
Euro 95.00 per night, no breakfast
My jaw dropped when I first saw our room - over the top décor, stuff all over every surface. It was terribly over done and made my eyes hurt just to look at it. Bathroom was the worst on this trip, just adequate. Best things about the hotel were the central location near the Duomo and the view of Mt Etna from our shared balcony. Because of cloud cover, we could only see Mt Etna on 2 out of 5 mornings.

VALLETTA, MALTA
Grand Harbour Hotel http://sites.keyworld.net/grandharbourhotel/
Lm18 per night, breakfast included
I think this was a 1 star hotel with a 5 star view. Décor was tired and worn and room basic. Shower and basin in the room, toilet down the corridor. It smelt a bit, like someone had been smoking. Terrific view from our window of the Grand Harbour. Breakfast was bread rolls and coffee or tea, pretty basic.

MARSALFORN, GOZO
Hotel Calypso www.hotelcalypsogozo.com
Lm33.50 per night, buffet breakfast incl
Best place we stayed, in terms of luxury and facilities. We had a wonderful view of the harbour at Marsalforn, there was a huge variety at the buffet breakfast, swimming pool, nice café and restaurants, internet etc etc. Easy walk to loads of eating places. Perfect place to finish the trip.

Kay

Thanks for the report Kay. It sounds like you had a good time. I still have Malta on my list of my places I have to go to when I next return to Europe.

Thanks for the report Kay. My daughter is going to be spending next semester in Sicily studying in Ortigia (by Siracusa) and wants to go for a trip to Malta on a long weekend so will print this out for her. Sorry about the luggage as I know that that is always a bad way to start any trip!

KayF,

Thanks for the report on the Valletta Studios. We will be staying there for a week in Nov. Since I selected this property soley on the website information, I'm delighted to hear your positive remarks about the studio and the proprietor Michael. Even in the reservation process, he has been very gracious and helpful.
In which studio did you stay, one or two? Was the bed comfortable? Did Michael pick you up from the airport? Did you pay for the apt. at the beginning or end of your stay? Just wondering because we are getting in at 9 p.m. and may not be able to get Maltese Lira immediately. Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi Athena,
We loved staying in the apartment in Valletta. We had apartment one booked but in the end stayed in apartment two for the week. There was a muck up in the arrangements which initially annoyed me but when Michael explained I understood what had happened and we really liked our apartment.
Yes, the bed was comfortable, it could be converted to a sofa during the day (we didn't bother) but it had slats underneath so was supported quite well. I was a bit concerned with the bed as my husband has a bad back but it was fine. Michael said he would pick us up at the airport and he was there, with a sign with our names on. He is very nice and it's good to talk to a local about all things Maltese. We had no Maltese lira to pay with either when we first arrived, as our ATM card wouldn't work, but Michael said he would drop around later in the week and we paid him then. (There are a few ATMs at the airport in arrivals.) Michael seemed pretty relaxed about things, I'm sure you can work out the payment while you are there. You can drink the water in Malta but it doesn't taste very nice as it's treated seawater. If you arrive on a Sunday, almost everything is closed all day, but you can get bottled water at the bus station, 5 mins walk from the studio. On Sundays, restaurants and cafes will be open so you can easily find somewhere to eat.
We really enjoyed our stay on Malta and Gozo, please ask away if there is anything else you'd like to know.
Kay

Thanks so much for the trip report. My daughter just got back from 6 mo. in Italy--the last 2 weeks in Lipari, which is LOVED. I've been drawn to Malta reinforces this. Would love to hear more about your experiences there...restaurants, places you went, etc.

And, oh boy, that really is a LONG trip!

Kay,

Thanks so much for your speedy and informative answers. The news about the bed is good as my husband also has spinal problems. We are looking forward to Malta very much. By the way, we were in Sicily this spring and love it just as much as mainland Italy. You must visit Sicily in spring if you have the chance. It is absolutely covered with wild flowers of every variety and color imaginable.

