Why Malta is a Worthwhile Winter Destination

            I have not blogged for a while as I have just been on my first trip of the year, to Malta. Malta, not exactly a winter sun destination was the cheapest and marginally warmest place we could find to go at this time of year. So, while its too cold for lazing on the beach, snorkelling or diving, the night life is dead at this time of the year and you’ll be surrounded by Brits over 60, then why go?

I believe that a trip to Malta in winter is worth your while, however old you are.

        
         Malta is a fusion of all things Mediterranean and while it may not be warm in February, it is not freezing either and you’ll still be able to find the sun, which so often eludes us during these dark grey months. January and February and are the perfect months to avoid the drunken partygoers and be able to enjoy the islands cultural heritage, history and architecture without melting and wilting in the summer sun (the locals claim that in the summer it’s too hot to do anything).

        You can marvel at the island’s beautifully stunning architecture and get lost in its tiny maze like streets, and find yourself staring at one of it’s many impressive churches and cathedrals.

        
        Educate yourself in the island’s amazing and complex history, from ancient megalithic temples (older than Stonehenge), to its important role during both the World Wars. War museums, old forts and unexploded bombs will quench your thirst for history, as will the island’s numerous references to knights and crusaders.

           
        And if history is not your thing, visit quaint fishing villages and craft markets, sample delicious sea food or wander the streets of the capital Valletta stopping to eat pizzas and pastas filled with ricotta or swordfish dripping in sage butter or swirled in rich tomato and basil sauces. The food here rivals Italy and is infinitely cheaper.

        But, I recommend doing all these things on an island that has so much more to offer in winter, than the sunburnt bodies on their yachts and the 18-year-old night clubbers in summer. 




Photos: Copyright of Dan Convey