July 2, 2024 • 21 mins
Michelle Buttigieg, Director of the Malta Tourism Authority in North America, helps us uncover the secrets behind Malta's skyrocketing popularity. Michelle offers an insider's perspective on Malta's rich history, from ancient Roman rule, to Knights, to British influence, and its numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the awe-inspiring megalithic temples and the cultural capital, Valletta.
We'll explore Malta's role as a favorite filming location for blockbusters like "Gladiator" and "Game of Thrones," and learn about local traditions such as the lively village festas and outdoor activities like diving and yachting.
We'll discover Malta's culinary landscape, where fresh seafood from fisherman villages meets the sophistication of Michelin-starred restaurants. We also discuss Malta's vibrant nightlife, from jazz clubs to summer festas, and the island's recognition as Europe's most gay-friendly destination.
Finally, we share a heartwarming memory, capturing the essence of Malta's harmonious blend of history and new experiences. With its sunny weather, stunning beaches, and dynamic nightlife, this episode reveals why Malta should be one of your travel destinations.
_____
Michelle Buttigieg is Director of the Malta Tourism Authority in North America.
_____
Podcast host Lea Lane has traveled to over 100 countries, and has written nine books, including the award-winning Places I Remember (Kirkus Reviews star rating, and 'one of the top 100 Indie books of the year'). She has contributed to many guidebooks and has written thousands of travel articles.
_____
Our award-winning travel podcast, Places I Remember with Lea Lane, has dropped over 100 travel episodes! New podcast episodes drop on the first Tuesday of the month, on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lea Lane (00:00):
The sunny islands of Malta in the middle of the
Mediterranean Sea, betweenSicily and the North African
coast, are home to the highestdensity of UNESCO World Heritage
Sites in any nation stateanywhere.
Malta and its sister islandsGozo and Camino offer 8,000
years of history, with diversefoods and an endless calendar of
(00:20):
events, festivals andactivities.
Our guest is Michelle Buttigieg, Director of the Malta Tourism
Authority in North America.
Welcome, Michelle, to Places IRemember.
Michelle Buttigieg (00:31):
Thank you so much, Lea, for having me.
Lea Lane (00:34):
Pleasure.
I read that the number oftourists from North America has
quadrupled in the last 10 years.
What are a few of the reasons,do you think?
Michelle Buttigieg (00:43):
We've opened our offices here in North
America again in our presenceabout 10 years ago.
So I think, working with thetrade, educating the trade about
Malta, what it has to offer,and also when it comes to the
consumer.
We had a lot of campaigns andwe're a popular filming spot, so
Malta's always on?
Lea Lane (01:04):
Yes, I was noticing a tremendous number of films.
What are some of them?
Michelle Buttigieg (01:07):
Oh, Gladiator.
They just actually finishedfilming the second Gladiator
there, the Count of Monte Cristo, Game of Thrones first season.
So it's a lot out there on thescreen and North Americans love
going to places where they'veseen on the screen.
Lea Lane (01:25):
I know you can tour.
There's special tours y
Michelle Buttigieg (01:28):
Yes, you can .
You can take a tour to all thelocations where the movies are
filmed.
People are looking for thathidden gem, for that place off
the beaten path.
It used to be a disadvantagebefore.
It is now an advantage.
We're getting a lot of thosetravelers that are looking for
something different.
Lea Lane (01:45):
I would say also that English is frequently spoken, so
that helps.
It's a safe destination andit's not very crowded compared
to mainland Europe, especiallyoff peak, and it's a very
popular cruise stop.
I've stopped several times on acruise.
It's a wonderful place to spendjust even if you have a day,
it's compact so you can see many, many different historic things
(02:08):
.
It's a nation known for historicsites.
There's a succession of rulers,including the Romans, Moors,
Knights of St John, the Frenchand the British, and Malta has
fortresses and megalithictemples and a subterranean
complex of halls and burialchambers dating to around 4000
BC.
Tell us about a couple of thehistoric places that we should
(02:31):
not miss.
Michelle Buttigieg (02:33):
Well, as you said, Lea, we have about 8,000
years of history.
So if you look at it like abird's eye view, you have
megalithic temples dating back1500 years, older than
Stonehenge, from a civilizationthat scholars don't know much
about, all the way to theBritish rulers in the 1960s,
with everybody in between, asyou said, the Romans, the
(02:56):
Knights of Malta is actuallypredominantly very visible.
The beautiful thing about Maltais all these different
civilizations left a footprintand this footprint is still very
visible.
So when you are there, it's avery intense cultural and
historic experience becauseeverywhere you look there is
(03:16):
something to see.
If you're looking in one corner, you're looking at these
megalithic temples.
In another corner, you'relooking at these medieval cities
, hat the knights built.
