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Gozo, Malta: 2 Day Itinerary

Gozo, Malta: 2 Day Itinerary

We fell in love with the little island of Gozo (it’s about 25 square miles). Gozo is the smaller of Malta’s two inhabitable islands (the third island can be visited but is not really inhabited) and is a great side trip to pair with a visit to the mainland. If you’re looking to do just that, check out our recommended 3-5 day Malta itinerary as well! In this blog we’ll cover some general information on Gozo, information on how to get there, and our recommendations for spots to visit to fill 2 (or more) days.

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Mainland Malta: 3-5 Day Itinerary

Mainland Malta: 3-5 Day Itinerary

Let me start by saying that Malta is a fascinating country with enough spots to visit, restaurants to try, hikes to take, and so much more that a visitor could easily spent a week or more touring Malta’s main island. We spent a week ourselves with the majority on Malta and a couple of days on Gozo and had a wonderful time. If you only have 3-5 days to spend, here is the Valletta-based itinerary we would recommend. The best part of this is that you can stay in one place the entire time with all the spots walkable by foot or accessible via ferry or a short cab ride.

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Malta: Food + Drink

Malta: Food + Drink

In this blog, we’ll provide an overview of what to expect when dining in Malta on both the main island of Malta and the smaller island of Gozo, information on the grocery shopping scene, tips based on our experience, and recommendations for the places where we had enjoyable meals and experiences.

With Sicily and Italy to the north, the northern Africa nations of Libya and Tunisia to the south, and a long history of varied peoples and cultures swirling across the Mediterranean, Maltese dining is varied and diverse. There are a substantial number of Italians who live on or visit the island, meaning there are plenty of Italian eateries to fill all your needs for pizza and pasta.

Europe, Malta, Southern Europe, Food + Drink, Adventures in TravelLindseyFebruary 27, 2020To Make Much of Time, To Make Much of Time travel blog, Travel Blog, travel blog couple, best restaurants in Malta, best restaurants in Valletta Malta, best restaurants in Gozo Malta, best restaurants in Victoria Gozo, best restaurants in Mdina Malta, where to eat in Mdina, where to eat in Vittoriosa, where to eat in Valletta Malta, what kind of food is in Malta, what is Malta cuisine, grocery stores in Malta, where to get groceries in Valletta Malta, breakfast in Malta, review of Cafe Piadina in Valletta Malta, review of Caffe Cordina in Valletta Malta, review of Moo's Kebab in Valletta Malta, review of Luciano's in Valletta Malta, review of City Lounge in Valletta Malta, review of BeBirgu in Birgu Malta, review of Fontanella Tea Garden in Mdina, review of Palazzo de Piro Cafe Bistro in Mdina Malta, review of Cafe Jubilee in Victoria Gozo Malta, review of Maldonado's Bistro in Victoria Gozo Malta, fish Malta is known for, review of The Stone Crab in Xlendi Bay Gozo Malta Comments

Malta: Travel and Packing Tips

Malta: Travel and Packing Tips

After a full week spent in Malta on both the mainland island of Malta plus a couple of days on the smaller island of Gozo, here are some of the tips we hope will help make your planning easier and your trip as wonderful as ours!

Europe, Malta, Southern Europe, Adventures in TravelLindseyFebruary 24, 2020To Make Much of Time, To Make Much of Time travel blog, travel blog couple, packing tips for Malta, travel tips for Malta, travel tips for Gozo Malta, clothes to pack for Malta, clothes to pack for Gozo, what to know before going to Malta, does Malta speak EnglishComment

Hiking at Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve in Roanoke, VA

Hiking at Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve in Roanoke, VA

When the weather in Southwestern Virginia hits the mid-60s in late December, you don’t ask any questions, you just head outside and get some hiking in while you can!

Below we’ll provide some information about Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve and its location, information on the 4 trails contained within, and some information on what to expect when you visit.

Malta: Transportation and Getting Around

Malta: Transportation and Getting Around

What is it about relatively small islands or countries that require more coordination to get around?! Malta is comprised of three islands, two of which are inhabited (mainland Malta and the smaller Gozo) plus Comino, which is a common day trip destination to swim in its Blue Lagoon. We visited Malta and Gozo, and in this blog, we’ll cover information and tips on how to get around these islands without a car . . . and why we wouldn’t recommend renting one.

Malta: Where to Stay and Accommodations

Malta: Where to Stay and Accommodations

The country of Malta is made up of three islands, two of which are inhabited: mainland Malta and the smaller island of Gozo. We visited both during our week in the country, and based on our experiences and research, here’s what we would recommend for your trip.

Exploring Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington

Exploring Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington

The Battleship North Carolina is anchored on Cape Fear River, a short distance away and visible from Wilmington’s Riverwalk. For anyone who loves ships, military history, or has never had a chance to explore a military ship, this is an activity you may enjoy.

An Oak Island, NC Winter Getaway

An Oak Island, NC Winter Getaway

For the second year in a row, we rented a beach house with a couple of family members for a Christmas/winter getaway. Our goal in picking a destination was to find somewhere warmer than Virginia but within a reasonable driving distance. The destination we picked fit the bill perfectly!

