With each destination I travel to, I cannot depart without passing on some useful information, especially when it comes to things not to be missed. As a budget traveller, those activities have to be free and not a regurgitation of what the internet already has loads of. Here are my 5 free things to do in Malta that I hope you can enjoy as much as I have.
Casa Normanna
What a treasure! Meet Charlie, the current owner of this 13th century home in Birgu. He has painstakingly transformed this old stone house into a museum. Since he purchased the property almost 25 years ago, he has spent his days maintaining its originality.
Charlie opens this home, every day, and visitors can see it for free! If you have the opportunity to speak with him, it is a wonderful experience. He is a boon of information and even showed me into spaces that are otherwise closed off. It was the luckiest day for me.
L-Addolorata Cemetery
I walked here from the Three Cities and it takes about 45 minutes. It’s a very pleasant flat walk, and I was introduced to cities I hadn’t yet visited. The cemetery itself is incredible. Full of unique styles of architecture in the form of family mausoleums. There is a large neo-gothic church at the centre and surrounding that are underground burial chambers intermixed with these larger ornate buildings.
The oldest graves are nearest the church with newer ones at the edges taking up most of the space. Things I found particularly interesting here are related to the size of the island. Malta is an incredibly small country and as such there is not a whole lot of space for a cemetery. It appears, with the number of headstones placed on each site, that there are multiple burials laid to rest in the same plot.
The use of real flowers is prolific too, something I actually don’t see that often anymore. Most cemeteries I visit, if they still allow flowers at all, they are usually artificial ones.
The Executioners House
Well not only his house, but also where the executions took place in Birgu town square. See both of these sites. The house one will find down an old cobblestone street. The building has not been restored and is quite humble and plain. If you look to the small upper window, you will notice two axes with an eye at the centre. This signifies that this was indeed the executioner’s house.
The location where the executions took place in the town square is easier to identify. Find a cross inset into a small window with a plaque underneath that will provide this information. Both are fascinating pieces of history from this most touristic of the Three Cities.
Birgu Ditch Gardens
Or Il-Foss, this is a serene garden area that has recently been restored, located between the two oldest sets of fortified walls surrounding the Three Cities. Visitors can enter this quiet space at several locations. One is through the front entrance of the Malta at War Museum. Just inside the first archway, to the left is a small gate. Go through and down the stairs. You are now in the secret gardens!
Conversely, coming from Kalkara, walk up and behind the boatyard, and here too is a small archway to enter from the other end. The entire garden space is filled with large olive trees and small plots of arid flowers. Several interpretation panels are set inside at strategic points to give visitors the information about important aspects that you will see whilst down there.
Cottonera Lines
There are massive fortifications surrounding the area of the Three Cities in Malta. This is where the Order of Saint John arrived in 1530 and settled. In order to protect the islands population of 40,000 inhabitants and their animals, walls were constructed. There are two sets. The second and newer set was constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries and called the Cottonera Lines. These, one can see evidence of, no matter where you go in this part of Malta.
They are massive, have several large and prominent gates and can even be climbed and explored, especially in Birgu. The pattern they take if seen from above is almost like a flower or star with multiple petals. They are beautiful and remain almost intact today.
I hope these suggestions offer some unique things to do while visiting Malta. Once in these areas, there are a plethora of other places to explore by foot as this is such a charming part of the island to discover. Malta is a beautiful place, absolutely full of history and interesting things to see. One of my favourite countries by far.