Everything tells a story.
So if you're a storyteller orif you're interested in the
history and the history doesn'tonly reflect in the buildings,
the history also reflects in theway people still live, in the
(03:39):
culture of the islands, thetraditions of the islands.
There's events going on allyear round, so some of them are
historical, like the villagefestas every weekend throughout
summer.
Lea Lane (03:53):
I could just say that every town seems to have their
own patron saint.
Yes, all weekend, and Iparticipated in that and they
open the houses, they clean thehouses up, open them to the
public.
And I walked in a house and thelady was so kind and she opened
the door and there was a manwaving from his bed.
He was waving at me.
I guess he had a cold orsomething, but it was a
(04:14):
friendliest interaction.
There was food out.
It's so much fun, fireworks andall kinds of yes.
Michelle Buttigieg (04:20):
So traditions are still very strong
within the Maltese, the way weeat, what we eat, how we
celebrate things.
You know it's 300 days ofsunshine, so you're always
outside.
If you go in what we call theshoulder seasons, you still have
beautiful weather, Great forsoft adventures and activities:
diving, scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking, cycling, cliffhanging.
(04:45):
Of course, we are surrounded bythe beautiful Mediterranean,
blue Mediterranean.
A lot of people come and yachtaround private boats where you
can visit Camino.
So Malta is an archipelago ofthree main islands, so the main
island of Malta where youstopped in your cruise ship.
Lea Lane (05:02):
Capital, Valletta, which is a total UNESCO World
Heritage.
Tell us what we should not missthere.
Michelle Buttigieg (05:09):
Oh, Valletta is one of my favorite places,
actually Built by the knights,as they called, a city built by
gentlemen for gentlemen.
There's eight auberges becausethere's the eight
representations of the knights.
If you look at the Maltesecross, you have eight points
that represented the eightlanguages that the Knights spoke
(05:29):
and they came from differentparts of Europe and each point,
Part of the knights, had anauberge.
So Aubergine de Castile,Aubergine d'Italie and these
auberges are still there today.
Like Aubergine de Castile isthe office of the Prime Minister
of Malta, Aubergine d'Italie isa museum Today.
Valletta is an open-air museumthe Co-Cathedral of St John is
(05:51):
our gem Beautiful.
Beautiful.
Lea Lane (05:54):
Beautiful marbles and ceilings and floor.
Michelle Buttigieg (05:56):
Gold, gold gilding.
The knights were supposed to behumble, but St John
Co-Cathedral is not humble, soin the Co-Cathedral is the
beheading of St John the Baptist.
It's the only Caravaggiopainting, because Caravaggio
never signed his paintings, buthe did on that particular and
it's a majestic 3D effectpainting that I still stand
(06:21):
before it and feel like thatlittle girl that went to see it
for the first time.
I still stand before it in awebecause it's so majestic.
The streets of Valletta, therestaurants, the gastronomy
experience one can have a lot ofcute shop the traditional
Maltese lace and the Maltesefiligree and the jewelry,
(06:43):
gorgeous pieces.
I always get myself jewelryenough for a lifetime, but every
time I go it's so beautiful andhandmade.
But Valletta, it's alive.
You know, at night there's jazzbars open, with the restaurants
as well.
It used to be a little quieter.
After 2018, Valletta was theCapital City for Culture for
(07:06):
Europe.
Valletta got a lift.
More businesses opened.
I mean, you have some beautifulhotels, and what's Valletta
known for is its boutique hotels.
Lea Lane (07:16):
Tell us about it.
Michelle Buttigieg (07:17):
You could be in a palazzo you could be in a
palazzo that was owned by theauberge, one of the knights.
So you're living in history.
We do have a couple of nicehotels, the bigger ones.
That is, the Fenicia Hotel,which is a leading hotel just
outside the gates of VallettaBeautiful property.
And then inside of Vallettathere's mostly Rosselli Iniala,
(07:42):
which is a super luxury hoteloverlooking the Grand Harbor, on
the bastions of St Barbara.
Beautiful restaurant up thereas well, Michelin star.
You can have the private clubexperience at Gracie's, these
beautiful palazzo.
They turned it into like aprivate club.
It's open for public.
You can go for drinks, lunchand dinner.
(08:02):
But you're sitting in history.
Lea Lane (08:05):
Right, what about budget travelers?
Michelle Buttigieg (08:06):
There's a budget for everyone, from
Airbnbs all the way to five-starhotels.
You're spending a little bitless than mainland Europe, so
your budget is going to take youa little bit further.
Lea Lane (08:18):
Another reason that Malta has become extremely
popular.
Of course, tell us about thewalled city of M'dina.
It's a beautifully preservedformer capital.
I remember walking at nightthrough the walls.
