Visiting The Four and a Half Cities

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Following my walk around the rim of the fort yesterday (see Doing Tourism in Reverse), I thought I would get up early again and head back out there to see whether it would make any good photographs. It didn't. I was very disappointed as all the floodlights that illuminate all the walls had been turned off. It was dark and bland. Not only that, but I needed the light on my phone in order to see where I was going. When I could, I climbed some steps back up to the streets and tried out some other locations. I did manage to get a good photograph of the Victoria Gate (stealing the composition from a postcard I had seen) and I also eventually ended up at a location that I had been to a couple of evenings ago (see Considering What Should Be On My Decorated Tombstone), which actually looked better in the early morning light. The early morning trip out had been worthwhile, even if I had not ended up with what I had planned.

Our plan today was to visit the Three Cities as they are known - essentially a row of three different cities (who'd have guessed) across the harbour from Valletta and each on a peninsular separated by water - Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua.

The main bus terminal is right by the Triton Fountain and the main entrance into Valletta, so that seemed the best way to get there. The bus routes are complicated to say the least and there are routes from there to all over Malta. We managed to work out that routes 1, 2 and 3 all went to the three cities so we basically waited to see which one came in first. It was route 3.

Where ever you are going in Malta, the bus is a fixed cost of €2.00. We were going a relatively short distance, but then €2.00 is a bargain compared to buses in the UK. We debated getting a bus to our next destination when we leave here, but decided against it, not least as it would mean dragging our bags up the 80 or so steps from the hotel.

After the most convoluted of routes (via some building site called SmartCity Malta) and going through a lot of streets that are most definitely not suitable for buses, we got off the bus in Kalkara. I have to admit that we actually thought this was one of the Three Cities, which would seem logical as it sits in a row with the others.

So that's five cities. Well actually, let's call it four and a half.

We had a look round and then it was only a short walk to the next city, which was actually one of the three - Vittoriosa.

On the very tip of Vittoriosa, nearest to Valletta is the Fort St. Angelo. I am sure I remembered hearing about this in the Museum of War yesterday (see Doing Tourism in Reverse). From memory, I think Forty St. Elmo succumbed to the Ottoman invasion during the 1565 Great Siege, whereas Fort St. Angelo stood firm. As I had been round Fort St. Elmo, we decided not to look round Fort St. Angelo.

We walked back through Vittoriosa and alongside the waterfront of Cospicua and then across a footbridge over that part of the harbour and into Senglea. At its tip is the Gardjola Garden, a small garden and a watchtower with some views back towards Valletta.

On the way back we decided to stop for something to drink by the waterfront. Given the setting and the proximity to some very expensive looking yachts, we expected the drinks to also be expensive. They were actually very reasonable. In fact, we have found the prices in Malta very reasonable since we arrived. The meal last night, with all the cocktails was only €56.00, although the cocktails were on two-for-one happy hour (see ).

We spotted what looked like the same kind of shuttle boat that we had got to Sliema yesterday. It was and would only take 15 minutes and would only cost €1.50 each, so it was quicker and cheaper than the bus - although it was without the thrills of negotiating through all those narrow streets, not to mention the highlight that was SmartCity Malta.

It did mean that we had to face the hot and steep climb back up from the harbour to the city, although of course, there’s the lift.

We had picked a restaurant to go to in the evening, but, unfortunately, it was, still in the blast range of that amphitheatre from last night, so we moved from a table outside to one inside. Inside, it bought back memories of Santorini as it was all themed along the lines of the 'eye' symbol that we remembered being everywhere (see From Looking Like an Influencer to a "Squashie"). I had a burger, which was huge . No two-for-one happy hour cocktails sadly.

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Photos

Valletta Sunrise
Back to the same location I visited with my camera previously.

Victoria Gate
View over the gate, bridge and steps.

Bus Map
And we thought the New York Subway map was complicated.

Fort St. Angelo
The fort at the tip of Vittoriosa.

Vittoriosa Street
Decorated streets near the huge church.

Archway
An arch in Senglea.

Gardjola Watchtower
The view from the watchtower in the Gardjola Garden.

Gardjola Garden
Garden on the tip of Senglea.

Airship Sculpture
Well, we think it's an airship.

Harbourside Beer
Relaxing and watching the boats.

St. Lawrence's Church
Church in Vittoriosa.

Benches
All the benches alongside the harbour had nautical related sayings.

Eye Themed Restaurant
The burger was huge.