KayF,

Very nice trip report. Athena and I sympathize with your having a great time despite the lost luggage. Several years ago, we had a similar experience.

I am the gent with the bad back Athena was referring to. My duties include stocking the kithen. Is there a grocery market near the apartment?

By the way, I recommend giving Sicily another chance, perhaps in the Spring to see the wildflowers, especially around Cefalu and Selinunte. Athena describes Sicilian floral and historical sights in her June 2005 trip report much better than I ever could.

Thank you!

Thanks Athena, Shutterbug and Artlover for your interest. We had such a great time, it's good to share!

Shutterbug - the best place for groceries in Valletta is the supermarket in Republic Street, not far down from the bus station. It's on a corner, open Mon-Sat 9-7pm. There is an upstairs which we only discovered on our 4th visit! It's only a small shop but adequate, there is also the fresh fruit & veg and butchers and delis near the open air market on Merchant St. Oddly enough, the best place for bread was a stand at the bus station. We didn't actually cook, we prepared simple breakfasts and made drinks etc but there are lots of places to eat out and it wasn't expensive. There is also a very small shop about 2 mins walk away that sells water, cold drinks, bread etc.
You might know of the English chain Marks & Spencers, well the store on Republic St has some grocery items on the lower ground floor, near the cafe.

If you go to Marsaxlokk on a Sunday there is heaps of fish for sale, also cheeses, olives, fruit etc. Don't know about getting the fish back to Valletta on the bus though, unless you can get some ice. The market also has very cheap clothes, shoes, bags, souvenirs etc (cheap quality too but for that price...)

Athena, thanks for the tip about Sicily in the spring. There are so many places to visit and so little time... Just a word about the apartment, don't expect too much. It's fairly simple but that's what we liked.
Kay

To Artlover - yes, I agree it's a long trip, if you mean in terms of flight time from Australia. It took about 28-30 hours each way, I love the travel but hate the flying. If you mean 4 weeks was a long time, not to us. We usually go overseas for 4-6 weeks, it's so expensive to get to Europe, the USA etc and takes such a long time to get there, we make the most of it!

We loved Lipari too, very relaxing place. It reminded us a bit of the Greek Islands. We found the ferry timetables a bit of a laugh, I think it was more of a suggestion than set in stone.

Briefly, on Malta, we visited the Knights Armoury, the Malta Experience, the In Guardia historical re-enactment, the Manoel Theatre, all the shops (!!), the Sunday market just outside the Valletta City Gates, also Marsaxlokk Sunday market, St John's Co-Cathdral, St Paul's Shipwreck Church, Sliema, Mdina, the Hypogeum at Paola, Vittoriosa, Archaelology Museum, did a 2 hr harbour cruise and the Air Show. Other stuff too but these are the main things. I feel exhausted just having read that!
We found Gozo very relaxing, the people are friendly and hospitable and the pace is slow. We visited Victoria and the citadel and cathdral, Marsalforn, Xlendi as well as a few other places.

We found the food OK on Malta, nothing to rave over but fine. There is more choice than on Sicily where you can only get Italian food. We are used to a multi-cultural food scene where we live and found the one cuisine a bit dull after 2 weeks.
We liked the homely atmosphere at the Kings Own Band Club on Republic St, ate there twice. Also had a good meal at Cocopazzo, on the same street as the Osborne Hotel. The pizza looked good at La Cave under the Castille Hotel and we enjoyed Caffe Cordina and Eddie's, next door, on Republic St - both cafes with a wide selection of snacks.

We used the Lonely Planet Malta and Gozo book and it was very good, we would have been lost without it at times. Most of the historical sites have zero info for tourists so it's good to read up beforehand.

Best wishes, let me know if I can help further.
Kay

Wow, thanks so much for your trip report! I actually came onto the bulletin board looking for advice on my upcoming trip to Malta, so this thread was a great surprise and I really enjoyed reading it.