All the candlelight and theecho of the stone all around you
is so magical.
What is it about that?
Michelle Buttigieg (08:37):
For me, M'dina is a gem.
It's definitely one of myfavorite places to go when I'm
in Malta.
As you said, it is the formercapital city of Malta.
It's called the silent citybecause no cars are allowed in
there.
It's a fortified city built bythe knights.
It consists of palazzos.
(08:58):
Most of the nobles of Maltalived there and still live there
.
The houses are still in thefamilies, so these are really
well-preserved palazzos andpalazzinos.
There's cloisters of nuns.
There's the cathedral, theoriginal cathedral.
That's why the St John's isco-cathedral, because the
original main cathedral for theKnights was the cathedral in
(09:21):
M'dina, which is dedicated toour Father, St Paul.
So the St Paul Cathedral isbeautiful.
Lea Lane (09:29):
There's a very interesting story.
Michelle Buttigieg (09:30):
So we are officially the islands of St
Paul, because the Apostle StPaul was shipwrecked in Malta on
his way to Rome to be beheaded.
We are mentioned in the Bible,which is a beautiful thing.
He was stationed in Malta for awhile, but he brought us the
new religion.
The Maltese were under theRoman rule, so we were pagans
(09:54):
and then they adopted the newreligion, Catholicism.
Yeah, and we are Roman Catholicand we have over 250 churches.
You've seen that when you werethere.
There's a church in everycorner.
Lea Lane (10:07):
There's a church in every corner and a wonderful
festival, as I said.
(Absolutely.
) We have the main island ofMalta, but then the sister
islands are Gozo and Camino.
So Camino is a small inhabitedisland in the middle, surrounded
by blue lagoons, great foradventure day trips or, if you
(10:28):
want, to rent a boat or a yachtthat you can sail around.
You can swim, snorkel.
And then there's the beautifulsister of Gozo.
Gozo is a little bit more ruralthan Malta, a little bit more
relaxed, still has a lot ofhistory.
Gozo has the oldest megalithictemple on the island, which is
called Gigantia, built by theseGigantia.
(10:51):
Gigant in Maltese means giant,and it's called Gigantia because
it's built by these reallygigantic stones that we don't
know how they did that back then.
Right, it's like huge stones,and so scholars think that
people were actually biggerstature than they are today.
So there's a lot of theorythere.
(11:12):
This is a very mysteriousisland.
In Greek mythology it's theisland of the Memphis Calypso,
so there's Calypso Cave to visitnear Ramla Bay.
Also, we have a citadel inRabat, Victoria, the capital
city of Gozo.
There is a somewhat mini M'dina.
It's fortified and these werebuilt by the knights for
(11:33):
protection of people when thereused to be attacks from the
Ottomans, so the locals wouldrun to the citadels and be
protected.
You'll find that underneaththese citadels in Valletta and
in the citadel in Gozo therewere a lot of caves that were
used in World War II as well,because we played a very
(11:53):
important role.
But Gozo is special.
I actually come from the islandof Gozo, so we have a special
feeling towards Gozo, as it isdefinitely a gem.
I know that the beaches there and the snorkeling
and the boating are special.
Tell us about the Blue Lagoonand the Dive Trail.
Michelle Buttigieg (12:12):
There is as much to see under the water in
Malta as there is on land.
There's history, there areshipwrecks dating back to the
Phoenicians, all the way toWorld War II, and also, of
course, we've been blessed bynature.
So there's beautiful caves thatone can discover.
There is an archaeologicalunderwater museum in Gozo that
(12:37):
one can visit, so there'sremains of shipwrecks in there
and it's simply fascinating.
I don't dive, but I snorkel.
The visibility in the water isincredible because of the
weather.
I mean, of course, the localswon't swim in winter.
Most locals because we'respoiled.
Tourists swim all year round.
If you're coming from New Yorkor Canada, you're like you know
(13:00):
what this is not cold at all.
Lea Lane (13:01):
So put on a wetsuit or whatever.
Michelle Buttigieg (13:05):
Exactly, and Blue Lagoon is, as I said,
great spot for swimming andsnorkeling.
You could take a boat daily orjust get a private boat.
Lea Lane (13:16):
Now, with all the cultural history, how does this
affect Maltese food and drink?
I remember something calledpastisi, which was a pastry
filled with cheese.
What are some other localdelights of Malta?
Michelle Buttigieg (13:30):
Our main dish is actually rabbit stew.
It's delicious, especially theway my grandmother cooked it.
It's a stew and she used to putpasta in it.
It cooks for a long time, verytender.
Our gastronomy reflects ourhistory, our culture, so you
find a lot of seafood, obviouslybecause we are surrounded by
the beautiful waters.
