01 Aug 2024by Charlotte Cullinan
The Mediterranean island destination showcased its culinary, historical and cultural highlights on an exclusive TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2024 fam trip
Charlotte Cullinan
Content writer
Charlotte Cullinan
Content writer
The Champions explore the medieval walled city of Mdina in the centre of Malta
As we hop between swish restaurants, tiny local eateries and trendy rooftop venues across the sunny Maltese Islands, the same comment frequently swirls around our dining tables: “That was the best meal I’ve ever eaten.” “No, that was the best meal ever…”
Our TTG Top 50 Champions are served a selection of local mezze at Birgu’s Tal Petut, and everyone gamely tries the signature rooster dish. At Caviar & Bull in the buzzing resort of St Julian’s, it’s all about steak and decadent cocktails, while in Tartarun in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, elegant fish dishes take centre stage, and we see why both wowed their way into being recognised by Michelin Guide.
“We’ve had some absolutely incredible food, and Malta is perfect for gourmets and foodies,” explains Holidays By Design Brigg’s Alex Osborne. “I’ve been surprised by how unique it is, with hints of Arabic food, and Spanish and Mediterranean flavours too. It’s some of the best I’ve had in my life.”
But it’s not just cuisine where Malta shines. The destination’s rich soil, light sea breeze and the 300 days of sunshine each year mean it’s the perfect place for wine making, as we discover on a tour of Ta’Betta Wine Estate. From its lush vineyard the winery produces a Chardonnay and two red blends, and after a tour everyone is eager to sample them. They win universal praise as we savour glasses with a delicious charcuterie-style lunch, overlooking the immaculate rows of vines (a two-hour tour and lunch starts from €70pp, tabetta.com).
DELVING INTO THE PAST
Our itinerary also showcases Malta’s historical and cultural must-visits. We head south of the island to explore the Three Cities – a trio of fortified cities that are home to beautiful baroque architecture, forts and palaces. An easy way to see everything is by hopping into electric buggies from Rolling Geeks, and a pre-programmed GPS leads us through a maze of narrow alleys and quiet residential roads. We quickly master the electric pedals and cruise along at 15mph, while a voiceover explains key sites as we pass them by.
BlueBay Travel’s Alistair Rowland says: “It’s great fun. If you’re selling Malta, then people need to see it, so if there’s one tour you put on the itinerary it’s got to be Rolling Geeks. You see much more than you ever would on a walking tour.” (€75 for a family of four for two hours, rolling-geeks.com)
Next, we meander through the pretty streets to the Inquisitor’s Palace to hear about its 500 years of history. For those looking to delve even further back in time, the ancient temples at the Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Park are the oldest freestanding temples in the world, as we discover on a trip to the impressive Unesco World Heritage Site.
The temple complex of Hagar Qim is more than 5,000 years old
Another highlight is the walled medieval city of Mdina in the centre of the island, which dates to the Bronze Age. It’s easy to stroll around, but before exploring we climb into carriages for a tour led by our horse, Biscuit, who rolls a group of three of us past the soaring cathedral, pretty palazzos and tiny shops. Reassure clients that the horses don’t work between 1-4pm to avoid the hottest part of the day, and have large shaded rest areas and access to fresh water. (Tours cost €35 for four people).
It takes around an hour to drive from the north of Malta to the south, which means we can pack plenty into our itinerary. After strolling around the capital of Valletta, we head into the calm of St John’s Co-Cathedral, celebrated as the best example of baroque art in Malta. We’re treated to a private opening so we can appreciate the swathes of 24 carat gold covering the ornate interior. Our exclusive visit is topped off by a musical recital in the oratory, which is home to the huge oil painting, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. As the only signed artwork by Caravaggio, it’s a huge draw for culture vultures.
ISLAND EXPLORATIONS
While Malta is the largest island in the Maltese archipelago, its neighbours are equally enchanting. The Champions shriek with laughter as we zip through the aquamarine water on a three-hour speedboat adventure around the tiny island of Comino, home to just two inhabitants. Our friendly captain Matthew Grech from family-owned JoyRide Watersports Gozo takes us past larger boats full of tourists, but our smaller vessel means we can sail into small caves and swim in the quietest spots. (Three-hour tours cost €300 for up to 10 passengers, joyridewatersports.com)
The Top 50 Champions sample a luxury picnic experience in Gozo
We dip into the crystal-clear waters of Comino’s Blue Lagoon, which lives up to its name as the sapphire waters swirl into a bright turquoise. The area is popular with divers thanks to the exceptional visibility of up to 40m, and keen freediver Grech regales us with stories of the resident eels, lobsters, octopus and crabs, and the warren of underwater caves and tunnels.
After working up an appetite we zoom across the water to Gozo – the second-largest island in the archipelago – to meet Anna Kisling, the founder of Gozo Picnic. Kisling sets up delicious spreads in beautiful locations across Gozo for two to 80 guests, which can be tailored to the occasion, from romantic celebrations overlooking the bay to family gatherings in private houses she recommends.
As we tuck into an utterly delicious feast, Kisling explains how she makes all the dishes using local produce, and hand-picks many of the vegetables in the dips, salads and platters we’re enjoying, alongside chilled wine and her homemade lemonade. (From €100pp including all food and drink, gozopicnic@gmail.com). As we savour each dish, the Champions agree they’ll all be returning for another bite of Malta.
Book it: Prices at AX Odycy Hotel start at €180 per room per night (comfort room on a B&B basis). British Airways offers economy flights from Gatwick from £57 each way, including taxes and charges; odycymalta.com, britishairways.com
Malta snapshot
The group at host hotel AX Odycy Hotel in Qawra
Smarter: Remind clients how easy a holiday in Malta is – English is one of two official languages, driving is on the left and the flight duration from the UK is just over three hours. The country even uses the British three-pin plug.
Better: The Champions stayed at AX Odycy Hotel in Qawra in the north-east, which reopened in 2023 following a €70m renovation. The hotel has a resort-feel, with 13 restaurants and bars and five pools – including a family pool and splash park – and all 600 rooms boast balconies.
Fairer: For the last nine years Malta has ranked top in ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, which rates countries for their legal and policy practices for LGBTI people. Malta Pride Week will take place from 6 September 2024.
Selling tips
Karen Marin Reyes, La Vida Travel, says: “It’s my first time on the island and I think we could sell it to any age group. There are a lot of festivals and events here in the summer months, the island has incredible history, and also very trendy bars and restaurants. It would be great for a week but also a shorter break, as there’s so much to see and do. My highlight was our trip to Gozo and Comino by speedboat – it was the most fun and relaxing day, and the sea here is so beautiful.”
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