I went to Malta (and Sicily) for the first time 6 years ago, but it was as part of a tour group. I loved the country so much that I have always dreamed of returning, and in March 2006 I will be going back with my husband. This time, though, we will be on our own. My main question for you is, how easy is it to get around Malta using public transport? I have read a lot about how unreliable the buses are and how difficult it can be to even know where/when to get off. I would love to hear about your experiences using the buses (and any other further info on Malta in general if you think of anything else you wanted to share!).

I returned from Malta and Gozo in June 05. What a great holiday, I loved it so much I am returning next year. I especially loved Gozo, the pace is slow and relaxed, the beaches clean. There is more to Gozo then meets the eye, be sure to spend more then a few days to really enjoy it. I stayed at Marsalforn also, however I stayed in a fully self contained flat which cost only 12LM a night, which was a bargin, the place was super clean, comfortable, convenient and had nice views. I found the bus system to be fine, just don't sit next to the door because they don't close them and all the fume come in. I used a taxi to do some sight seeing around Malta - the prices were resonalbe but be sure to bargin. I found the food a little ordinary after eating the same fair day after day. I highly recommend Malta and especially gozo. Can't wait to get back there.

Kay, I did the trip from Sydney to Malta with Emirates, and it was one hell of a long trip, especially the return leg with the 10hr lay over in Dubai. This time around I am going Malaysian Airlines - great price to Rome from where I will spend a couple of weeks doing Italy, finishing up in Sicily and catching the ferry to Valletta for 2 weeks in Gozo once again.
Cheers

Hey Molly - nice to see another Australian willing to fly ALL that way! Malta is worth it though, we'd like to go back there. Did you book your place in Gozo on the internet? Can you give me the details for next time? Thanks.

Hi Felice592 - we used the buses quite a bit on Malta, they are very cheap. Usual fare was about Lm20c and once we got charged an adult fare for each of our backpacks which was quite funny but they did take up a seat. The popular routes get quite crowded and you might have to stand. Make sure you hang on tight!
The buses nearly all leave from Valletta and go back to Valletta so that made staying in Valletta a good choice. It's difficult to go by bus from one place to another (except Valletta obviously). You need to go back to Valletta and get another bus. You can get a really helpful brochure from the tourist office - just through the city gates - which lists all the bus numbers and where they go, with a map. You need to know which number bus to catch then look at the map to see where that bus number will be at the station. Each bus number has a spot allocated to it. Buses seem to run pretty regularly, we didn't wait more than about 15 mins. It helps to have the right change. You pay the driver as you get on. There is a booth at the station where you can ask questions if you need to.
We were a bit nervous about knowing where to get off. My husband had a big map and was mentally ticking off landmarks so we would know when we were close. You can always ask a local or the driver. We found people pretty helpful.
I had heard before we went that the drivers can be bad-tempered and the buses unreliable but we didn't find that at all.

If you have the opportunity to see the historical re-enactments at the fort (In Guardia was the one we saw), it's good fun. Get there at least 30 mins earlier to get a seat. We also enjoyed the Malta Experience down near the fort, to get an idea of the island's history.
Have a wonderful time.
Kay

Thank you very much for your response. You have saved me the time it usually takes to get acclimated to the area, and made it easier to fulfill my duties in stocking supplies for breakfast, beverages and snacks.

Thanks for your response, Kay! I feel much more reassured about getting around now. That was probaby the part that concerned me the most. We are going to be staying in Valetta, so it seems it should work out well! Also thanks for the suggestion about the historical re-enactments; I didn't get to see anything of the sort when I was there earlier, so I'll have to check it out. I'm definitely getting more excited about the trip after reading your words.

It's a pleasure to be able to help! Hope you all enjoy your trips as much as we did. I felt quite sorry to leave Malta and Gozo and hope to go back one day.

