Mediterranean flair: Here are the best tips for the Mediterranean jewel Malta

The Republic of Malta, with its three inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo, and Comino, as well as several small uninhabited islands, is a member of the EU and lies between Sicily and Libya. Its capital is Valletta. The entire archipelago is roughly the size of Munich. The only international airport is in Malta and is served by KM Malta Air, Lufthansa, and Eurowings, among others. Nonstop flights with Lufthansa from Frankfurt start at approximately €260.

The bus network in Malta covers a wide area – the service is slow, often delayed, and crowded. For information and timetables, it's best to download the "Tallinja" app. Buying tickets is easy with the "Tallinja Card" (at the airport and many kiosks), but be sure to carry change on the bus – each ride up to two hours costs two euros during the day and three euros at night. For a day trip to the neighboring island of Gozo, the "Gozo Green Hop On Hop Off" bus, including the ferry, is ideal; the ticket costs approximately 25 euros (maltaislandtours.com).

Left-hand traffic, generally a bit chaotic, with lots of traffic jams... If you still want a rental car, you can get one for around 10 euros a day. If you're traveling with several people, a taxi ride is also worthwhile for short distances.

The 300-year-old palace is located in the center of the capital. The spacious rooms are designed in various themes, some opulently playful, others inspired by historic yachts, and others in the style of the Roaring 20s. There's also a spa and a small outdoor pool area. Double room with breakfast from €200 (St. Ursula Street 102, Tel. +49 22 48 48 10, ikcollection.com/palazzoconsiglia/).

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A mini-palazzo in a narrow alleyway: With a keen sense of style and comfort, this Victorian city residence has been transformed into a luxurious bed and breakfast—furnished by Maltese designer Chris Briffa in a mix of baroque elements and mid-century furniture. Double room/breakfast from €204 (81 Old Theatre Street, Tel. +49 21 22 48 21, casaellul.com).

The small château, made of hand-hewn limestone walls, is located in the countryside near the town of Żabbar, ten minutes from the airport and about a half-hour walk from the harbor forts. Sustainably built on the foundations of a 17th-century farmhouse and opened in 2021, the couple Jesabel and Aaron celebrate wellness here. Double room with breakfast from €80 (Trejqet Wied ta' Mazza, Tel. 027 99 52 03, mulberries.mt).

"Just grabbing a bite to eat" isn't the order of the day here – the portions are generous. The flatbreads baked in an old wood-fired oven, with tongue-twister names like Ftira Ta' Ġorġ ir-Raġel or Ftira Ta' Zeppi Čirwilla, are all specialties of Maltese artisan baking, a kind of rectangular pizza. The former is topped with potatoes, strips of pork belly, ricotta, and broad beans, the latter with potato and beef slices (approx. €13; 143 St. Dominic Street, Tel. 022 58 15 35, nenuthebaker.com).

A dgħajsa (water taxi, €2) takes you across the harbor to Birgu, the first residence of the Order of St. John. Then you'll have to search a bit until you find Donald Cagliari Conti's quaint restaurant in an alleyway. He offers a daily menu made exclusively from local ingredients, starting with delicate mezze (from €40; Triq Pacifiku Scicluna 20, Tel. 079 42 11 69, talpetut.com).

Farm-to-table is the concept of this charming restaurant: The ingredients come from the restaurant's own 250-hectare farm – every vegetable, every fruit, every chicken, every rabbit, and everything is homemade, according to Grandma's recipes. Dishes cost between 10 and 32 euros (Triq il-Kbira 121, Tel. 027 62 07 27, diarilbniet.com).

The two Dutchmen met in Amsterdam 33 years ago and built their label into Malta's leading brand. Their collections include gorgeous silk dresses, gowns, and scarves, delicate gold jewelry, and elegant clutches. The boutique at 21 St. Paul's Street in Naxxar, about 10 kilometers from Valletta, also features a lovely café (Tel. 027 58 15 91, charlesandron.com).

A native of Gozo, the trained perfumer has set up his flagship store in Valletta. The shop itself is an attraction: Through the antique wooden door, one enters the 300-square-meter cellar vault of a former monastery. The beauty products are also impressive, and certainly worth a sniff. A great source for souvenirs , for example, the "Handbalm Candles," which transform into moisturizing lotion when melted (Archbishop Street 1, stephencordina.com/).

A cheerful bustle is the order of the day at the Sunday street market in this picturesque harbor town in southeastern Malta. On other days, things are more relaxed: strolling along the promenade, watching the fishermen mending their nets in their colorful luzzu boats, and easily snagging a table at one of the many seafood restaurants – pure island bliss. The best fish, by the way, is served at the small restaurant "T'Annamari" (Xatt is-Sajjieda 28, Tel. 027 44 62 11, tannamari.com)

In Marsaxlokk, George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev announced the end of the Cold War in 1989. Historic scenes also took place in Malta later on – but only in front of Hollywood cameras. In "Troy," for example, Achilles, aka Brad Pitt, fought for the beautiful Helen, played by Diane Kruger. Fort Ricasoli at the entrance to the Grand Harbour – the three-kilometer-wide natural harbor at whose northern end Valletta lies – served as Troy. Previously, it served as the Roman Forum, where Russell Crowe played "Gladiator."

On the west coast of Malta, the limestone cliffs rise 253 meters from the sea, the highest in the Maltese archipelago. They can be reached by bus in just under an hour. A hiking trail with fantastic views of the Mediterranean stretches along and through the cliffs. For a break, the rustic "The Cliff" is the perfect place to stop: The restaurant focuses on sustainability, and the kitchen uses wild herbs from the surrounding area, among other things. Here, you can also pack a picnic, take a walk through the fields, or enjoy the "Summer Sunset BBQ" on Fridays (The Cliffs Interpretation Centre, Triq Panoramika, Tel. 021 45 54 70, thecliffs.com.mt).

Once one of the island's former capitals, before the Knights of the Teutonic Knights barricaded themselves at the Grand Harbour, the name comes from the Arabs, the imposing surrounding walls from the Normans. Visible from afar, this postcard-perfect town, entwined with green vines, sits enthroned in the heart of the island. Today, a few hundred people live here, and its winding streets catapult you back to the Middle Ages. Buildings like the Palazzo Falson date back to the 13th century—the perfect film backdrop for the city of King's Landing in the fantasy series "Game of Thrones."

Brigitte