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At the
Malta alter
F
Natasha Paulini joins the conquering nations or a minute speck in the Mediterranean,
that have fought over this small island Malta’s had had some serious
heavyweight interest. The Ancient Greeks
and Phoenicians haggled on its dusty
flagstones, the egotistical Romans marched
through its stone bastions – even the British
gave it a go. Its thanks to the tiny island’s
strategic position halfway between the Strait
of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal that so many
tried. Now, it’s less gunship warfare and more
sun, food and fabulous hotels that draw
travellers to its rocky shores.
See: Valletta, Malta’s capital, is a living
experience of baroque architecture, designed
by no less than Michaelangelo’s protégé and
lovingly donated
Table talk: de Mondion’s by the Knights of the
panoramic view Order St John nearly five
centuries ago – rulers
of which you’ll find the
Maltese speak of
romantically still. Their
greatest gift, however,
is the majestic St John’s
Cathedral. Its austere
exterior belies the gilded
walls inside, carved
religious reliefs and inlaid marble floors. Most
impressive of all, it holds some of Carvaggio’s
most beautiful works, including the magnificent
Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. The
notoriously immoral Caravaggio was fleeing
prosecutors from his native Italy when he was
accepted into the Order. In the surroundings
of the Knights’ self-imposed opulence, the
painter flourished. One can see why.
Do: From the mid-17th century Upper
Barrakka gardens on the ramparts of St Peter
and St Paul bastion, you can hear the cannons
fire at 1pm every day and see just why Malta’s
circular harbour offered such a safe haven.
Take a ride on a traditional Maltese boat,
a daghajsa, across the impossibly blue harbour
to the Three Cities, dubbed so by Napoleon
himself. Here you’ll see Malta’s biggest
export, limestone, put to its best use,
the gleaming grey buildings piled high on
snaking, steep cobblestone streets. Also
worth putting on the to-do list, although you
won’t necessarily be able to book it in, is a

86 October 2010

saint’s festival. The Maltese are split
by a friendly rivalry, St Augustine versus St
Benedictine. Throughout May and October,
the two factions battle it out with festivals of
riotous colour, music and dancing. One you
can plan, however, is the Traditional Food and
Festa Fair, Malta on 13 November.
Stay: Malta’s increasing tourism trade can
be seen in the numerous hotels that have
sprung up on the island. You will, however,
still find most offer that small, village intimacy
in abundance, and none more so than the
Xara Palace Relais and Chateaux in the city of
Mdina. Don’t let the grand name put you
off. This delightful hotel is tightly run by
Nicky Paris, whose passion for the romantic
17th Century hilltop palazzo is evident.
Lovingly restored to its former medieval glory,
the hotel’s rooms have their own individual
charm. Furnishings throughout the hotel are
sourced personally by the owners; even the
headboards are remodelled from antique
mantelpieces. The fortified city in which it
stands is known as The Silent City, and a
quick stroll around its high-walled streets
during the afternoon’s siesta will quickly
explain why. The hushed environs invite quiet
and cool on hot days, but are more than
a little eerie at night.
Fit for a princess:
the Xara Palace
Eat: Maltese food is typically Med – lots of
fresh fish, grilled veg, olives and cured meats
– and opportunities abound at the string of
terraced restaurants on the the Three Cities
waterfront. Pastizzi – pastry filled parcels of
pea or (the infinitely superior) ricotta – is the
national snack, available at corner pastizzerias
and most bars, and often the choice of late-
night revellers looking for something to soak
up the excess. For the more refined, Xara Quiet zone:
Palace’s Trattoria serves up a simple menu the silent
city of Mdina
of antipasti, pasta and pizza, but it’s the
upstairs de Mondion restaurant that’s earnt
the hotel some serious plaudits. Rated the
best restaurant in Malta by The Definitively
Good Guide 2008, de Mondion’s terrace
offers 180° panoramic views of the island
in a relaxing and genial setting. De Mondion
is award-winning chef Kevin Bonello’s pride
and joy, who comes from good stock: the
talented chef has rubbed shoulders with the
likes of Marco Pierre White and Raymond
Blanc, the success of their tutorage clearly
evident in the considered menu of local fare.
Prices are steep, so consider it a treat. But
much like Malta itself, you will be back.
Misrah il-Kunsill, Mdina, 1050, Malta
+356 21 450560, xarapalace.com
October 2010 87