If You Go: Malta

We went into our trip to Malta with few expectations.  Not many people we know have visited, but we couldn't resist a cheap flight and the potential for sunshine.  Just south of Sicily (and amazingly, north of Tunis) - Malta is a country with much history.  They have been conquered by many civilizations....the Moors, the Romans, even the British had a stint on the island.  We ended up LOVING our time here - three days was the perfect amount of time to see the city!

Hotel
La Falconeria: We took a chance on this and it worked in our favor.  I just opened in February 2017, so when we booked there were no real reviews.  In good news, the hotel was beautiful --- very sleek and modern.  It was also perfectly located in the city of Valletta, so the perfect touch down spot for exploring the island. Note that this is not a resort -- there are lots of those outside of Valletta - so if that's what you're looking for, this is not for you.  BUT...it was perfect for us!

...their cool pool:

Restaurants
La Rampila: This was a fancy restaurant where we spent my birthday dinner.  The ambiance is fascinating, it's inside one of the city walls, so very cavernous.  The food is delicious - many local dishes like Rabbit Stew and seafood.  Note: we did not try Rabbit!

Scoglitti: This is a great seafood restaurant right on the water.  The seafood was absolutely fantastic and fresh...you could pick your fish from the day's catch!  We loved the tuna carpaccio, seafood rissotto, and lobster pasta.  Highly recommend1

Pulled Meat Company: We stopped here for a quick lunch and it might have been my favorite meal of the trip.  They have a secret sauce for their pulled port and their homemade chips (like, amazing, thick, hot potato chips are a must try.

Coogis: This was an adorable tea garden in the town of Mdina.  If you make it here, Coogi's has great pasta and pizza...and an incredible view.  We loved the food, though the service was a bit slow.

Things to Do
Hornblower Cruise: We had a fantastic full day tour on Hornblower.  They picked us up from our hotel at 9 am and dropped us back at 5:30 - after having visited the island of Comino to see the blue lagoon (stunning) and Gozo where we stopped at several local sites.  It was a full, well-orchestrated day.  Pro Tip: Paying for transport (5 Euro) and Gozo bus tour (5 Euro) were both well worth it.

NATO Tunnel Tour: If you're into World War II history, this is worth a morning.  They take you into the tunnels of Valletta that were used as a key stronghold of the allies during WW II...Eisenhower worked here!  It's pretty neat.

Mdina: We took the bus to the beautiful city of Mdina.  It looks like a movie set because it's so perfect...and for Game of Throne fans...it was!  They filmed during Season 1 in this city, so if you're into the show, worth a visit.  P geeked out here.