Ask random people on the street what they know about Game of Thrones, and you’d probably hear the same three things over and over: dragons, nudity and beautiful locations.
And while I didn’t experience much of the first two, I very much enjoyed the third of that golden trio during a trip to Malta. The ancient walled city of Mdina, once the capital before it was supplanted by Valletta, is known as the “silent city” for its lack of cars and a population of only 250 people. But the residents are anything but silent when it comes to their claim to fame.
Part of a rich Maltese TV and film history, which includes Gladiator, Troy and erm…the 1980 live action version of Popeye, Mdina was used as the filming location for King’s Landing in the first season of Game of Thrones.
The city’s main gate is featured and Mesquita Square even played host to Littlefinger’s brothel where Sean Bean’s Ned Stark is reunited with his wife…among other things. And everyone you meet in Mdina has a story.
Our tour guide Audrey, for instance, was hired as an extra to play one of the Dothraki and rubbed shoulders with Emilia Clarke and Jason Momoa in between educating groups about the history Mdina has to offer.
And it really does have a lot to offer. For a city that’s less than half a square mile in size, it has seemingly endless palaces, quaint lace shops on most corners and by all accounts, the best chocolate cake in Malta, found at the Fontanella Tea Garden.
And Mdina is only the tip of the iceberg. With anti-tourist protests sweeping across Europe’s holiday hotspots, it can be hard for Brits to find a new getaway. But with a large British expat presence and supportive attitudes towards tourism, Malta is a country that caters for all tastes.
If you’re a history buff, you’ve got hundreds of years of the Knights of Malta to dig into. For foodies, try out Malta’s famous rabbit stew or pastizzi – savoury pasties normally filled with ricotta or peas. Or if you just want sun, sea and relaxation, you can do that too.
But luckily, in my whistlestop three days in Malta, I was able to do all of that – and more.
We started in the capital of Valletta, taking in the opulence of the Grandmaster’s Palace. Dominating St George’s Square in the heart of the city, it was from here that the Knights of Malta, then known as the Knights Hospitaller, ruled Malta for about 250 years, before Napoleon and later the British conquered the island.
With thousands of military mementos housed inside the Palace’s original armoury building, it’s an absolute treasure trove, even if I did personally start to flag after a big lunch and a tour of seemingly endless rows of armour.
Similarly ornate albeit far more tranquil was the iconic Caffe Cordina. One of the oldest cafes in Europe, it serves traditional Maltese food and the island’s increasingly popular domestic wines, all under a spectacular vaulted ceiling.
Off the main island of Malta, our second day took us via ferry to Gozo, for my money one of the true hidden gems of the Mediterranean. Malta is brilliant but Gozo, about a quarter of the size of its big brother, is packed full of rustic charm and striking landscapes reflective of the relative lack of development. Gozo has 46 churches crammed into just 26 square miles and boasts its own historic fortified city in the shape of Cittadella, overlooking the main town of Victoria, but it is something much, much older which predominantly draws people to the mini-Malta.
Named as a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Ggantija Temples are potentially about 1,000 years older than the Pyramids of Giza and were created without the use of wheels or metal tools.
The two structures, both housed within the Ggantija Archaeological Park, remain in remarkable condition more than 5,500 years on.
Much newer and more luxurious was our base for the trip. We were the very first guests to stay at the Best View Fortina Luxury Suites, a complex of beautiful apartments right on the waterfront in the affluent coastal town of Sliema. The suites are the brainchild of entrepreneur Michael Zammit Tabona, a one-time ambassador to Finland and long-time Manchester United fan, not that I held it against him. And while he’s also known as the owner of the superb four-star Village Boutique Hotel and Spa in Naxxar, it is his new venture that’s got people talking of late.
Combining the luxury and opulence of a five-star hotel with the independence of your own apartment, there is nothing that hasn’t been considered.
There’s of course the usual – exclusively en-suite rooms, plush furniture, a balcony with fine sea views – but there’s also some homely touches most places simply don’t think about.
All the kitchens are fully equipped with everything from an air fryer to an ice machine and while every apartment comes with a fully-stocked laundry room, there’s also a laundry service and 24-hour concierge. So whether you want to be pampered every minute of the day or cook your own meals, you can build your holiday your way. Guests also have access to the on-site spa, indoor pool and outdoor lido, and a gym, perfect for burning off pastries.
If that wasn’t enough, anyone who stays also gets a discount at three nearby restaurants, all within a two-minute walk of the apartments – Manta offers Mediterranean dining by the seafront lido, Tora showcases oriental fusion and The Queen Elizabeth Pub is a proper boozer, with football on the TVs, a good range of beers and brilliant food.
And while there were a couple of small teething problems on our first day, understandable when we were the first ever guests to visit, the blueprint for success is clear to see.
But don’t just take my word for it – as we were leaving, a contract was being signed for the lead star of a new British TV drama to stay in one of the apartments while they filmed nearby.
Game of Thrones may have left our screens, but Malta will be staying in the spotlight for a while yet.
GET THERE
Flights to Malta are available from Belfast International, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, Liverpool, Luton, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Southend
and Stansted.
BOOK IT
Rooms at the Best View Fortina Luxury Suites in Sliema, Malta,
start at £125 a night. bestviewfortinaluxurysuites.com
MORE INFO
visitmalta.com