Mellieha, Malta: The Perfect Short Break Pick-Me-Up

Just a short flight away from the grey of the UK is the sun-soaked paradise of Malta. Discover what this island has to offer from a mother and son who headed there for a 4 night stay in early October!

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Why holiday in Malta?

Malta came highly recommended by a friend when we were searching for a short break. The flight from London is under 3 hours, the weather is warm and sunny, and there is an idyllic mix of sandy beaches, lush countryside, towns with beautiful architecture, and a lot of historical sights and attractions to explore.

To add to that, even though the island has a rich and very mixed heritage influenced by cultures all over the world, the recent British rule (ending in 1975) makes the island feel very familiar. You will find most signage and documentation in English, sockets are for three-pin plugs, they drive on the left, and you’ll find red post boxes alongside British-style pelican crossings.

Grand Harbour and Three Cities Malta, ©Kerry McCarthy

Where to stay in Malta

There are a few main places people head for. We chose Il Mellieha because it seemed like a more chilled-out option with the kind of quiet beach vibe we were looking for. Our hotel of choice was Luna Holiday Complex, and we booked a B&B option via EasyJet holidays.

The hotel apartments were clean and spacious, the buffet breakfast was continental style with English breakfast buffet options, and it was perfect for fueling up before heading out to adventure for the day. The best bit about the hotel was the rooftop pool (over 17s only), and the gym was very well equipped.

Other recommended places to stay are:

Valletta: a jaw-droppingly beautiful historic city, very close to the airport, with sea views in every direction.

Bugibba: this is the place to head if you like a resort vibe and beaches are also good here.

Gozo: A small island just off Malta with exquisite views, beautiful beaches and great hiking.

The less enticing places, according to other holidaymakers are: Paceville, unless you like an active nightlife, and the outskirts of St Paul’s Bay.

Bear in mind that Malta is small (you can get round it in a day by car), so whatever you want to explore will only be a short bus, bolt, or hire car ride away wherever you stay!

Mellieha ©Kerry McCarthy

What to do in Malta

See old stuff! From churches to ancient tombs, there is a lot of historical “stuff” to see in Malta. This is what we did:

Visited Parish Church of Mellieha – dripping with incredible Catholic iconography, a stunning building with even more stunning statues, and sat on top of the hill affords fabulous views out to sea.

©Kerry McCarthy

Hiked the Xemxija Heritage Trail – again, spectacular hilltop views out to sea whilst discovering well-reserved tombs, ruins, and ancient spaces that are as much as 2,500 years old. We explored a beehive “farm” built into the rocks, a partially restored farmers cottage, burial tombs, roman baths, and got to enjoy the shade of the oldest carob tree on the island, estimated to be 1,000 years old!

©Kerry McCarthy

Full day tour of Valletta – the buildings here are stunning; highly decorative, opulent and evoke a centuries old maritime vibe. The narrow streets are packed with bouji eateries and bars, and in every direction you can catch glimpses of the sea. Make sure you do a tour around the outskirts for full harbour views, and explore the fort and gardens.

Valletta ©Kerry McCarthy

Other than that we spent time sunbathing and swimming in the sea at Mellieha Bay, and lounging by the pool at Luna’s rooftop sky lounge.

Sky Lounge Rooftop Pool at Luna Holiday Complex ©Kerry McCarthy

Other top recommendations include:

Limestone Heritage Park tour
Diving in the Blue Lagoon, kayaking, paragliding… there are lots of water sports options around the island!
Gozo Ferry Trip from Il Mellieha, or the Grand Harbour
Tour of the Three Cities from Valetta

What to love about Malta – The Food!

Traditional Maltese food that isn’t to be missed includes Pastizzi – a gorgeous light and fluffy pastry stuffed with ricotta cheese or with peas (although we had ones that seemed more like lentil). They are a street-food that come in at 50c each, and are divine! Also Imqaret, a date-filled pastry that is best served hot with a drizzle of honey and a dollop of ice cream!

We ate amazing Calamari at Adura Roof Terrace, Mellieha. Fabulous views, food, service and damn fine cocktails!
Delicious Asian food served up at Roy Thai Street Food, Mellieha. We highly recommend the Jungle Thai Stir Fry, an ancient Isaan dish with garlic, kaffir lime leaves, spring onions, and red chilli peppers and also the Red Thai Curry.
Il Kuntratt, also in Mellieha, served up fabulous seafood, we had grilled seabass with seasonal veg, and mussels. Would absolutely go back any day for this delicious home-cooked food!

What we did not love

This is a difficult one and we were only there a short time, and everything was REALLY nice. If anything, I’d pick that it is evidently being built-up in the quieter places. Lots of cranes putting up blocks of buildings, which will likely be hotels or apartments. Places like St Paul’s Bay looked packed to the hills, it would be a shame if that will be the same fate for quieter places such as Mellieha.

Would we go to Malta again?

Absolutely. In fact, I am hoping to return for a family holiday next October, will have to see what the prices are like during the October half term, but I think the weather will still be warm and there is just so much more that I wanted to do!

Travel writer bio

Kerry McCarthy is a travel writer, author, artist, and breathwork instructor. You can see more of her adventures on Instagram @kerrymccarthystars.

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