August 2, 2024 • 7 mins
"It astounds me that Malta isn’t flashing on the tourist radar as a top-tier Mediterranean destination. I recently ventured to the Maltese islands with Insight Vacations, on their 6-day Easy Pace Malta premium guided tour. It offers the winning mix of guided sightseeing and flexi-time, allowing you to serendipitously unwrap the destination’s treats, at your own leisure."
"One of the best ways to get your bearings on Malta’s watery lay-out is to jump on board one of the numerous sightseeing ferries in Sliema, zipping you from Marsamxett Harbour to Valletta’s Grand Harbour. It’s the best way to drink in the views of fortified Manoel Island and the butterscotch-hued walled city of Valletta, from all angles."
Read Mike's full article here.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning to Mike Yardley.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
How are you very good? Thank you, Francesca, and how
are you Aside from being sleep deprived?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Do you know what? I don't even think it's the
lack of sleep. I think it's the emotion. I think
it's the tension. I think sometimes I'm sitting there and
my body is kind of tensing up and I'm half
running the race with them. I think it's that's what's
exhausting about watching the Olympics. I mean, Hayden wild bless
that man, but he just almost destroyed me in that.
I mean I had to leave the room. Everyone was going,
(00:44):
well is she doing? Why can't she? I couldn't sit there.
I was in and out and was gone to so
I was all over the place. So I think it's
actually it's not so much the lack of sleep used
to lack asleep. I think it's more just just the
emotions that goes.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Quite right, Yeah, well some people yesterday and they were
feeling the same. They just all felt emotionally spent. After what.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, I literally looked at him and I said, I
feel like I've just run. I feel like I've just
done both those trythlons. But you know, sometimes you watch
a sport and when they finish, there's smiles and you
can see that people actually loved every minute of it.
They had fun, they gave it there all. But there's
something about the end of the triathlon watching those athletes
come over the line, you go, I'm not quite too
(01:29):
sure how much fun the thing exactly?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yeah, it's tough work.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
It is incredible. Anyway, what kind of exercise would you
do if you were in Malta.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Well, there's a lot of history and a lot of scenery,
and a lot of movie locations, as you refer to franchise,
a bit of walk, a lot of walking. Absolutely. The
thing about Malta is that you know, unlike Esily or
Spain or Greece or Croatia, it doesn't really flesh on
the tourist radar for Kiwi's, which I find quite weird
(02:02):
because I think it's seriously underrated. It's a really good
value Mediterranean destination and the climate is incredible. I just
think it's the sort of place that will smash your
expectations and it's very easy to get to, very short
direct flights from Dubai Doha, Rome, So yeah, a fabulous
(02:25):
destination to check out if you've never been.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Where is it located exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
It is so fast out from the Mediterranean that it's
actually parallel with Lebanon to Nisia in Algeria, so it's
below Sicily. It's one of the most southerly European nations
and obviously because it's position, it's been a strategic prize
for conquerors over the centuries. And you can still feel
(02:52):
that melting pot influence, you know, sort of North African,
Arab and European influences. They're all ever present. And I
just recently went to multip for the first time with
inside Vacations and they do are really good productory guided
to experience. It's sort of like Malta's greatest hits or
(03:12):
sort of bundled together. But there's also one of flexible
downtime built into the tour so you can do your
own thing. And there is something really special about you know,
that sort of serender this discovery time. So yeah, I
just found it absolutely and frawling.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
So if you were a first time would you base
yourself and steamer.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yes, Salima is this very glossy strip stretching along the
seafront across from the letter, which we'll talk about next week.
But in Salima, it's just that seafront that is spectacular.
It's a buzz with fishing boats and fairies, and they've
got this massive two kilometers along promenade swooping along the
(03:52):
seafront and it's just a buzz with life. Lots of
loved up young things canoodling, their fitness fanatics like Manchesca
pounding the pavements. There's elf LESCo cafes and beach clubs
and street vendors. It just feels like the colorful carnival
of life on that literary promenade, and it's very much
the new face of Malta.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
But I'm sure that, like a lot of places, it's
when you get into the back streets you really see
or feel the character of a place.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
It's amazing. Yeah, you just have to go a couple
of streets back from that seatfront and you feel like
you've transported yourself back a hundred years, if not longer.
