Here in Central Europe, summer hangs on a thread. The long, light evenings are closing in, the sun’s warmth is fading fast, and I’m already thinking back to my first holiday of the year in lovely Malta.
While the trees aren’t turning golden just yet, Autumn is definitely around the corner. I love Autumn, so I’m looking forward to it. I like winter too, but winter in Europe is long and by December spring seems a long way off. After a tough time last year, I took advantage of some cheap flights over the New Year. The great thing about working at an International School is there’s always somebody to travel with, so we decided to visit Malta.
We stayed in a stunning 5-bedroom apartment overlooking Valetta and the Sliema Port. It had two balconies: a large sunbathing terrace and one which held a hot-tub. As teachers recuperating after a long and busy first term, we were excited about spending a week in such a lovely place.
Discovering a new love
I knew little about Malta before I went, and I really liked what I saw. Even in January, the sky was blue, and it was warm enough to wear short sleeves. Every morning, I went running along the harbour wall without having to wrap up in a hat and scarf, like I’d been doing in Bratislava for the past few months.
We spent a great week watching huge waves crashing against St Julian’s harbour wall. During the day, we took the bus to the gorgeous walled city of Mdina. We ate ice-cream and admired beautiful Italian-inspired architecture in Valletta. And in the evening, we danced the night away at Paceville. I was excited to find a few things that I miss from the UK, such as Marks & Spencer, Dorothy Perkins, and Cadbury’s chocolate.
We didn’t manage to visit the Blue Cave, or take a boat to Gozo – which I’ve heard is fabulous, but I think they are trips for the summer.
If you are looking for a short winter break in Europe, then you should consider Malta. Even out of season things are open, but there are no crowds. There’s plenty to do. Life is slow-paced in Malta, so it’s a great place to recuperate from Christmas chaos.
I love to hear from readers, so please leave a comment below. Don’t know what to say? Here are some conversation starters: Do you like visiting places in low season? Have you been to Malta? Where else would you recommend for some winter warmth?
