Marsaxlokk, Malta
Malta’s Fishing Village
An all day shopping excursion:
Marsaxlokk is known for its fresh fish market but also for all the other shops along the waterfront. You can pick up anything from fresh fish, fruits & veggies, home necessities, clothes, shoes, souvenirs, and so much more. It really is highly recommended when visiting Malta. (Especially if you love fake Gucci & Prada.)
Hidden Gems
I accidentally stumbled upon this cute stone mural right next to Carrubia and couldn’t resist taking a photo.
Restaurants
Since this shopping trip usually takes up most of the day, it is nice that there are many food options for you to sit down and have a nice meal with a cold beer or glass of wine. This visit to Marsaxlokk, we decided to eat at Carrubia. There are lots of sea food options but also other options if you’re like me and don’t necessarily prefer seafood.
Love Malta
Here is the full wall mural. (Note the creepy dolls in the window? I love it.)
Malta & Gozo Carnival 2020
The annual weekend carnival celebration in Malta and Gozo.
Malta Carnival is a celebration that takes place 7 weeks before Easter Sunday. It includes parades, floats, music, and people in costume.
Kids dress up and adults dress in extravagant costumes where they perform during the parade. There is a crowd but it’s all part of the fun. The music is loud on each float and lasts all day and late at night.
Each float represents a different country including Mexico, Egypt, Africa, and many more. This English float has a giant Elton John.
Valletta adds to the aesthetic of the parade because the city is so amazing by itself.
February may seem like an odd time to go on vacation, but I highly recommend coming to Malta and experiencing this festival at least once! Absolutely amazing.
Sushi & Wine Festival 2020 —
This is the second festival of the year and I gotta say, it did not compare to the whiskey festival last month. Limestone Heritage is a beautiful venue but is not big enough for the amount of people attending. They had some damn good wine, though!
Blue Grotto
Cave Tours of Blue Grotto, Malta
Worth the money
The caves tours at Blue Grotto are 8 euros a person, last about 20 minutes, and are 100% worth it. I wanted to turn around and do it again. Our group arrived around 9:45am and I suggest doing this as well since we missed the line. After finishing our trip, the line for the tours was all the way up the road.
This photo is a view from inside one of the caves that they took us in.
The boat
The boat seats 9 passengers at a time plus the driver. The guide takes you inside each cave and gives a brief description of each. It felt so crazy being on such a tiny boat in something other than a lake. The trip doesn’t last very long, unfortunately, but is still 10/10 recommended.
Seating
There’s not a bad seat, although I recommend the front since there is no one in the way of pictures. I’m getting up front next time!
Cave with a view
Friends
Tarxien Temples —
Megalithic Temples of Malta
Located near Paola
There a many megalithic temples in Malta but the Tarxien Temples are very closely located to my university so I decided to take a Friday afternoon solo trip. With your student ID, it is only €4.50 to visit and spend as much time as you want. It’s always an adventure going somewhere new because I don’t ever know exactly where I’m going, I just hope that I find it somewhere along the way.
History of the Mediterranean
After moving to Malta, I quickly discovered that I know nothing about it or what surrounds it. One of my classes in university is History of the Mediterranean where I started learning about Malta and how it began. Malta was first inhabited by Northern Africa and, more likely, Sicily. Once discovering Malta, they built these temples where they worshipped the Mother Goddess, or the Goddess of Fertility. You can find statues of her all around Malta.
Circle of Life
The early Maltese used these temples for sacrificial rituals. The spiral cravings indicate a “circle of life” and are spotted all throughout the temple.
Carvings
Here you can see a carving of a bull which indicates that they domesticated these animals and shows the first signs of civilization and community.
10 Travel Essentials from Gearhead Outfitters
10 things I couldn’t live without in Europe from my friends back home.
Hoka
(Who’s surprised?) Hoka’s are my go-to run shoe but are also a good option just for walking around. Having proper foot wear is essential for me as I am constantly walking. I am either walking to the bus stop or walking around exploring a new place. Yes, I do have a separate pair for running and a separate pair for daily use. No, it’s not extra. It’s important for your feet. Go to GH today and let them fit you for a pair!
Able Wallet
This is THE perfect wallet when traveling abroad because it holds it all: passport, phone, ID’s, change pouch, bills, cards, etc. I have used this everyday and I can’t praise it enough. Because it’s made of real leather, it’s going to last for years. Solid purchase.
Fjallraven Kanken Backpack
This is my favorite backpack I’ve ever owned. It’s super cute but also super practical. It is water resistant (not waterproof) and comes in different sizes. It also comes in many different color combinations. I use this as my day pack. I pack it in my overnight bag and take it out during excursions.
