Isla, Birgu, Kalkara (Malta)
We’re staying in the heart of Valletta but take advantage of the many boats to get to the Three Cities across the water.
Part 1: Travel Journal
Part 2: Practical Tips
Part 1: Travel Journal
What I absolutely love about Valletta and its surroundings is getting around by boat. From Sliema, there’s a boat that takes you to Valletta in just a few minutes for €1.50.
Then, from Valletta, at the foot of the Upper Gardens (Google Maps link), there are water taxis to take you to Birgu for €2. From Birgu, we walk to Isla and Kalkara. There are three types of boats:
- Motorized gondolas that just do the round trip (€2/person/one way)
- Motorized gondolas that take you on a guided tour of about thirty minutes (€8)
- A shuttle (€1.50)
The first time, we took the regular gondola, and then the second time, we took a tour for €8. The captain is quick to show us a photo of himself, appearing in the movie “Troy” filmed in Malta. He tells us he saw Brad Pitt, whom he photographed during the filming. Apart from that, nothing interesting. And for the return, we took the shuttle (Mapfre). The departure point from Valletta is almost the same for all three (within 10 meters), however, the departure from Birgu differs a bit, so observe the boats and you’ll know where they leave from.
For several days, I’ve been developing an obsession with this building on Isla, because I love arcades… and I’m dying to go see what it is.
Unfortunately, it’s not a castle like I thought, but just arcades along a modern building. So, there are some things that look prettier from afar.
Whether by shuttle or gondola, the crossing is very pleasant, I highly recommend it! The view from the boat towards Valletta is breathtaking!
This place impresses me every time I set foot there (Google Maps coordinates). We’ll grab a drink at the café below, and an ice cream not too far away, but it’s not good.
Take a stroll along the quay and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The pricey yachts are worth a look; this is where you see the most beautiful ones.
At Novità, the squid ink risotto is excellent!
Other than that, I really enjoyed walking around Kalkara Port. There are fewer restaurants here because of ongoing works, but there’s much more space to walk, or even jog. We were just a bit surprised to see the Vatican flag everywhere.
There are many museums here, not to mention churches, forts, and gardens… but we don’t have the time or energy to visit them all, so we’ll save them for future trips.
Well, it’s already time to leave Malta for Sicily. We take an early morning ferry and love seeing Valletta at sunrise. It’s beautiful! Malta, especially Valletta, has captured our hearts, especially for spending winter in the sun.
Part 2: Practical Tips
- Boat crossing: between €1.50 and €2/person/crossing, cash payment
- Boat tour: €8/person
