Slow Travel in Malta : the cultural tour
In this age of on-demand viewing and rapid home delivery, it can be difficult to truly slow down and absorb life. This instant gratification culture has started to influence the way we approach our travel experiences, with Instagrammable locations ranking higher as we aim to show everyone what a great time we are having through a curated image stream.
In defiance of this, the slow travel movement is growing in popularity. Slow travel focuses on creating genuine connections when we visit a place and getting a feel for a location’s history, culture and food. The aim is to blend in as much as possible – this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy fast-paced experiences, just as long as you’re absorbing them in all their technicolour reality.
Malta’s simple way of life is perfect for slow travellers. The Maltese archipelago is made up of three islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino. All three offer something to explore, from the fortified city of Cittadella, to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk.
Here, we take a look at some of the places you’ll want to include on your slow travel cultural tour.
Ġgantija Temples, Gozo
With some of the pillars standing at over five metres in length and weighing over 50 tons, you’ll want to make sure that you include the Ġgantija Temples on your trip. The temples, which feature on the UNESCO World Heritage list are thought to be around 7000 years old. To put this in perspective, the Pyramids of Giza were built around 4500 years ago, and Stonehenge around 5000 years ago, making these temples some of the oldest freestanding structures in the world.
Admission to the temples costs €10 for adults, which also gets you into Ta’Kola Windmill. This dates back to 1725 and consists of multiple rooms across two floors. If you enjoy sketching or writing, why not spend the afternoon here, imagining what life was like when they were built?
The Red Tower
The Red Tower, otherwise known as St Agatha’s Tower, looks over Ghadira Bay, as well as the Straits of Gozo and Malta. It gets its name from its distinctive red tint, painted on in order to potentially allow sentinels to recognise it easily in times gone by. With its outer walls measuring around 4m thick, it has been used as a defence for the island for centuries.
Whilst the trip to the tower won’t take you all day, you could combine it with a visit to Mellieha Bay, about a 35 minute walk away, one of Malta's best beaches. There are plenty of local restaurants in Mellieha, meaning that you can enjoy a delicious meal whilst soaking up the atmosphere .
Mosta Dome
As the third largest unsupported dome in the world, the Mosta Rotunda invokes images of royal palaces. It was decorated by Giuseppe Calì. The dome was bombed in 1942, but astonishingly, the bomb did not explode and simply landed on the church floor. Even more incredibly, 300 people were in the church for Mass and not a single person was harmed. As a result, some people view this as a miracle and a replica bomb is on display at the dome, along with a prestigious art collection. It is a beautiful spot for both religious and non-religious visitors.
To sum up
Wherever you choose to explore in Malta, it is an island that encourages savouring the moment. Whilst you can travel around by car, there are also good public transport links as well as cycle paths, meaning that you can take in the landscape around you as you go. Pack a rucksack full of local delicacies and head off for your slow travel adventure.
In this age of on-demand viewing and rapid home delivery, it can be difficult to truly slow down and absorb life. This instant gratification culture has started to influence the way we approach our travel experiences, with Instagrammable locations ranking higher as we aim to show everyone what a great time we are having through a curated image stream.
In defiance of this, the slow travel movement is growing in popularity. Slow travel focuses on creating genuine connections when we visit a place and getting a feel for a location’s history, culture and food. The aim is to blend in as much as possible – this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy fast-paced experiences, just as long as you’re absorbing them in all their technicolour reality.
Malta’s simple way of life is perfect for slow travellers. The Maltese archipelago is made up of three islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino. All three offer something to explore, from the fortified city of Cittadella, to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk.
Here, we take a look at some of the places you’ll want to include on your slow travel cultural tour.
Ġgantija Temples, Gozo
With some of the pillars standing at over five metres in length and weighing over 50 tons, you’ll want to make sure that you include the Ġgantija Temples on your trip. The temples, which feature on the UNESCO World Heritage list are thought to be around 7000 years old. To put this in perspective, the Pyramids of Giza were built around 4500 years ago, and Stonehenge around 5000 years ago, making these temples some of the oldest freestanding structures in the world.
Admission to the temples costs €10 for adults, which also gets you into Ta’Kola Windmill. This dates back to 1725 and consists of multiple rooms across two floors. If you enjoy sketching or writing, why not spend the afternoon here, imagining what life was like when they were built?
The Red Tower
The Red Tower, otherwise known as St Agatha’s Tower, looks over Ghadira Bay, as well as the Straits of Gozo and Malta. It gets its name from its distinctive red tint, painted on in order to potentially allow sentinels to recognise it easily in times gone by. With its outer walls measuring around 4m thick, it has been used as a defence for the island for centuries.
Whilst the trip to the tower won’t take you all day, you could combine it with a visit to Mellieha Bay, about a 35 minute walk away, one of Malta's best beaches. There are plenty of local restaurants in Mellieha, meaning that you can enjoy a delicious meal whilst soaking up the atmosphere .
Mosta Dome
As the third largest unsupported dome in the world, the Mosta Rotunda invokes images of royal palaces. It was decorated by Giuseppe Calì. The dome was bombed in 1942, but astonishingly, the bomb did not explode and simply landed on the church floor. Even more incredibly, 300 people were in the church for Mass and not a single person was harmed. As a result, some people view this as a miracle and a replica bomb is on display at the dome, along with a prestigious art collection. It is a beautiful spot for both religious and non-religious visitors.
To sum up
Wherever you choose to explore in Malta, it is an island that encourages savouring the moment. Whilst you can travel around by car, there are also good public transport links as well as cycle paths, meaning that you can take in the landscape around you as you go. Pack a rucksack full of local delicacies and head off for your slow travel adventure.