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Malta, an
Unlikely
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Mdina (yes, I spelled that correctly) is also known as "The Silent City". Completely walled in and admitting no vehicles other than those of residents, you truly feel you are lost in time. Walk every narrow street and alleyway, ending up at the far end of the city wall looking over a verdant valley. The shops have interesting goods for sale. The restaurants abound, but find the one, on the rear city wall that seats you at an outdoor table overlooking the valley. Fishing villages abound. My favorite is Marsaxlokk There are numerous relics of Neolithic Malta to visit. We saw the temples at Tarxien and Hagra Quinn plus the cave at Ghar Dalam where the earliest humans lived 7,200 years ago. These represent some of the oldest remnants of human activity in Europe. We were able to walk, carefully, about 250 ft. inside the cave at Ghar Dalam. The huge standing megaliths at Hagra Quim were especially impressive, sited as they were, on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean. Gozo is a smaller adjacent island, and a part
of the Among other attractions, the Rotunda Church of Mosta, one of the three largest of its kind in Europe, is worth a look. If you ride the local busses you can hardly avoid it as Mosta is a central point on nearly all lines. Malta has very few sandy beaches. The rugged coastline offers the most natural scenery. One way to appreciate this is on an all-day boat tour around Malta, Gozo and Comino. The cliffs at Dingli are particularly impressive. The coastline has many inlets and grottos , which can also be approached by land. I managed to get my shoes thoroughly soaked taking the picture at right. I’ve probably omitted some attractions for which
other travelers would chastise me. Museums and churches never ranked highly on my vacation
agenda and there are many more than I’ve mentioned here. If you’re a beach
lover, head for Golden Bay. There are botanical gardens, golf courses, water sports of all
kinds, and good local wines too. If you’ve read this far, you’ll probably enjoy
Malta too. Lyle is a bona-fide mountain nut of some 74 years
standing. Having first gazed in awe at the Rocky Mountains during a brief posting in
Colorado Springs in 1942, he returned frequently. Some of these trips were Questions about planning a similar trip? Comments for
the author? Would you like to add an article about your travel experiences in Europe? It's easy to do. Our Favorites Trip Tips and Tools The Not-For-Profit Site For Your
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(pronounced
"marsaschlock) on the far end of the island. The colorful fishing boats with their
"eyes" of Osiris on the bows will tempt you into using up all your film right
here. An open-air market extends around the harbor with many opportunities for shopping
and dining. We had a picnic lunch here under the structure just in front of the church. 
country
of Malta. Regular ferry rides connect the two and a day here is well spent. Enroute, you
go past the even smaller island of Comino with its unusual blue lagoon. The capital city
of Gozo is Victoria and this is the heart of the lace-making craftsmen. At one end of the
island an inland pond connects to the sea through caves in the rugged cliffs. Small boats
will take you through these on an unforgettable jaunt.