Posts Tagged With: Travel

Day 6 in Malta – I Ran in the Copenhagen Marathon?!

Posted on June 15, 2026 by Kelsey

My overnight layover turned out to be great! I got a good night’s rest in my little hotel room in central Copenhagen and had a couple hours in the morning to explore before having to head back to the airport. I really enjoyed Copenhagen when I visited a few years ago, so I was excited to get to see a bit more, even though it was only a couple hours on a Sunday morning, so not much was open.

I started my morning with a self guided audio tour that I put together using an app called Story Hunt. It was a nice way to organize a route around where I was staying and see a few of the main sites. Just within a few minutes of where I was staying I was able to see the Marble Church, Amalienborg Palace, Nyhavn, Christiansborg Palace, and several different statues. It was very quiet out and I saw very few cars, especially since a lot of the streets were closed off for the marathon.

At this point I started to get a bit hungry, so I knew I wanted to find a Danish bakery where I could get a cinnamon roll and hot chocolate (how can you visit Denmark without eating as many pastries as possible?!). I found one with good reviews called Holm and with it being a bit chilly out it was the perfect cozy stop on my walk.

I was very close to a couple of places I had pinned on my map and it had just hit 10, which is when a lot of the stores and attractions opened on a Sunday morning, so it was perfect timing. I stopped into a pottery and glass store called Studio Arhoj and quickly fell in love with all the colorful dishes and tiny character figurines. They even had a studio in the back where you could watch someone glass blowing and someone making pottery. Everything was so cute, I wanted to get a souvenir to take home, but I knew I didn’t have much room in my backpack and my suitcase had already been checked through to my next flight. I settled on an adorable ceramic magnet with eyes since they seem to be well known for their little figurines and “ghosts” with the eyes. I hope I can go back one day and maybe collect some more of their pottery!

After this fun stop I went right across the street to the Round Tower. I was not able to visit my last time in Copenhagen, and I thought this would be a nice quick stop before I needed to start heading back to the airport. It’s a tall, round building with an observatory at the top, built in 1642. The unique thing about it is that it has a long spiral ramp inside rather than stairs, so you just wind your way up gradually, with event spaces and other rooms branching off at various levels. It was pretty quick to make my way up to the top and the last bit was a tiny spiral staircase. They had a fun red light, green light system to allow people to go up for a minute and then down for a minute so that it wouldn’t get congested, which I thought was a great touch.

At the top of the Round Tower I got a great view of Copenhagen. I could see many of the famous church spires and other beautiful buildings, and then I heard cheering in the distance- the marathon had started! Sure enough, I looked down at a nearby street and could see the thousands of people running by.

After taking in the views for a few minutes, I made my way back down, with a quick stop at the exhibit they had called Light Year 2026. This was in celebration of the 350th anniversary of Ole Rømer’s discovery of the speed of light. There were some interesting displays about space and how discovering light years changed our understanding of the universe, as well as some large art installations from artists around the world inspired by this discovery. I didn’t spend long but thought it made the visit even more worthwhile.

After going down the rest of the way, I knew I needed to head back towards my hotel. I followed my maps, and quickly realized that I would need to cross back over the marathon route. Of course, at this point there were large groups of people all running together so this would not be as easy as it had been early in the morning. I walked along the route for as long as I could and thought it was fun to see all the spectators cheering, playing music, and waving flags to encourage the runners. Then, once I knew I just needed to cross I waited until there was enough of a break in the group and made a dash for it at a diagonal so I could keep with the flow but get across quickly. It was a little nerve-wracking since I didn’t want to get in anyone’s way, but now I can say I ran in the Copenhagen marathon! 🙂

I then quickly made it back to my hotel just in time to grab my backpack and check out, went back to the metro and rode the 20 minutes back to the airport. Overall, such an easy experience and I was happy to spend a few hours back in Copenhagen, made even more special by the unique, spontaneous things I got to see. I would definitely return again; those cinnamon rolls cannot be beat!

Categories: Malta - May 2026 | Tags: Copenhagen, Denmark, malta, Marathon, Round Tower, running, Travel | Leave a comment

Day 5 in Malta – Blue Grotto and Goodbye Malta

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Kelsey

On Saturday, May 9, I had one remaining thing on my Malta bucket list (although I would love to go back sometime). I got up and packed my suitcase and got ready to check out of my apartment. I got my last pastry and iced tea from the cafe across the street and sat at my covered balcony to take in the beautiful view for the last time. I took my luggage to a nearby storage location for the day and headed off on my daily adventure.

Houses in my neighborhood, I love the architecture!

I got on the bus towards the Blue Grotto, which is on the southwest coast, and it was very crowded as we went through the busier areas of Sliema and Valleta. Once we got outside of the main cities though, it got a lot emptier. I had to change buses once, and was happy that the next bus came just a few minutes later, so I made it to the Blue Grotto in about an hour.

Once I arrived I walked down the short boardwalk to a lookout spot, which had the most beautiful view of the cliffs and the large rock formations and caves called the Blue Grotto. It turned out to be a much clearer day and I was so glad I made the trip to see this incredible landscape.