(13:51):
I always recommend please eatthe seafood because it's fresh.
There are places like MarsaShlog, which is a fisherman
village where, like on a Sunday,you have the markets open for
the local fish, just fresh, andyou have some of the most
amazing restaurants down there.
The Maltese cuisine is veryMediterranean.
You have a lot of pastas andsauces, as you said, the pastasi
(14:14):
.
We have six Michelin starrestaurants, and so you could
eat in a Michelin starrestaurant.
You can eat in the piazzatogether with the locals and
it's equally delicious, it'sjust and you have wine as well.
Lea Lane (14:27):
Lots of wine, it's all over.
Yes, I know.
Michelle Buttigieg (14:29):
Lots of wine .
Absolutely the grape is robustbecause of the sun, so we have
great local Girgantina grape andalso olive oil, so the olive
groves are pretty special.
Lea Lane (14:41):
There's something called Taste History that you
have.
That's a program which Iabsolutely love.
You introduce the Maltese food,but you do it in a dining
experience, in a venue where thecorsairs or the knights were
themselves dining.
It's very special.
How does someone do that?
Michelle Buttigieg (14:59):
It's done through Heritage Malta.
So if one visits the HeritageMalta website they can find out.
But basically it's a conceptthat the Heritage Malta created,
where one can dine in the styleof the knights.
We're very lucky that we havedocuments that date back to the
1500.
We know what ingredients theyused to use, where they brought
(15:22):
them from.
I was very lucky to experiencetaste history with my groups of
Americans or Canadians that wego there, and it's always
customized too.
If I was with Americans,there's some American history
there as well, so it's prettyfascinating.
So you're eating the same menuthat the Knights ate together,
(15:43):
paired with the wines that theyused to bring from their
vineyards in Europe French,Italian, Spanish.
Lea Lane (15:49):
I love things like this because it's local, but
it's also world class, and Iwould love to do that.
I'm going to go back just to dothat.
We've discussed the food, butyou mentioned a little bit about
the nightlife.
You get all kinds of things youcan do.
Michelle Buttigieg (16:01):
All types of things, apart from the local
events that are going on allyear round the big festivals,
the jazz, the baroque festival,musical arts.
You have the festas in thesummer, but the nightlife like
what do the locals do?
There's a lot of bars, a lot ofin Valletta, and also the coast
(16:26):
of Slema, St Julian, St Andrews.
That's where all the nightlifeis.
So for those looking for clubs,that would be in the
Parcheville, st Julian's areamore bars, jazz clubs and the
promenade of Slema, all the wayto the coast.
You're not going to be bored.
The locals like to be outsideand like to have fun, so you're
always going to find a place tolet your hair down.
(16:47):
Basically.
Lea Lane (16:47):
People are so friendly too.
You are in the mostgay-friendly place in Europe,
for sure.
I know you've won all kinds ofawards for your absolutely open
atmosphere.
Tell us a bit about that.
Michelle Buttigieg (16:59):
Yes, so it was announced actually last week
.
Malta is number one on theRainbow Index again for the
ninth year.
What Malta did is basicallytook care of its community first
and be able to welcome othersthat would feel safe.
It is embedded in our DNA to bewelcoming.
Look at how many people came inand out to our island.
(17:22):
So hospitality is prettyspecial while you are there,
because people are friendly andhelpful.
Lea Lane (17:29):
It's wonderful.
Well, the name of the podcastis Places.
I Remember.
So, Michelle, would you pleaseshare one of your memories of
Malta?
I've lived outside of Malta nowfor 27 years, so when I go back
to Malta now, I'm able to seeit as a local, but also as a
tourist and doing what I do,obviously.
(17:49):
Recently, I had the pleasure tovisit this beautiful olive
grove farm called Tanishia,which is something I usually
would not do, right, and I hadthis opportunity to go with a
special group of people when Iheard that this organization
called Meril, together withTanishia Olive Grove themselves,
(18:10):
they've created this heaven,like it's a little paradise,
where they planted all thesetrees.
You're able to go there, youhave lunch.
I met Charlie, the local farmerwho takes care of this area,
and I felt a peace that's allaround it, all you can see of
the history of the land, thepeople that still runs it, the
(18:32):
lunch that you taste.
It was a feast for all sensesthe smell, what I saw, the
colors, Charlie and hishospitality.
I met his wife.
They cooked lunch for us.
We planted trees, which wasincredible.
I felt like I've contributed.
You know, I left something, andit's an experience that
(18:52):
actually visitors can do, andCharlie was telling me all the
love they've put in the land andit shows, and for me that was a
special moment.
I've done it two, three yearsago and now every year when I go
back I go see Charlie and I gosee my tree to see how much it
grew With all this history thatwe have.