Best wishes
Kay

We just returned from 10 days in Sicily and 6 days in Malta and found your report more enjoyabloe now that we are familiar.

Hi Kay,

Thanks so much for your report, my husband and I are off to Malta in May 06 and yes we are Aussies too so not looking forward to the long flight, though we're doing Spain and Italy first. My husband's parents are Maltese(though unfortunately he never learnt to speak it)so we're looking forward to going.

We wanted to be near some nightclubs, bars, restaurants, etc and I've read that St Juliens is the place where all that happens, is that correct?

Unfortnuately his parents are not much help when it comes to this sort of stuff.

Thanks

To Angelblue - yes, St Julians and Paceville are the areas for nightclubs and bars. Sliema also has lots of restaurants and bars and is full of hotels and apartments. We stayed in Valletta which, to us, was much nicer but it can be quiet at night and we are not into bars or nightclubs. Just my opinion but I thought Valletta was full of character, atmosphere and charm and Sliema was soul-less and full of ugly concrete highrises. Each to their own.
If you have a look at the Lonely Planet Malta and Gozo book, they have a section on St Julians and Paceville with maps etc so you can see where it is and places to stay in the area. To give you an idea, we caught the bus from Sliema to Valletta and it took about 15 mins. The ferry from Valletta to Sliema took about 5 mins.
Hope this helps and hope you have a great time.
Kay

Thanks Kay, that helps heaps and maybe Valetta is more our thing as afterall I can the whole high rise experience at home

I will do some more research though.

Thanks again as I'm really looking forward to Malta now.

Thanks again.

Angelblue, let me know if I can help with hotels in Valletta. We had 10 nights there in total and as it's such a small place we saw every hotel/guesthouse many times so can help with location etc if that's useful. The view we had of the Grand Harbour was a knockout but there aren't many nice places along that side of Valletta. If you end up staying in Sliema, where most people seem to stay, I would try for somewhere with an ocean view.
Best wishes
Kay

Thanks kay, I really appreciate your help and advice.

I will be doing some more research over the coming month and then may seek your advice further.

I'm also going to try to get some more info from the in-laws at Xmas and make some decisions from there.

I'll let you know how I go.

KayF,

Athena and I just returned from our trip to Malta and London. Your insights were very helpful. I found the stores you mentioned and was ablt to fulfill my obligatory duty of stocking the kitchen.

Thanks for your help.

To: Shutterbug,
what did you both think of the apartment at Valletta Studios? I often think of the view of the Grand Harbour and 'sigh', wish I were there.
Was it up to your expectations?
Kay

Dear KayF,

Your information is very useful. We're going to Malta in a few weeks. I'd like to take you up on your offer about hotel descriptions in Valletta. We are looking for one room to accommodate my husband and me and our adult daughter We do not need a 5-star accommodation, but do want at least a 3-star with TV, central heating, good bathroom, and a comfortable environment and pleasant area. Any suggestions for Sliema will also be appreciated. Has anyone stayed at the Preluna? Thank you

Are you planning on spending anytime in Gozo? I spent two weeks there earlier this year and loved it. If your planning on going there be sure to spend more then 1 day it's worth it.

To Phyllisa,
There are no 5 star hotels in Valletta but there is one, the Meridien Phonecia, just outside the city walls, so you could almost say it's in Valletta. They sometimes have good specials so you could check that out. The area would be fine, not much atmosphere outside the city walls but only a few mins walk to the buses and then into Valletta. There are the Valletta Studios where we stayed but there wouldn't be room for the 3 of you. Our room at the Grand Harbour Hotel, where we also stayed, was not great, about a one star. The view though, was fabulous. There is also the Midlands Hotel across from the Grand Harbour Hotel, it looked a bit drab and would not be 3 star (1 or 2 I guess). The British Hotel is 2 star I think and is next door to the GHH. It would have wonderful views and seemed quite popular. The Osborne Hotel is 3 star I think and is about a 5 min flat walk from the bus station. Valletta is very up and down with lots of steep bits and stairs so flat can be good! You might get some view from the top floors of the Osborne but it's not by the harbour. The Castille Hotel is about 5 min walk from the Osborne, it's 3 star I think and looked nice. I don't think it would have water views, maybe from the top floor. It's close to restaurants and shops. There is also the Asti Guest House and Coronation Guest House, both of which I think only have share bathrooms.

