We arrived in our port of Valleta, Malta at about 6:00am. Our captain told us if we wanted to get up early, the arrival into port was worth watching. I happened to be awake when we were arriving, so I snapped some pictures from our Verandah.  It was a unique port because most ports are more utilitarian and not at all interesting.

Malta gained its independence in 1964, largely as a result of their war efforts on behalf of Britain. In Malta, you drive on the opposite side of road, like in the UK. From the port, our driver picked us up and we went to the San Anton Palace and Gardens. Our driver gave us very little information, so we weren’t really sure what the significance was of the Palace and Gardens. The San Anton Palace was built in the early 17th century and currently is the home of the President of Malta. The gardens have been open to the public since 1882.

After we left the Gardens, we went to Mosta Dome, a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. It is a minor Basilica built between 1833 and the 1860s. It is known for its large unsupported dome. This Basilica is famous because during WWII a bomb was dropped over the church and fell on the dome. It hit the wall and fell to the ground, undetonated. This has been deemed a miracle.

Here are general pictures of the church:

Kate and I were not dressed to enter a church today, so we were given cover-ups. Meanwhile, Jack’s knees were fully exposed…

Below are pictures of the where the bomb came through the dome, the spot on the wall that it hit (above Jesus’ head, repaired) and the unrepaired damage on the ground. Also, there is a picture of the undetonated bomb.

Next, we went through a bomb shelter located right outside of the church. One thing that is always apparent when traveling Europe is that the war was on their homeland. Bomb shelters, air raids, bomb debris, and more are everyday reminders for citizens of Europe.

One last look at the Basilica

After this, we went to the first capital of Malta, Mdina. Kate has been fighting a migraine all day, so Dan and Kate found a bench to sit at while Jack and I walked around. I feel a guided tour would have been beneficial. I do not watch Game of Thrones, but I guess scenes were shot there. We ended our time in Mdina with a tour of a medieval dungeon, which was very graphic, so I did not take any pictures.

Next, we visited the highest point in the Maltese islands, Dingli Cliffs, which are 253 meters above sea level.

After this, we headed to a fisherman town for lunch. In the cove of the town, all the fishing boats were docked. Jack, Kate, and I chose the fish of the day and we actually picked out our fish from their catch.

After lunch, we visited a war museum in Valleta. Again, the museum highlighted the effects of war being at home. Part of the museum was a bomb shelter, which showcased my claustrophobia.  I should have gathered how tiny the pathways were when we had to wear hardhats.

Malta is so different than the Greek Islands we visited. Due to the large amount of stone on the island, everything is made of stone and there are stone walls everywhere. There was construction everywhere and driving was crazy. There are beautiful grotto and sea caves, but we did not have time to visit. I would probably suggest doing that on a visit to Malta.