Churches of Malta

Malta has 359 churches between the islands of Malta and Gozo. That’s almost one for every day of the year! While we were in Malta, we saw quite a variety of churches, from major cathedrals to minor parish churches. All were beautiful and full a splendor unlike many you find in the United States. Seeing…

Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Temples

Before Christ, before the great pyramids of Egypt, before the wheel, the ancient settlers in Malta built grand temples to honor the gods of their time. Over time they were abandoned, wind wore down some of the big rock, dirt and vegetation grew over some of it, and they were forgotten to time. That was,…

Merill Eco Food and Wine Tour

When I travel I love to learn about cultures, check out historical sites, and admire architecture. But I also really really love to eat and drink. A lot. Love to try the local food, and make sure to sample all the local wines. I am lucky to live in such a rich area of the…

Marsaxlokk

Coffee by the sea. Colorful fishing boats filling the harbor. A small market with food, linens and souvenirs. Limestone buildings in the background. That’s what vacation is made for. That’s why you leave the comfort of your home to explore places unknown. And that’s what you get with Marsaxlokk. We actually first went to Marsaxlokk…

Mdina and Rabat

We woke up the morning of our fifth full day in Malta to cold. Not Chicago, Polar Vortex cold. But cold for us Northern Californians. It was 50 degrees Fahrenheit and windy. So we put on layers, hats and gloves, and came to find our tour guide for the day was dressed like an Eskimo.…

Gozo

When people hear Malta, they often are only thinking about the island of Malta. But the country of Malta is actually made up of four islands. Gozo is the second largest and second most populated of the four islands (the other two have little to no people living on them). The island is small (26…

Valletta and Birgu

New Years Morning, after a night of drinking and talking until 3am, 6 hung over zombies – I mean 6 strong independent women, and 1 very energetic baby managed to get on a bus, and make it to the Phoenicia Hotel just outside Valletta to start our walking tour of the ancient city. Our tour…

Blue Grotto

Our first full day in Malta. After getting in around 2am, I had trouble getting up and out of the house for a 1pm tour. I’m tired, I’m groggy, I’m jet lagged. But I’m in Malta so I’m determined to make the best of it. The guide stops and makes us walk down steps half…

Girls Trip to Malta

This is the year that many of my friends hit a big milestone birthday. 40 always seemed like a daunting age to me. It felt like the time when you become “old”. When my mom turned 40, a neighbor put up “Over the Hill” decorations. It seemed like an age I was not excited to…