If you are staying on Gozo, the Calypso Hotel would be good. Marsalforn is a nice quiet village by the sea with lots of restaurants and some tourist shops. Gozo is so small you can drive anywhere in about 10 mins. Xlendi is also a nice village on the sea but we preferred Marsalforn.
Hope this helps you a bit.
Kay

Hi,
My husband and I are heading to Malta and Gozo mid February for 3 weeks. I found all your info really helpful. Especially since we are booked into the Valletta Studios as well. I was wondering what Athena and Shutterbug thought of the apartment.

KayF, the owners of the flats in Marsalforn Gozo I mentioned many posts back advised that they now have a website ... it's http://desert-rose-flats.tripod.com/

Like I mentioned, it's was very clean and very cheap.

Cheers

Thanks Molly, I will keep this in mind if we are lucky enough to visit Gozo again. It's hard to pin down why, but Gozo was a place that really appealed to us and we're always on a budget so cheap is good!

To KLJones - I think Shutterbug started his own thread, you could try there. I'm really glad the info here is helpful, I love to be able to help people if I can and pass on things we've learnt from our trips.

Happy travels
Kay

Hi Molly
I am going to be staying on Gozo for 2 weeks. Any suggestions?
kljones

Hi Kjones

I was just about to start telling you about all the wonderful places to go swimming away from the crowds and then thought hold on your going to be there in winter. Gee makes it a little difficult to suggest things as most of my time revolved around a little sight seeing and lots of swimming or boating. There is probably not enough to keep you occupied in Gozo for two weeks as it is so small. It is easy to drive in Gozo so be sure to get a car. Marsalforn is a nice place to stay as is Xlendi. If you are thinking of a farm house get one in Xaghra it is a lovely little village. Tell me what things your interested in seeing and doing and i can help you further.

Cheers Molly

To KLJones - 2 weeks on Gozo sounds a bit long to me, but it depends on the sort of holiday you like. It's certainly peaceful there and probably in Feb very quiet. I think in the off-season that's when they do new building works and maintenance so that might be something to ask about before you book - there's the noise factor to think of.
We liked Marsalforn but even in early Oct it was starting to wind down for the season. Xlendi was nice but smaller than Marsalforn.
Kay

Having read all the glowing reports about Valletta Studio apartments, I booked with Michael for about 2 weeks in June 2006. Imagine my astonishment when Michael demand a 20% deposite to be sent to his bank account in Malta. On my asking him about his cancellation conditions, he practically said there are none and that "you loose your money" This appears to be a bit rough because anything can happen in 6 months and there is no way of getting the deposit back even if I were to cancel 3 months before arrival.

Ah yes, like the guide books say "Things change, prices change and glowing reports change"

Hi MollyJones and KayF
I know it sounds like a long time but we are really looking for a bit of peace and quiet when we first get there. We are travelling from Newfoundland, Canada and have had a bit of a crazy year.
We are more into site seeing and history although we had hoped to do a boat trip. I actually kind of like travelling out of season so I'm not too worried about being bored.Also Carnival is happening when we are on Gozo so we are looking forward to that. We have talked about renting a car and have been told that it shouldn't be a problem.
We are also staying on Malta for the same period of time and plan to run around there and go to Sicily for a day. So, any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Frank123, I think Michael may be asking for a deposit because it is the high season. A lot of the places I looked up required a non-refundable deposit during that time. I guess places fill-up fast. I have to say that he has been nothing but great in his contacts with me.

