A TRIP ROUTE
IT IS WORTH KNOWING
The oratory of Saint John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta is home to Malta's finest painting. Beheading of St. John the Baptist was painted in 1608 by Caravaggio, one of the most outstanding artists of Italian Baroque, who used chiaroscuro in a masterful way. The painting, 361 x 520 cm, was commissioned by the Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt. The scene presented on the canvas is an illustration of the death of St. John the Baptist. The painting presented in the church scenery makes an amazing impression, especially if we are lucky enough to admire it in solitude.INTERESTING FACTS
The most famous Polish Maltese bachelor is Bartłomiej Nowodworski, founder and patron of the High School No. 1 in Krakow. In his youth he was a soldier and courtier, but for the murder of King Stefan Batory's maid in a duel, he had to leave the country and he stayed in France for many years. In 1599, with letters of recommendation from Henry IV, he went to Malta, where he took part in the wars as a Knight of Malta. After returning to Poland, he served King Sigismund III Vasa. Thanks to the land he had planted, the siege of Smolensk was successfully completed on June 13, 1611. At the end of his life, he engaged in journalistic activity, promoting the Maltese idea in the country.INTERESTING STORIES
Terrible episodes took place during the Great Siege of Malta by the Turks in May 1565. Fort St. Elmo at the entrance to Grand Harbor was the first target of the attack. After 30 days of siege, it was conquered, but none of the 1,500 defenders survived. The supreme commander of the Turks ordered the bodies of Christians to be nailed to crosses and sent downstream on the Grand Harbor to intimidate the enemy. In retaliation, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, La Vallette, ordered all Turkish captives to be beheaded and fired at the enemy as cannonballs.IT IS WORTH SEEING
The Maltese Falcon is an American feature film from 1941 starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor. The film is the debut work of director John Huston and belongs to the classics of the film noir genre. The role in this film (and also in Casablanca) made Humphrey Bogart a star. The title Falcon of Malta is a valuable statue which the Joannites, in exchange for giving them Malta as a fief, were obliged to give as an annual tribute to the viceroy of Sicily. It was sent every year on All Saints' Day. According to tradition, it was a golden statue inlaid with precious stones. Below is the original poster from the movie.September 2013
I have always wondered why holidays in Malta are more expensive compared to similar offers on other Mediterranean islands. So when I found a direct, cheap charter connection from Poland to Malta, with little thought, I made the decision to leave without the agency of a travel agency. My goal was to visit Malta and Gozo and relax.
Malta is a paradise for tourists. The variety of tourist attractions means that everyone will find something for themselves on the island. It was the same with me. An interesting fact is that the Maltese people, despite the fact that they use the Latin alphabet, borrowed many words from the Arabic language and therefore it is very difficult to pronounce them. Luckily, almost everyone speaks English as well. While visiting the island, I cursed my decision to live in Bugibba all the time, as traveling by buses took me a lot of precious time. Malta is small, but more than a romantic island, it resembles a big city with all the problems typical of an agglomeration.
Valletta
Visiting Valletta is a must-see on every trip, and that's probably why the main street of the city Triq Republica, is constantly flowing with tourists. But you only need to turn left or right to be able to search the alleys almost alone, soaking up the atmosphere of this extraordinary place. It's best to do it spontaneously don't worry, you can't get lost here, because all the streets lead to...the sea. Valletta has huge fortifications and magnificent temples, but I was most captivated by the romantic Tritons fountain, which I have photographed many times at different times of the day and night.
Gozo
Gozo is the smaller sister of Malta, only half an hour away from the mother island by ferry. It is worth spending a day visiting it and having a good rest, because there are fewer tourists on Gozo and the atmosphere is more idyllic. I even felt it in the capital of the island of Victoria, when I was sipping a local drink in a wine room in the old town and I was lazily contesting the passing of time. As in Malta, Gozo's sandy beaches are like a cure. These shortcomings will be fully compensated by the breathtaking view of the Azure Window. I admired the unusual rock formation both from the shore and from the sea level, flowing under a huge arch.
Megalithic temples
There are remains of many megalithic temples in Malta, and some of them, such as Hagar Qim, Mnajdra, Ggantija, Tarxien and Hypogeum, have been entered on the Unesco List. They did not make a great impression on me, but when I realized that they were created 4500-5000 years ago, i.e. at a time when people were still using stone tools, I felt respect for the technical and organizational skills of their creators. An unexplained mystery is also hidden in Claphan Junction, i.e. 60 cm deep ruts of unknown purpose, carved in the limestone rock.
Mdina and Rabat
Mdina and Rabat are so close to each other that tourists often do not know what they are visiting. The surest clue is the horse-drawn carriages waiting for those who want to visit Howard Gardens, the park separating these two cities. I must admit that the quiet and calm Mdina impressed me much more than the noisy Valletta. Mouse through old streets, squares and alleys, churches, palace complexes and defensive walls, I had the impression that time stood still. Fortunately for this place, commercialism has not yet penetrated here.
Fishing village
This picturesque fishing village should be visited by every tourist on holiday in Malta. It's best to come to Marsaxlokk on a Sunday morning when the island's largest market is held on the harbor quay. Nobody is in a rush here and time runs in slow motion. Even usually busy tourists succumb to this unusual phenomenon. The village itself is small and can be visited in an hour. However, it is worth spending more time admiring and photographing fabulously colorful fishing boats, which look particularly picturesque against the background of the Marsaxlokk buildings.
Harbor cruise
The cruise ship in the coves around Valletta was a great idea. It turns out that the city looks completely different when viewed from the sea level. Looking at the mighty forts and bastions rising from the rocks, soaring towers and stone curtains, I could imagine what the crews of enemy ships attacking Valletta felt. A completely different experience was the opportunity to see up-close luxury yachts in the marinas of Vittoriosa and Msida and repair docks where huge ships resembling multi-storey apartment blocks are serviced.
Here and there
During my stay in Malta, I visited a lot of interesting and interesting places. I hope that the photos taken then, at least in part, reflect their unique charm and emotions accompanying the tour. These few photos are not enough for a separate department, so I have posted here photos from different locations. Visiting some of them, such as Mosta, Dingli Cliffs or Bugibba, was planned in advance, while visiting others, such as Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar, was completely accidental.