After spending a few minutes enjoying the view, I started to walk down the path towards the area where you can get on a boat to see the Blue Grotto up close. It was an enjoyable walk along the coast and I eventually reached a couple restaurants and souvenir shops, which led down to the boat service where you pay €10 for a ticket and then wait in line until there is a boat available. It wasn’t terribly crowded, so I only waited about five minutes until I was able to join a couple other people on a small, colorful boat.

The boat driver took us out of the small bay and into some of the caves along the coast and pointed out different rock formations and things we were seeing. It was perfect weather and the water looked so clear and blue, I thought it looked like a great place to swim, although when we felt the water it was definitely cold. When we got to the Blue Grotto it was amazing to see it from this different perspective. We saw more coral underneath the water, and some areas with white sand below, so the water looked especially bright and even reflected up onto the ceiling of the cave. It was truly magical!

After about 20 minutes we headed back to the dock and I could say this was well worth the trip- one of my highlights of the week for sure!

I walked back up to the bus stop and waited for the next bus that would take me straight back to Valletta. I decided I would have just enough time to make a couple last stops in the capital city and take the ferry back to Sliema to get my luggage before having to go to the airport. In Valletta I got my last pastizzi of the trip, walked through the streets noticing places I first learned about on my first day walking tour, and got a bubble tea from Tea Fusion again. I stopped into a couple shops along the way and then made my way to the Sliema ferry, where I got to enjoy a trip across the harbor one last time.

I picked up my luggage and took the express bus to the airport. It was pretty busy at the airport drop off and I was in the front seat, so I got to watch the bus driver parallel park this huge coach bus, which I thought was particularly impressive. Once in the airport I got through security quickly and found out that the Malta airport is pretty small, and everyone has to just wait in a big communal area until their gate is called. It was packed when I first got there, and there were only a couple options for food, but I found a seat at one of the restaurants and decided to get dinner and try Kinnie, a Maltese soda, that I had heard about but was a little scared to try at first. The tour guide on the first day told us that people either love or hate it, but since I know root beer has that reputation as well and I love root beer I thought I would give it a try. After all, this was pretty much my last chance. I could see the similarity with root beer, but it was more of an orange flavor with a bitter aftertaste. I don’t know that I would have it again, but it wasn’t horrible.

Once my flight was finally called, I boarded the flight and was happy to see that I again did not have anyone sitting next to me. Taking off was a very cool experience because I could see so much of the island. It’s so small that as we turned I could recognize several of the cities and places I had been.

It was just a three hour flight back to Copenhagen, where I had an overnight layover. Because of this, I was excited to take advantage of being able to get a full night’s rest and have a few hours in the morning to explore the city. Copenhagen is a great place for a layover as well because it is so quick and easy to get from the airport into the center of the city. Within 30 minutes I had taken the metro and walked the few more minutes to my hotel. I was a little hungry, so stopped by a churro stand on the way, and I saw a huge banner saying the Copenhagen Marathon- May 10, 2026. I thought, wait, that’s tomorrow! I had no idea until then, but was excited to see what that would be like the next day for my morning in Copenhagen- stay tuned!

Categories: Malta - May 2026 | Tags: adventure, Architecture, Blue Grotto, Boat, europe, malta, nature, Sliema, Travel, Valletta | Leave a comment

Day 4 in Malta – Mosta Dome, Mdina, and Dingli Cliffs

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Kelsey

On Friday, May 8, I planned another full day of sightseeing, and was excited to head towards the western part of the island to visit a couple locations that had been highly recommended. My first stop was Starbucks, since I am always curious what different types of pastries and drinks they have in other countries. I settled on a chocolate filled donut and cool lime refresher (my dad can attest this is the best flavor and has sadly been discontinued in the US). I took my treats and headed to the bus stop to get on the road to my first stop of the day, Mosta Rotunda.

Mosta Rotunda is a unique domed church in the city of Mosta and is the third largest unsupported dome in the world! It was built in the mid-19th century and replaced an older church once the population outgrew it. The architect decided to do something a bit different and create a circular layout with a huge dome, based on the Pantheon. I went inside and got an audio guide and was excited that the first stop was up in the gallery to view the dome. They are currently doing some restoration work, so there was a lift with people working inside the church, which I found very fascinating to watch. I couldn’t help but think how they must really not have a fear of heights to do that job.

Once I went back down to the ground level I continued the audio tour and learned about lots of different pieces of art and architecture around the church. The other interesting thing about the Mosta Rotunda is that during WWII a bomb actually fell through the roof during a service, but did not explode. It left a hole in the dome but because of the nature of its shape, it otherwise stayed completely in tact. The inhabitants now see this as a miracle and the bomb was displayed in one of the other rooms. The marble floor has also been left with damage from the bomb as a reminder of that moment. Once back outside I was able to go next door to the visitor center and watch a short video about the construction of the dome, which I thought was very interesting.

The areas of the ceiling that are still being restored

I went back to the bus stop to wait for the next bus and found out that what I had read online was true- there may be a schedule that is posted, but there is no guarantee that any bus will show up at the time you expect. I later found out that if you scan the QR code on the bus stop signs it will give you live updates for that stop and that was much more helpful. After waiting a little while, the bus finally arrived and I was on the way to Mdina, the medieval Silent City. On my way out of Mosta, however, I saw a sign on the side of the road that caught my eye. It had Millbrae, CA listed as a sister city and I thought what a small world, since I know people who live there!