(19:14):
Obviously I am also Maltese, soI have a lot of special moments
and memories.
But discovering the new and howit's still blended with history
and the tradition of the locals, for me it's really important
because we cannot forget wherewe came from, because this is
who we are right.
So people preserving it isspecial for me.
(19:36):
What a lovely memory.
Michelle Buttigieg (19:38):
That's Malta .
Lea Lane (19:38):
You summed it up right there in your memory Well, with
its wonderful sunny weather,its attractive beaches, its
thriving nightlife, 8,000 yearsof intriguing history, Malta is
indeed a great destination, asyou said, just a bit off the
beaten path and well worthdiscovering.
Thank you, ichelle Buddigieg,director of the Malta Tourism
(20:00):
Authority in North America, forsharing your country's delights.
Thank you.
The sunny islands of Malta in the middle of the
Mediterranean Sea, betweenSicily and the North African
coast, are home to the highestdensity of UNESCO World Heritage
Sites in any nation stateanywhere.
Malta and its sister islandsGozo and Camino offer 8,000
years of history, with diversefoods and an endless calendar of
(00:20):
events, festivals andactivities.
Our guest is Michelle Buttigieg, Director of the Malta Tourism
Authority in North America.
Welcome, Michelle, to Places IRemember.
Michelle Buttigieg (00:31):
Thank you so much, Lea, for having me.
Lea Lane (00:34):
Pleasure.
I read that the number oftourists from North America has
quadrupled in the last 10 years.
What are a few of the reasons,do you think?
Michelle Buttigieg (00:43):
We've opened our offices here in North
America again in our presenceabout 10 years ago.
So I think, working with thetrade, educating the trade about
Malta, what it has to offer,and also when it comes to the
consumer.
We had a lot of campaigns andwe're a popular filming spot, so
Malta's always on?
Lea Lane (01:04):
Yes, I was noticing a tremendous number of films.
What are some of them?
Michelle Buttigieg (01:07):
Oh, Gladiator.
They just actually finishedfilming the second Gladiator
there, the Count of Monte Cristo, Game of Thrones first season.
So it's a lot out there on thescreen and North Americans love
going to places where they'veseen on the screen.
Lea Lane (01:25):
I know you can tour.
There's special tours y
Michelle Buttigieg (01:28):
Yes, you can .
You can take a tour to all thelocations where the movies are
filmed.
People are looking for thathidden gem, for that place off
the beaten path.
It used to be a disadvantagebefore.
It is now an advantage.
We're getting a lot of thosetravelers that are looking for
something different.
Lea Lane (01:45):
I would say also that English is frequently spoken, so
that helps.
It's a safe destination andit's not very crowded compared
to mainland Europe, especiallyoff peak, and it's a very
popular cruise stop.
I've stopped several times on acruise.
It's a wonderful place to spendjust even if you have a day,
it's compact so you can see many, many different historic things
(02:08):
.
It's a nation known for historicsites.
There's a succession of rulers,including the Romans, Moors,
Knights of St John, the Frenchand the British, and Malta has
fortresses and megalithictemples and a subterranean
complex of halls and burialchambers dating to around 4000
BC.
Tell us about a couple of thehistoric places that we should
(02:31):
not miss.
Michelle Buttigieg (02:33):
Well, as you said, Lea, we have about 8,000
years of history.
So if you look at it like abird's eye view, you have
megalithic temples dating back1500 years, older than
Stonehenge, from a civilizationthat scholars don't know much
about, all the way to theBritish rulers in the 1960s,
with everybody in between, asyou said, the Romans, the
(02:56):
Knights of Malta is actuallypredominantly very visible.
The beautiful thing about Maltais all these different
civilizations left a footprintand this footprint is still very
visible.
So when you are there, it's avery intense cultural and
historic experience becauseeverywhere you look there is
(03:16):
something to see.
If you're looking in one corner, you're looking at these
megalithic temples.
In another corner, you'relooking at these medieval cities
, hat the knights built.
Everything tells a story.
So if you're a storyteller orif you're interested in the
history and the history doesn'tonly reflect in the buildings,
the history also reflects in theway people still live, in the
(03:39):
culture of the islands, thetraditions of the islands.
There's events going on allyear round, so some of them are
historical, like the villagefestas every weekend throughout
summer.
Lea Lane (03:53):
I could just say that every town seems to have their
own patron saint.
Yes, all weekend, and Iparticipated in that and they
open the houses, they clean thehouses up, open them to the
public.
And I walked in a house and thelady was so kind and she opened
the door and there was a manwaving from his bed.
He was waving at me.
I guess he had a cold orsomething, but it was a
(04:14):
friendliest interaction.
There was food out.
It's so much fun, fireworks andall kinds of yes.