Patagonia Black Hole Cube
Ok. Honestly, you can’t have too many of these. I have 2 but I need more. I use the big one for overnight, weekend trips. It’s perfect for a bathroom bag. But your options are not limited, use this bag for anything. I use the small one everyday - kind of as my “chord” bag. I keep all of my chargers and chords inside. They are durable and hold way more than you think.
Body Glide
If you’re a runner, you need this. If you spend hours walking around during travel, you need this. Nothing is worse than getting chafed while traveling. That is all.
Chaco Sandals
This one is a no brainer. Chaco’s are probably #1 on my list. First of all, they last for YEARS. I have had a pair for over 5 years or more and I wear them religiously during the summers. Second, they offer great support for your feet when walking around for hours at a time. Though, you should break them in before this. Third, this is the perfect sandal for water as the back strap provides security when walking through the river or the sea. This truly is the perfect sandal.
Cotapaxi Fanny Pack
Super convenient, super unique. This brand is super cool because they make all of the products out of recycled materials so not one bag is the same. They have super fun colors and you have endless combinations to choose from. Let’s face it, fanny packs are back and I’m psyched about it because they are actually extremely useful. Plus, my Able wallet fits perfectly inside along with my keys and phone.
Patagonia Torrentshell Rain Jacket
This one doesn’t need a big review. This rain jacket is 100% waterproof and is crucial to your travel wardrobe. Do not leave without it. Plus, it’s packable so it folds up into itself.
Patagonia Baggies
These shorts are a travel must-have. They are perfect for swimming, hiking, walking around, etc. They dry fast and have a nice draw string for the water, plus no built in underwear! There are 2 different lengths and tons of different sizes. I personally like to have both lengths because I wear different ones for different activities. They’re worth trying on and figuring out which length fits you best. You can’t have too many of these.
Hydroflask
The best water bottle I’ve ever used. I have too many of these. It’s important to stay hydrated while traveling. I probably drink my least amount of water when I’m flying or walking around a new city. This is why I now bring this with me everywhere I go. This also comes in different sizes and colors. This particular one is pretty old but it is such a good size.
3 Days in Rome
How to see almost everything in Rome in less than 3 days.
I’m sure there are more parts of Rome that are important to see but this trip checked off a lot of my boxes! All photos by yours truly.
Friday
Friday we arrived in Rome around 10am which was perfect as it gave us most of the day to start sight seeing. We started at the Colosseum after checking into our Airbnb. We decided the cheapest and easiest way for us was to take the subway. The subway is great because it takes you everywhere you need to go for less than 2 euro. We saw the Colosseum and then stopped across the street for lunch. There are many places to eat with a view of the Colosseum so try and get seated outside!
After eating, we walked back to the Colosseum for the inside touring. This is only about 16 euros and about a 15 minute wait time and is completely worth it.
Pro tip: ignore everyone on the streets trying to sell you stuff or trying to be your “tour guide” as it is all a scam. We learned this the hard way. People will literally put jewelry on your arm and expect you to pay for it. Just do you and trust no one.
Friday Part 2
After spending a couple hours in the Colosseum, we started walking down the street and accidentally stumbled upon these ancient Roman ruins. We ended up exploring here for hours. It was amazing, 10/10 recommend. I also should suggest that these hours could have also been spent at the Sistine Chapel (the one thing we did not end up seeing). But, no regrets because this was also amazing.
Saturday
After a long Friday on our feet, we called it a night fairly early so we could get an early start on Saturday. We took the subway to Vatican City around 7:30am and it couldn’t have worked out more perfectly. There were no 2 hour lines!!! We went into St. Peter’s Basilica (which is free) and took our time exploring and taking photos. This was truly amazing and we didn’t even wait in line for more than 15 minutes. Had we waited one more hour, the line would have been horrific. Although, still would have been worth it.
Saturday Part 2
After spending lots of time at Vatican City, we decided to walk towards the Trevi Fountain. We made a pit stop at a cafe near by for some coffee and WiFi. Along the way is the Pantheon where we stopped and heard a choir and took some more photos. The Pantheon is beautiful as it is one of the oldest stand structures in Rome.
Pro tip: wear comfy shoes, bring an umbrella or rain jacket, and take plenty of breaks!
Saturday Part 3
After the Pantheon, we continued walking and made it to the Trevi Fountain! This was my most anticipated spot as it took me back to my childhood with references to the Lizzie McGuire movie. By this time is was late in the afternoon and it was pretty packed but still completely beautiful. And in famous tradition, I threw a coin over my shoulder in hopes of finding true love. We found a lovely dinner spot nearby where we had a glass of wine with our pasta and sat outside as not to miss one second of this beautiful city.
Sunday
Sunday morning we were to fly out of Rome and back to Malta, but not after passing by the Colosseum one last time. We were lucky to have our Airbnb owner pick us up and drop us off at the airport for an extra fee, but a cab or Bolt is also an option.
Pictured above is a photo of the inside of St. Peter’s Basilica.
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