Valetta (Malta) 2011

Malta is cooler than you think
I was surprised by how beautiful and spectacular Valetta is. No wonder Game of Thrones has filmed in some settings on the island. Valettas old town on the hill has a spectacular view down on the rest of the older parts of the city and the harbour. It looks like something George Lucas or Steven Spielberg would have made in their fantasy actions films. Almost to perfect!

The town is very calm and relaxed. It feels a bit to touristy and you also have to many British pubs with drunk tourist and expats. A lot of northern Europeans work here at the online casino companies.
But you can easily rent a boat or go for a hike to see the beautiful and barren coastline. The climate is really nice and people are friendly.

Small boats in the harbour

A lot of small harbours along the Valetta coast

Where are the (Game of Thrones) dragons?

The score! (This is the evaluation. The scoring system has 10 categories with 1-10 in grades, maximum score is 100)

1. The beach

Clean, water quality, nice sand, facilities etc.

Score: 8 (stony but nice beaches)

2. The boardwalk and local environment

Good for running and walking. Nice viewpoints. Vibrating life with people and activities.

Score: 7 (beautiful architecture along the coastline)

3. Rainy day activities

Is it close to a big city or is there a lot to do rainy days in the area (museums, parks, sights and events)?

Score: 6 (some museums)

4. Sunny day activities

Outdoor activities like kayaking, surfing and more.

Score: 8 (you can rent a lot of water sport things) 

5. Restaurants and cafes

Are there many restaurants and cafes? Is the food nice? Is it expensive or cheap? Service and variety.

Score: 6 (a lot of restaurants and some sorry British pubs)

6. Parks, forests and mountains

Can you find parks, forests, and mountains so you can go for hikes and do (mountain) biking?

Score: 6 (nice coastline to explore, rent a sailboat, it is fun)

7. Shopping and street life

What about the quantity and quality of shopping? Is it nice to stroll the streets at night?

Score: 6 (shopping is ok)

8. Weather

In this guide we favour summer temperatures with sunny days.

Score: 10 (Fantastic spot in the south of the Mediterranean sea)

9. Transport

Is it easy to fly to this place? How long and expensive is the trip including transfer from the airport.

Score: 8 (easy to find a ticket and quick transfer)

10. Housing and hotels

Is there a wide range of nice hotels, apartments (on AirBnb etc.) and houses?

Score: 7 (A lot of options)

Total score: 72/100 points