Michelle Buttigieg (04:20):
So traditions are still very strong
within the Maltese, the way weeat, what we eat, how we
celebrate things.
You know it's 300 days ofsunshine, so you're always
outside.
If you go in what we call theshoulder seasons, you still have
beautiful weather, Great forsoft adventures and activities:
diving, scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking, cycling, cliffhanging.
(04:45):
Of course, we are surrounded bythe beautiful Mediterranean,
blue Mediterranean.
A lot of people come and yachtaround private boats where you
can visit Camino.
So Malta is an archipelago ofthree main islands, so the main
island of Malta where youstopped in your cruise ship.
Lea Lane (05:02):
Capital, Valletta, which is a total UNESCO World
Heritage.
Tell us what we should not missthere.
Michelle Buttigieg (05:09):
Oh, Valletta is one of my favorite places,
actually Built by the knights,as they called, a city built by
gentlemen for gentlemen.
There's eight auberges becausethere's the eight
representations of the knights.
If you look at the Maltesecross, you have eight points
that represented the eightlanguages that the Knights spoke
(05:29):
and they came from differentparts of Europe and each point,
Part of the knights, had anauberge.
So Aubergine de Castile,Aubergine d'Italie and these
auberges are still there today.
Like Aubergine de Castile isthe office of the Prime Minister
of Malta, Aubergine d'Italie isa museum Today.
Valletta is an open-air museumthe Co-Cathedral of St John is
(05:51):
our gem Beautiful.
Beautiful.
Lea Lane (05:54):
Beautiful marbles and ceilings and floor.
Michelle Buttigieg (05:56):
Gold, gold gilding.
The knights were supposed to behumble, but St John
Co-Cathedral is not humble, soin the Co-Cathedral is the
beheading of St John the Baptist.
It's the only Caravaggiopainting, because Caravaggio
never signed his paintings, buthe did on that particular and
it's a majestic 3D effectpainting that I still stand
(06:21):
before it and feel like thatlittle girl that went to see it
for the first time.
I still stand before it in awebecause it's so majestic.
The streets of Valletta, therestaurants, the gastronomy
experience one can have a lot ofcute shop the traditional
Maltese lace and the Maltesefiligree and the jewelry,
(06:43):
gorgeous pieces.
I always get myself jewelryenough for a lifetime, but every
time I go it's so beautiful andhandmade.
But Valletta, it's alive.
You know, at night there's jazzbars open, with the restaurants
as well.
It used to be a little quieter.
After 2018, Valletta was theCapital City for Culture for
(07:06):
Europe.
Valletta got a lift.
More businesses opened.
I mean, you have some beautifulhotels, and what's Valletta
known for is its boutique hotels.
Lea Lane (07:16):
Tell us about it.
Michelle Buttigieg (07:17):
You could be in a palazzo you could be in a
palazzo that was owned by theauberge, one of the knights.
So you're living in history.
We do have a couple of nicehotels, the bigger ones.
That is, the Fenicia Hotel,which is a leading hotel just
outside the gates of VallettaBeautiful property.
And then inside of Vallettathere's mostly Rosselli Iniala,
(07:42):
which is a super luxury hoteloverlooking the Grand Harbor, on
the bastions of St Barbara.
Beautiful restaurant up thereas well, Michelin star.
You can have the private clubexperience at Gracie's, these
beautiful palazzo.
They turned it into like aprivate club.
It's open for public.
You can go for drinks, lunchand dinner.
(08:02):
But you're sitting in history.
Lea Lane (08:05):
Right, what about budget travelers?
Michelle Buttigieg (08:06):
There's a budget for everyone, from
Airbnbs all the way to five-starhotels.
You're spending a little bitless than mainland Europe, so
your budget is going to take youa little bit further.
Lea Lane (08:18):
Another reason that Malta has become extremely
popular.
Of course, tell us about thewalled city of M'dina.
It's a beautifully preservedformer capital.
I remember walking at nightthrough the walls.
All the candlelight and theecho of the stone all around you
is so magical.
What is it about that?
Michelle Buttigieg (08:37):
For me, M'dina is a gem.
It's definitely one of myfavorite places to go when I'm
in Malta.
As you said, it is the formercapital city of Malta.
It's called the silent citybecause no cars are allowed in
there.
It's a fortified city built bythe knights.
It consists of palazzos.
(08:58):
Most of the nobles of Maltalived there and still live there
.
The houses are still in thefamilies, so these are really
well-preserved palazzos andpalazzinos.
There's cloisters of nuns.
There's the cathedral, theoriginal cathedral.
That's why the St John's isco-cathedral, because the
original main cathedral for theKnights was the cathedral in
(09:21):
M'dina, which is dedicated toour Father, St Paul.
