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Malta
Malta has long appealed to those in the know, without ever fully
stepping into the Mediterranean limelight. Valletta, the highbaroque capital, has its loyalists, but lately, the island’s energy
has hopped around the headland towards the coastal cool of
St Julian’s. Boasting rooftop bars, Michelin stars and plenty of
value, this once-overlooked seaside enclave is having a moment.
ME Malta by Meliá delivers striking design at standout
rates – the Zaha Hadid-conceived hotel comes complete with
rooftop pool. Nearby, Hotel Juliani and HOLM Boutique & Spa
represent a fresh generation of design-led stays in the heart of
town. And then there’s Rosamì, which is a world apart in both
tone and texture. Housed in a 19th-century villa overlooking
Balluta Bay, it recently earned the area’s first Michelin star and
signals a rising tide of culinary ambition.
If the cathedrals and Caravaggios of the capital start calling,
Valletta is just a 15-minute taxi ride away, or a scenic ferry ride
across the harbour. There, ION Harbour is hitting its stride.
Now in its third year under Simon Rogan of L’Enclume fame,
and newly crowned as Malta’s first two-Michelin-star restaurant,
it sits within Iniala Harbour House, one of the capital’s most
stylish boutique stays. Valletta’s hotel scene is hotting up too.
This autumn brings the launch of Romègas Hotel, housed within
a 500-year-old palazzo (with homegrown talent Marvin Gauci
rumoured to be heading up the kitchen), while just across the
bay, Cugó Gran Vittoriosa is set to open in serious style.
There’s also a revived curiosity in the island’s ingredients.
Just a short drive inland, the Grima Olive Grove is home to
600 ancient Bidni trees, producing a prized, peppery olive oil
in tiny batches. Nearby, Ta’ Betta Wine Estates hosts Picnic in
the Vines throughout July. And, for a deeper dive into island
cuisine, the Malta Culinary Academy offers hands-on courses
in everything from pastasciutta to pistachio tart.
How to get there? Numerous UK airports offer direct flights
(approx. 3.5 hours) to Malta International Airport.
VISITMALTA
Clockwise from top left: oil being produced by hand at Grima Olive Grove; Ta’ Betta Wine Estates offers tastings against a backdrop of sloping vineyards;
a Rosamì nightcap; the view from Iniala Harbour House; precision plating at the hotel's two-starred ION Harbour; Valletta; the Zaha Hadid-conceived ME Malta
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