It feels lost in time. It's where the magic happens
in Slimer and you've got all of this incredible old architecture,
those gorgeous old Maltese balconies. Off the sides of buildings
(04:43):
are decovalats, art navaux valats and lots of pint sized grocery,
pastry and confectionery shops, which sort of gives the area
like an old school village wide. So it's like the
old face of Malta intersected with the new face. Great
fun to explore.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
You're selling this well. Now the center of the island
is Medina. What is so special out this place?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
This is remarkable. This town. It's a fortified helltop medieval town,
lots and narrow streets, largely car free, and very few inhabitants.
In fact, many of the residents are nuns, and you
will see them disappearing behind grand old wooden doors as
you stole around the lanes. Much of the town was
built by the Knights of Saint John, and the architecture,
(05:30):
once again, it's just astonishing Norman architecture, Barock architecture. The
whole place feels mystical and if it looks familiar, chances
are you've been watching Game of Thrones. Because the main
city gate into Medina was cast as the entrance to
King's landing. Ah mind, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Why doesn't that surprise me? Because I mean, if you
look at pictures of it, see, I can absolutely see
it would turn up in that TV show. Hey, what's
happening with the Queensville and Malta.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Yes, if you're a fan of the Crown, you may
recall that the Lake Queen considered who your early adult
years living in Malta has been some of the happiest
of your life, and that was when Philip was stationed
there is a naval officers, so they spent a couple
of years there before she actually ascended to the throne.
But you can see the residence Squadamanja, which is a
three hundred year old limestone bullet. It's just about ten
(06:25):
to fifteen minutes from Slima and it was recently purchased
by the Maltese government so they're owned the process of
restoring it and apparently it's going to be turned into
a museum in honor of the Queen, so that will
be quite an attraction. But just if you're going there
for now, you can just rock up to the front entrance.
I've got this amazing elegant portico which reaches out onto
(06:47):
the footpath, so that is an essential photostop. The other thing,
by the way, speaking of the big screen and the
TV screen, Gladiator two. Have you heard about Gladiator two Francesca. Yeah,
so they recently finished shooting that in Malta. Of course
the original Gladiator has done you as well. Think it's
due out in November, directed by Ridley Scott, so that
(07:10):
will be a massive Christmas hit. I reckon, yeah, it
will be.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Hey.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
If New Zealand is a heading to Malta, best time of.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
The year, I would say shoulder season, so September through
November is good and then sort of March to May
once a hit. June it gets too hot, too crowded.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Thank you so much, Mike. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday,
have a little afternoon nap and then you'll be able
to get through some more Olympics tonight.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
And of course, if you'd like more tips on sampling
the sites in Malta, Mike's article is on the website
Newstalk ZEDB dot co dot MZ, slash lifestyle, slash travel.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to news talks EDB from nine am Saturday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning to Mike Yardley.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
How are you very good? Thank you, Francesca, and how
are you Aside from being sleep deprived?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Do you know what? I don't even think it's the
lack of sleep. I think it's the emotion. I think
it's the tension. I think sometimes I'm sitting there and
my body is kind of tensing up and I'm half
running the race with them. I think it's that's what's
exhausting about watching the Olympics. I mean, Hayden wild bless
that man, but he just almost destroyed me in that.
I mean I had to leave the room. Everyone was going,
(00:44):
well is she doing? Why can't she? I couldn't sit there.
I was in and out and was gone to so
I was all over the place. So I think it's
actually it's not so much the lack of sleep used
to lack asleep. I think it's more just just the
emotions that goes.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Quite right, Yeah, well some people yesterday and they were
feeling the same. They just all felt emotionally spent. After what.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, I literally looked at him and I said, I
feel like I've just run. I feel like I've just
done both those trythlons. But you know, sometimes you watch
a sport and when they finish, there's smiles and you
can see that people actually loved every minute of it.