So the St Paul Cathedral isbeautiful.
Lea Lane (09:29):
There's a very interesting story.
Michelle Buttigieg (09:30):
So we are officially the islands of St
Paul, because the Apostle StPaul was shipwrecked in Malta on
his way to Rome to be beheaded.
We are mentioned in the Bible,which is a beautiful thing.
He was stationed in Malta for awhile, but he brought us the
new religion.
The Maltese were under theRoman rule, so we were pagans
(09:54):
and then they adopted the newreligion, Catholicism.
Yeah, and we are Roman Catholicand we have over 250 churches.
You've seen that when you werethere.
There's a church in everycorner.
Lea Lane (10:07):
There's a church in every corner and a wonderful
festival, as I said.
(Absolutely.
) We have the main island ofMalta, but then the sister
islands are Gozo and Camino.
So Camino is a small inhabitedisland in the middle, surrounded
by blue lagoons, great foradventure day trips or, if you
(10:28):
want, to rent a boat or a yachtthat you can sail around.
You can swim, snorkel.
And then there's the beautifulsister of Gozo.
Gozo is a little bit more ruralthan Malta, a little bit more
relaxed, still has a lot ofhistory.
Gozo has the oldest megalithictemple on the island, which is
called Gigantia, built by theseGigantia.
(10:51):
Gigant in Maltese means giant,and it's called Gigantia because
it's built by these reallygigantic stones that we don't
know how they did that back then.
Right, it's like huge stones,and so scholars think that
people were actually biggerstature than they are today.
So there's a lot of theorythere.
(11:12):
This is a very mysteriousisland.
In Greek mythology it's theisland of the Memphis Calypso,
so there's Calypso Cave to visitnear Ramla Bay.
Also, we have a citadel inRabat, Victoria, the capital
city of Gozo.
There is a somewhat mini M'dina.
It's fortified and these werebuilt by the knights for
(11:33):
protection of people when thereused to be attacks from the
Ottomans, so the locals wouldrun to the citadels and be
protected.
You'll find that underneaththese citadels in Valletta and
in the citadel in Gozo therewere a lot of caves that were
used in World War II as well,because we played a very
(11:53):
important role.
But Gozo is special.
I actually come from the islandof Gozo, so we have a special
feeling towards Gozo, as it isdefinitely a gem.
I know that the beaches there and the snorkeling
and the boating are special.
Tell us about the Blue Lagoonand the Dive Trail.
Michelle Buttigieg (12:12):
There is as much to see under the water in
Malta as there is on land.
There's history, there areshipwrecks dating back to the
Phoenicians, all the way toWorld War II, and also, of
course, we've been blessed bynature.
So there's beautiful caves thatone can discover.
There is an archaeologicalunderwater museum in Gozo that
(12:37):
one can visit, so there'sremains of shipwrecks in there
and it's simply fascinating.
I don't dive, but I snorkel.
The visibility in the water isincredible because of the
weather.
I mean, of course, the localswon't swim in winter.
Most locals because we'respoiled.
Tourists swim all year round.
If you're coming from New Yorkor Canada, you're like you know
(13:00):
what this is not cold at all.
Lea Lane (13:01):
So put on a wetsuit or whatever.
Michelle Buttigieg (13:05):
Exactly, and Blue Lagoon is, as I said,
great spot for swimming andsnorkeling.
You could take a boat daily orjust get a private boat.
Lea Lane (13:16):
Now, with all the cultural history, how does this
affect Maltese food and drink?
I remember something calledpastisi, which was a pastry
filled with cheese.
What are some other localdelights of Malta?
Michelle Buttigieg (13:30):
Our main dish is actually rabbit stew.
It's delicious, especially theway my grandmother cooked it.
It's a stew and she used to putpasta in it.
It cooks for a long time, verytender.
Our gastronomy reflects ourhistory, our culture, so you
find a lot of seafood, obviouslybecause we are surrounded by
the beautiful waters.
(13:51):
I always recommend please eatthe seafood because it's fresh.
There are places like MarsaShlog, which is a fisherman
village where, like on a Sunday,you have the markets open for
the local fish, just fresh, andyou have some of the most
amazing restaurants down there.
The Maltese cuisine is veryMediterranean.
You have a lot of pastas andsauces, as you said, the pastasi
(14:14):
.
We have six Michelin starrestaurants, and so you could
eat in a Michelin starrestaurant.
You can eat in the piazzatogether with the locals and
it's equally delicious, it'sjust and you have wine as well.
Lea Lane (14:27):
Lots of wine, it's all over.
Yes, I know.
Michelle Buttigieg (14:29):
Lots of wine .
Absolutely the grape is robustbecause of the sun, so we have
great local Girgantina grape andalso olive oil, so the olive
groves are pretty special.
