Tourist attractions
Sliema
Sliema is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta. It's the most populated town in Malta. It's a residential and commercial area and a center for shopping,full of bars and restaurants, such as SurfSide Restaurant which is a well-known beach bar and restaurant.
During our study holiday we went to The Point Shopping Mall, which is Malta's favorite shopping destination. In Sliema we could admire a beautiful sunset on the beach while having dinner at SurfSide restaurant.
Musta
Musta is a small but densely populated city in the Northern region of Malta. The most important building in Mosta is the Rotunda, a catholic basilica, dedicated to the assumption of Mary and it is Malta's largest and most famous church.
Designed by Giorgio Grognet de Vassé this magnificent church was built in a Neoclassical style between 1833 and 1860 and it also is the third largest unsupported dome in the world.
During World War II the basilica narrowly avoided destruction when a German bomb pierced the dome and fell into the church during Mass, but failed to explode. This event was interpreted as a miracle. The bomb is now on display in a small museum attached to the church.
Valletta
Founded in 1566, Valletta is Malta's capital city and is one of Europe's smallest capital cities. Valletta is one of the most interesting historic areas in the world with its 320 monuments within an area of 55 ha.
The most important ones are the Independence Monument, the Monument to Jean de Valette, a French nobleman and one of the Grand Masters of the Order of Malta's Knights, and Triq San Gwann. Valletta became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1980.
If you go to Valletta you must see the beautiful view of the Grand Harbour (also known as Port of Valletta), which is a natural harbour, from the Barrakka Gardens.
Marsaxlokk
Marsaxlokk is a small, traditional fishing village in the south-eastern Region of Malta, in fact Marsa means "harbour" in Maltese, and xlokk is a south-eastern wind. In the past, Marsaxlokk was used as a port by the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians and the Romans as testified by the remains of a Roman-era harbour.
It's a well-known tourist attraction thanks to its views, fishermen and history, but also for the Marsaxlokk Market, which is a large fish market.
In Marsaxlokk we took a walk along the coast and around the harbour, where there were colorful boats, typical restaurants and souvenir stands.
Blue Grotto
The Blue Grotto is a complex of seven caves along the southern coast of the island. This place got its name in the 1950s, when a British soldier visited the area and compared it to Capri's famous Grotta Azzurra, which means 'Blue Grotto', because of its amazing clear, light blue waters. Even though the caves are stunning in all the seasons, they are even more beautiful on clear, sunny days: the blue sky reflects on the white sand seabed under the caves, giving the water vibrant blue and cobalt color. The cave walls, with their peculiar tone of orange, purple and green, create a mesmerizing combination of shades.
This popular site, which can be reached by boat, attracts thousands of visitors each year and it's also a very popular diving, snorkeling and swimming spot, even though it's not recommended because of the sea's dangerous currents.
We did a boat tour to closely see this stunning natural site for only eight euros, which is a very convenient price since the tour lasts about 30 minutes and it includes a local guide's explanation.
Hagar Qim
Hagar Qim is a temple complex in the southern part of Malta. In 1992 UNESCO recognised this temple as a world heritage site, in fact it's one of the most ancient religious sites in the world: it was founded between c.3700 BC and c.3200 BC.
It's made of limestone, so it has suffered from erosion because of the strong wind coming from the sea, that is why it has been covered with a big protective tent.
When we went there we visited the museum about the temple and watched a short movie explaining the history of this structure.
Chiara Amore, Ester Boni De Nobili, Ajdeep Kaur and Martina Grizzo
WEB SOURCES
https://www.malta.com/en/about-malta/city-village/sliema
https://maltalovers.com/rotunda-of-mosta/
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Rotunda_of_Mosta
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/131/
https://www.travelonatimebudget.co.uk/european-short-breaks/malta-20-top-things-to-do-in-valletta/
https://www.choiceholidays.eu/marsaxlokk-malta.aspx
https://www.budgetbucketlist.com/malta-cities.html
https://ohmymalta.com.mt/de/2020/07/29/maltas-top-nature-attractions/
https://www.maltauncovered.com/best-places-to-visit-attractions/blue-grotto/