They had fun, they gave it there all. But there's
something about the end of the triathlon watching those athletes
come over the line, you go, I'm not quite too
(01:29):
sure how much fun the thing exactly?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yeah, it's tough work.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
It is incredible. Anyway, what kind of exercise would you
do if you were in Malta.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Well, there's a lot of history and a lot of scenery,
and a lot of movie locations, as you refer to franchise,
a bit of walk, a lot of walking. Absolutely. The
thing about Malta is that you know, unlike Esily or
Spain or Greece or Croatia, it doesn't really flesh on
the tourist radar for Kiwi's, which I find quite weird
(02:02):
because I think it's seriously underrated. It's a really good
value Mediterranean destination and the climate is incredible. I just
think it's the sort of place that will smash your
expectations and it's very easy to get to, very short
direct flights from Dubai Doha, Rome, So yeah, a fabulous
(02:25):
destination to check out if you've never been.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Where is it located exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
It is so fast out from the Mediterranean that it's
actually parallel with Lebanon to Nisia in Algeria, so it's
below Sicily. It's one of the most southerly European nations
and obviously because it's position, it's been a strategic prize
for conquerors over the centuries. And you can still feel
(02:52):
that melting pot influence, you know, sort of North African,
Arab and European influences. They're all ever present. And I
just recently went to multip for the first time with
inside Vacations and they do are really good productory guided
to experience. It's sort of like Malta's greatest hits or
(03:12):
sort of bundled together. But there's also one of flexible
downtime built into the tour so you can do your
own thing. And there is something really special about you know,
that sort of serender this discovery time. So yeah, I
just found it absolutely and frawling.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
So if you were a first time would you base
yourself and steamer.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yes, Salima is this very glossy strip stretching along the
seafront across from the letter, which we'll talk about next week.
But in Salima, it's just that seafront that is spectacular.
It's a buzz with fishing boats and fairies, and they've
got this massive two kilometers along promenade swooping along the
(03:52):
seafront and it's just a buzz with life. Lots of
loved up young things canoodling, their fitness fanatics like Manchesca
pounding the pavements. There's elf LESCo cafes and beach clubs
and street vendors. It just feels like the colorful carnival
of life on that literary promenade, and it's very much
the new face of Malta.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
But I'm sure that, like a lot of places, it's
when you get into the back streets you really see
or feel the character of a place.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
It's amazing. Yeah, you just have to go a couple
of streets back from that seatfront and you feel like
you've transported yourself back a hundred years, if not longer.
It feels lost in time. It's where the magic happens
in Slimer and you've got all of this incredible old architecture,
those gorgeous old Maltese balconies. Off the sides of buildings
(04:43):
are decovalats, art navaux valats and lots of pint sized grocery,
pastry and confectionery shops, which sort of gives the area
like an old school village wide. So it's like the
old face of Malta intersected with the new face. Great
fun to explore.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
You're selling this well. Now the center of the island
is Medina. What is so special out this place?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
This is remarkable. This town. It's a fortified helltop medieval town,
lots and narrow streets, largely car free, and very few inhabitants.
In fact, many of the residents are nuns, and you
will see them disappearing behind grand old wooden doors as
you stole around the lanes. Much of the town was
built by the Knights of Saint John, and the architecture,
(05:30):
once again, it's just astonishing Norman architecture, Barock architecture. The
whole place feels mystical and if it looks familiar, chances
are you've been watching Game of Thrones. Because the main
city gate into Medina was cast as the entrance to
King's landing. Ah mind, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Why doesn't that surprise me? Because I mean, if you
look at pictures of it, see, I can absolutely see
it would turn up in that TV show. Hey, what's
happening with the Queensville and Malta.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Yes, if you're a fan of the Crown, you may
recall that the Lake Queen considered who your early adult
years living in Malta has been some of the happiest
of your life, and that was when Philip was stationed
there is a naval officers, so they spent a couple
of years there before she actually ascended to the throne.
But you can see the residence Squadamanja, which is a
three hundred year old limestone bullet. It's just about ten
(06:25):
to fifteen minutes from Slima and it was recently purchased
by the Maltese government so they're owned the process of
restoring it and apparently it's going to be turned into
a museum in honor of the Queen, so that will
be quite an attraction. But just if you're going there
for now, you can just rock up to the front entrance.
I've got this amazing elegant portico which reaches out onto
(06:47):
the footpath, so that is an essential photostop. The other thing,
by the way, speaking of the big screen and the
TV screen, Gladiator two. Have you heard about Gladiator two Francesca. Yeah,
so they recently finished shooting that in Malta. Of course
the original Gladiator has done you as well. Think it's
due out in November, directed by Ridley Scott, so that
(07:10):
will be a massive Christmas hit. I reckon, yeah, it
will be.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Hey.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
If New Zealand is a heading to Malta, best time of.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
The year, I would say shoulder season, so September through
November is good and then sort of March to May
once a hit. June it gets too hot, too crowded.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Thank you so much, Mike. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday,
have a little afternoon nap and then you'll be able
to get through some more Olympics tonight.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
And of course, if you'd like more tips on sampling
the sites in Malta, Mike's article is on the website
Newstalk ZEDB dot co dot MZ, slash lifestyle, slash travel.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to news talks EDB from nine am Saturday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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