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Il-Gudja and Marsaxlokk Harbor (Day 7)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Il-Gudja and Marsaxlokk Harbor (Day 7)

Our final day of our week-long trip to Malta and Gozo took us almost as far as was possible across the country as we traveled from Victoria, Gozo, all the way to the far end of Malta, where we ended the day dining at the water’s edge of Marsaxlokk Harbor, an important spot in history and home to the unique and beautiful Maltese fishing boats!

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Victoria, Cittadella, and Xlendi Bay (Day 6)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Victoria, Cittadella, and Xlendi Bay (Day 6)

On our second day on the island of Gozo, we returned to the walled city of Cittadella to finish exploring the parts we hadn’t gotten to the prior day and were particularly surprised by the contents of the Shipwreck Museum. Then, wanting to spend some time along the coast, we had a wonderful harbor-side meal and 3-mile hike starting out from Xlendi Bay with exquisite views!

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Victoria, Gozo and Cittadella (Day 5)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Victoria, Gozo and Cittadella (Day 5)

We started the day returning to our new favorite breakfast spot in Valletta and ended it by finding our new favorite dinner spot on Gozo. Sandwiched between those meals (pun definitely intended), we explored a final spot in Valletta - the mesmerizing St. John’s Co-Cathedral - took a cross-country car ride to the Malta to Gozo ferry, and explored the walled Cittadella, perched in the middle of Malta’s smaller island of Gozo. With two days in Gozo, we made sure to quickly get our bearings to enjoy this portion of our trip.

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - The Walled City of Mdina (Day 4)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - The Walled City of Mdina (Day 4)

Our fourth day would be our last in the Valletta area before heading to the island of Gozo. We had a relatively quiet morning in Valletta before heading over to the walled medieval city of Mdina, which we fell in love with. Other than the draw of tourism, I would love to live there! Mdina is also known as the Silent City - more info below on how it got that name - and has been a filming spot for you Game of Thrones fans out there. Read below for more on our explorations of Mdina, and some great dining recommendations for both lunch and dinner.

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Tarxien Temples, and Vittoriosa/Birgu (Day 3)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Tarxien Temples, and Vittoriosa/Birgu (Day 3)

This third day of our trip was the first time we ventured outside of the capital city of Valletta, and we managed to pack a lot into the day! In a way, we spent the day time traveling. We started the day by visiting two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, an underground Neolithic necropolis that pre-dates the Pyramids, and visited Tarxien Temples, a megalithic site that dates back almost as far. From there we headed to the Medieval Era by exploring the quaint streets and Inquisitor’s Palace in Vittoriosa (also known as Birgu), caught the ferry across the bay and entered the modern era with the long elevator ride up the Barrakka Lift and then an evening watching Malta’s Independence Day Military Tattoo event from an rooftop terrace restaurant.

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Valletta (Day 2)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Valletta (Day 2)

September 21st is Malta’s Independence Day to commemorate when it gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. It also just so happened to coincide with our visit. We had looked into any special events that would be taking place, and the main one is a 3-day (Fri-Sun) Military Tattoo evening performance in St. George’s Square in the central part of Valletta. Walking into town we passed right by the square with the temporary bleachers set up.

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Valletta (Day 1)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Valletta (Day 1)

Our travel to and first day in Malta’s capital city of Valletta was a whirlwind of new sights and sounds. We spent time getting oriented to our new surroundings and getting a taste of Malta’s flavor.

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Trip Overview

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Trip Overview

For a country we had really never heard of prior to booking our trip, Malta was awash with so many of the things that appeal to us about traveling. We had a wonderful week-long trip to this three-island nation and managed to enjoy a wide array of activities.

In this blog, we will share how we ended up booking a trip to Malta in the first place, will provide an overview of the country (from language to culture to history to transportation), will share an overview of our itinerary and how we spent the week, and share our thoughts on whether we would return again (spoiler alert: we would) and what we’d do differently in retrospect.

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Scottish B&B Review: Westerton Bed and Breakfast

Scottish B&B Review: Westerton Bed and Breakfast

Located in the town of Callander, Scotland, right near the boundary between the Highlands and Lowlands and nestled against The Trossachs National Park, Westerton Bed and Breakfast is a luxurious, adults-only Victorian home. Westerton has large rooms, a garden for a yard, and considerate and attentive host/owners.

Scotland: Travel + Packing Tips

Scotland: Travel + Packing Tips

Here are some tips that we picked up in advance of and while on our trip that will hopefully help you plan yours! Read more about car rentals, tickets to purchase in advance, and packing tips.

Europe, Western Europe, United Kingdom, Travel Tips and Apps, Scotland, Northern Europe, Adventures in TravelLindseyDecember 7, 2019To Make Much of Time, To Make Much of Time travel blog, Scotland road trip, Travel tips for Scotland, Packing Tips for Scotland, what to pack for summer trip to Scotland, should you buy tickets before going to Scotland, what to know before renting a car in ScotlandComment

Scotland: Food + Drink

Scotland: Food + Drink

During 10 days in Scotland, we had the opportunity to check out quite a lot of the food and drink scene - everywhere from big cities to small towns! In this blog, we’ll provide our perspective on what you can expect, provide tips for what to order as you eat and drink your way through Scotland, and offer a few of our favorite restaurants as recommendations.