Kljones, if you are looking to relax and unwind for a while then Gozo is the place. You will have a lovely time, there is plenty to see and experience if you are not wanting to keep a full day schedule which it sounds like your not.

See Ggantija Temples late in the afternoon, the sunset is lovely. Do some reading if you can about them first because there is not must detail on site.
Whilst in the area stop and see the Ta'Kola Windmill Museum


I went to the Citadel 3 times, the first time i didn't allow myself enough time, the 2nd the same story some new found Maltese friends were picking us up and the 3rd I got to see everything. It's not that large but it is so interesting.

If you visit one church on Gozo make it Ta'Pinu. It a pilgrim church, there is a room on the right full of letters and photos from people around the world claiming miraculos events after praying to the Madonna Ta'Pinu. I still carry the holy card i got from the church in my back pack ...

I didn't go inside Calypso Cave, but it is a nice view from the top overlooking Ramla beach. If it is a bright day you will notice a dark line in the water about 50mtrs from shore. It was a barrier built to keep the Turks from invading the Island .. very interesting story.

Dwejra Point has the Inland Sea and Azure Window. If it is calm it is worth the boat road from the inland sea through the cave and out into the ocean. From memory it cost us 1 LM each. Oh and in some of the rock near Azure Window keep an eye out for the "Cart Ruts"

The best place I ate at was Aztec in Xaghra, in the village square. The fish and steak were great, the service very personal and the wine was the best. From memory the mains were no more then 5 LM

If you are looking for some exercise, climb the Tas-Salvatur, it is a statue modelled on the famous statue in Brazil. On the main from between Victoria (Rabat) and Marsalforn, you will see a drive way, drive up there and park then hike up to the top for a great view.


There are so many nice seaside villages and places, you can't go wrong.

Enjoy yourself, let me know if you have any questions.

Kay your not wrong about the building noise. It was my last night and i couldn't really get to sleep (too much wine during the goodbye dinner with my new found friends and I was thinking about the long haul home and how I just didn't want to leave) Anyway the day I was leaving was a public holiday and I thought at least there will be no building noise in the morning, I will get to sleep in ... WRONG .... the jack hammers started as soon as sun was up it was like 5.30am ...ahhh, that's probably the one thing i don't miss. I do miss the bells ringing however....

Sorry for the long post, just got carried away .. hope it helps in some way ...Cheers

Kljones, I forgot to mention, hiring a car in Gozo is a great idea, you will see so much more. I did the day trip to Sicily, it was a long day trip but well worth it. Not long after getting on the bus, you will be stopped at a dinner for breakfast just in case you don't get to eat beforehand or on the Ferry.

There is a great pastry/pie shop in Victoria (Rabat) I am trying to remember,our friends would pick us up across the road from there and they always insisted on grabing these pies for lunch from there as they are the best on the island ... they were good.

When I remember I will post it .... hopefully before you leave Cheers

To Frank123 - I'm sorry you were asked to transfer a deposit that you could potentially lose, but I suppose it's because it's high season. Michael may also have changed his policy, we certainly didn't pay anything until we arrived. I agree with you, I wouldn't be happy to do this either. Perhaps you could look for somewhere where the deposit was fully refundable, or they don't want one at all. It would be bad enough to have to cancel - but then to lose money as well...

To KLJones - your trip sounds wonderful, very relaxing! We considered the day trip to Sicily but it sounded like a VERY long day (I think about 5.30am to 11.30pm) and there is so much to see in Sicily, we ended up flying with Air Malta. The flight was about 25 mins to Catania, very quick and easy. If you have a bit more time, it would be worth doing that. A word of warning though, Air Malta lost our luggage and we got the distinct impression we weren't the first ones this had happened to. Pack anything essential in carry-on!

We used Mayjo car hire on Gozo and were really impressed with their friendliness and helpfulness. We ended up booking a transfer back to the airport on Malta to fly home and that worked really well.

Happy travels.
Kay