Our top insider tips for Malta & Gozo:
Meet the divers
If you want to know the best places to go diving, it’s a good idea to meet other divers. The ideal place to do this on Gozo is Nemo, a bar in Xlendi. In this little ‘bistrorant’ on the harbour square, a Belgian couple serve fresh fish and reasonably priced international dishes as well as great wine. Open Daily (evening only) | St Andrew Street | Xlendi | Tel. 21 56 26 18 | Budget
Malta Film Tours
A lot of famous films were shot on Malta. The Malta Film Tour takes you to the original locations and shows you the video clips to match from films like Troy, Gladiator and The Count of Monte Cristo. Cost: €59 for adults and €29.50 for children aged 5 – 12 years | www.maltafilmtours.com
Swim in peace
In the Ghasri Valley on Gozo you can swim in a secluded fjord where it’s easy to get into the water over low rocks. Very quiet, secluded even, and a divers’ haunt. 3.5 km west of Marsalforn.
Romantic boat tour
For a special occasion, why not hire a traditional dghajsa? The skippers will take you round every nook of the Grand Harbour or along the coast. Tel. 21 80 69 21 | www.maltesewatertaxis.com
Meal with a sea view
The beach of Ghar Lapsi is small and stony, but to make up for that it has one of the finest and best-located restaurants on the island. Blue Creek dishes up superb Maltese and international cuisine, and has one of the loveliest terraces that you will find, built directly above the water. 6 miles from Rabat. Closed Tuesdays | Tel. 21 46 28 00 | Moderate | www.bluecreekmalta.com
How the other half lived
Casa Rocca Piccola, a 16th-century palace in Valletta, conveys a lively impression of how the Maltese nobility lived. This fine little 16th-century townhouse is still occupied by a Maltese noble family, but can be visited as part of a guided tour, which also leads to the underground bunkers where the family took shelter from German bombing raids. Mon–Sat, 10am–4pm hourly | Admission €9 | Republic Street 74, Valletta | www.casaroccapiccola.com
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