Lea Lane (14:41):
There's something called Taste History that you
have.
That's a program which Iabsolutely love.
You introduce the Maltese food,but you do it in a dining
experience, in a venue where thecorsairs or the knights were
themselves dining.
It's very special.
How does someone do that?
Michelle Buttigieg (14:59):
It's done through Heritage Malta.
So if one visits the HeritageMalta website they can find out.
But basically it's a conceptthat the Heritage Malta created,
where one can dine in the styleof the knights.
We're very lucky that we havedocuments that date back to the
1500.
We know what ingredients theyused to use, where they brought
(15:22):
them from.
I was very lucky to experiencetaste history with my groups of
Americans or Canadians that wego there, and it's always
customized too.
If I was with Americans,there's some American history
there as well, so it's prettyfascinating.
So you're eating the same menuthat the Knights ate together,
(15:43):
paired with the wines that theyused to bring from their
vineyards in Europe French,Italian, Spanish.
Lea Lane (15:49):
I love things like this because it's local, but
it's also world class, and Iwould love to do that.
I'm going to go back just to dothat.
We've discussed the food, butyou mentioned a little bit about
the nightlife.
You get all kinds of things youcan do.
Michelle Buttigieg (16:01):
All types of things, apart from the local
events that are going on allyear round the big festivals,
the jazz, the baroque festival,musical arts.
You have the festas in thesummer, but the nightlife like
what do the locals do?
There's a lot of bars, a lot ofin Valletta, and also the coast
(16:26):
of Slema, St Julian, St Andrews.
That's where all the nightlifeis.
So for those looking for clubs,that would be in the
Parcheville, st Julian's areamore bars, jazz clubs and the
promenade of Slema, all the wayto the coast.
You're not going to be bored.
The locals like to be outsideand like to have fun, so you're
always going to find a place tolet your hair down.
(16:47):
Basically.
Lea Lane (16:47):
People are so friendly too.
You are in the mostgay-friendly place in Europe,
for sure.
I know you've won all kinds ofawards for your absolutely open
atmosphere.
Tell us a bit about that.
Michelle Buttigieg (16:59):
Yes, so it was announced actually last week
.
Malta is number one on theRainbow Index again for the
ninth year.
What Malta did is basicallytook care of its community first
and be able to welcome othersthat would feel safe.
It is embedded in our DNA to bewelcoming.
Look at how many people came inand out to our island.
(17:22):
So hospitality is prettyspecial while you are there,
because people are friendly andhelpful.
Lea Lane (17:29):
It's wonderful.
Well, the name of the podcastis Places.
I Remember.
So, Michelle, would you pleaseshare one of your memories of
Malta?
I've lived outside of Malta nowfor 27 years, so when I go back
to Malta now, I'm able to seeit as a local, but also as a
tourist and doing what I do,obviously.
(17:49):
Recently, I had the pleasure tovisit this beautiful olive
grove farm called Tanishia,which is something I usually
would not do, right, and I hadthis opportunity to go with a
special group of people when Iheard that this organization
called Meril, together withTanishia Olive Grove themselves,
(18:10):
they've created this heaven,like it's a little paradise,
where they planted all thesetrees.
You're able to go there, youhave lunch.
I met Charlie, the local farmerwho takes care of this area,
and I felt a peace that's allaround it, all you can see of
the history of the land, thepeople that still runs it, the
(18:32):
lunch that you taste.
It was a feast for all sensesthe smell, what I saw, the
colors, Charlie and hishospitality.
I met his wife.
They cooked lunch for us.
We planted trees, which wasincredible.
I felt like I've contributed.
You know, I left something, andit's an experience that
(18:52):
actually visitors can do, andCharlie was telling me all the
love they've put in the land andit shows, and for me that was a
special moment.
I've done it two, three yearsago and now every year when I go
back I go see Charlie and I gosee my tree to see how much it
grew With all this history thatwe have.
(19:14):
Obviously I am also Maltese, soI have a lot of special moments
and memories.
But discovering the new and howit's still blended with history
and the tradition of the locals, for me it's really important
because we cannot forget wherewe came from, because this is
who we are right.
So people preserving it isspecial for me.
(19:36):
What a lovely memory.
Michelle Buttigieg (19:38):
That's Malta .
Lea Lane (19:38):
You summed it up right there in your memory Well, with
its wonderful sunny weather,its attractive beaches, its
thriving nightlife, 8,000 yearsof intriguing history, Malta is
indeed a great destination, asyou said, just a bit off the
beaten path and well worthdiscovering.
Thank you, ichelle Buddigieg,director of the Malta Tourism
(20:00):
Authority in North America, forsharing your country's delights.
Thank you.
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