Valletta, Malta

Last March, my best friend and I took a 4-day trip to Malta where we discovered some of the most unsung-ly charming architecture and scenery in Europe. The alluring combination of Mediterranean, Arabic and European influences is subtly discernible around the islands, with place names ranging from Valletta to Xlendi.. to Slugs Bay. We were lucky to visit the three islands (Malta, Comino and Gozo) at a beautifully tranquil time, a few weeks before the influx of party-goers arrives for the summer season. It meant getting several stunning photo-shoot locations to ourselves, not to mention the most photogenic holiday to date. I was surprised, though, to learn central heating isn't really a thing in Malta; the Airbnb host said that in winter, most people on the island catch a chill. The cold was probably the one down-side to the trip - but I will say, it could easily have been avoided with a bit less optimism and ONE decent jacket.
Still, I'm already thinking of going back, though a couple of degrees higher would have been a sweet spot, meaning.. now is actually a great time to go. If you're looking for a weekend getaway, I can't recommend Malta enough!

The viewpoint a few steps down from our Airbnb, in St. Paul's Bay. I loved the prevalence of limestone buildings, and their contrast with the often bright-blue sky and colourful accents seen in the first photo. Valletta's winding, cobbled backstreets were used in several Game of Thrones scenes, as were other parts of Malta. Mdina is especially worth checking out if you're a fan - among other scenes filmed there, it houses Littlefinger’s brothel... which I've since found out, a friend of mine owns!

Stay tuned for another post with more photos of the islands.