Once I arrived in Mdina I actually saw my tour guide I had earlier in the week in Valletta finishing a tour- I guess Malta is a small enough place there are only so many tour guides! Since I was a bit hungry and I had some time before my walking tour, I decided to stop by a small restaurant called Is-Serkin, which I had read has the best pastizzi in all of Malta. It is located just outside the Mdina city gates and while I may not be a pastizzi expert, I definitely could tell the difference between this one and the last one I tried in Valletta. This one came straight from the oven, so the cheese was perfectly melted and the outside was super flaky and crunchy.

After finishing my snack, I decided to walk into Mdina and explore a little on my own. The walled city was truly magical to walk around, with all these small alleyways with the limestone buildings on each side. I expected it to be busier, but I guess it was a quiet day and I could see why it gets called the Silent City, especially as it got later in the afternoon.

I took some photos of the famous blue door, and then went to Palazzo Falson, a 13th century palazzo turned museum, which was really cool to see. It was owned by Maltese nobility and showcased lots of artwork and collections from over the centuries. I really enjoyed the audio tour here as well and it felt like I had the whole place to myself!

After the museum I had just enough time to stop by the Fontanella Tea Gardens, which I had read is known for their cakes and beautiful views. Mdina is built on the top of the hill, so when you look out over the walls you can see all the way to the Mediterranean. I got lucky and was seated right at the edge of the terrace, and was treated with a great view while I waited for my iced tea and chocolate cake (there were lots of cake options to choose from but they are famous for the chocolate so I thought I had to give it a try). The cake was delicious, and the ambiance made it even better, so this was the perfect stop to refuel before my free walking tour.

I could see Mosta Rotunda from where I was sitting

I then made my way back toward the Mdina city gates to meet my walking tour guide. As per usual, the tour was great and Ben, the guide, gave so much interesting history along with some interesting facts about Maltese culture. I found it particularly entertaining that he could point out cars that he believed belonged to nobility as we walked around. Mdina is still really just home to nobility and nuns, so the cars he said all belonged to people who either worked or lived there. When we would see an expensive car he could point out the license plate and say those letters stand for the last name of a noble family, etc. Apparently the Maltese really like their vanity license plates!

Baroque Mdina gate- you can see the older opening has been closed up to the right

After the tour finished up, I had just enough time to go back to look in some of the stores. Mdina is known for their glass and so there were several stores selling all sorts of glass objects, and I was able to pick out a vase to take home as a unique souvenir. I went to a Mdina restaurant for a quick dinner, and then decided I would try and make it to Dingli Cliffs for the sunset. This was highly recommended as some of the best views in Malta, but it had been another hazy day, so I wasn’t sure how the sunset would be. It was only a 15 minute bus ride away though, so I thought I would check it out.

From where the bus dropped me off I walked probably about a half mile down the coast to an area where you can get an excellent view of the cliffs. It was a beautiful walk and a great view at the end, even though the sunset was not terribly impressive. There were several other people doing the same thing, but I imagine on a clearer night the area is much more crowded.

After the sun set, it was starting to get dark so I decided to just call a Bolt (the Maltese version of Uber) and that took me back to my apartment in Sliema, on the exact other side of thr island. This trip, however, still only took half an hour which really solidified how small the country is. After a long day I had a relaxing evening enjoying the rooftop hot tub and reflecting on all the amazing places I had seen.

Categories: Malta - May 2026 | Tags: Dingli Cliffs, europe, history, malta, Mdina, Mosta Dome, Mosta Rotunda, Pastizzi, Rabat, Travel, Valletta | Leave a comment

Day 3 in Malta – Day Trip to Gozo

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Kelsey

On Thursday, May 7, I had booked a full day tour of Gozo, the second largest island that makes up the country of Malta. It was a great way to get to see a lot of the island, but it was definitely a long day, so buckle up!

I got picked up at 8:15 from outside a nearby hotel and driven up north to the very top of the island of Malta (only about 45 minutes away). There, we met up with several other vans of people who also got picked up from around the country. Because it was a bit windy that morning the tour company opted for us to take the ferry over, rather than the smaller boat they usually do. It was a bit chaotic as they tried to round everyone up, as it was a pretty large group and there were a couple other tour companies doing the same thing. We eventually all got in the line to get on the ferry and made our way on board. It was a short 15 minute ferry ride, and we could see Comino, another smaller island that is between Malta and Gozo. Comino only has two inhabitants, but has the Blue Lagoon, a popular swimming spot that supposedly gets very crowded in the summer.

These towers can be found all over the coastline of Malta

After we got off the ferry in Gozo we were met with a group of tour guides and their Jeep buggies. Every tour guide had a sign with the names of the four or five people in their group, so we had to all go find which group we belonged in. Luckily, I found Sam, my tour guide, right away. There were already two people in the buggy, who I later found out were Jason and Emily from Syracuse, NY, and we were also joined by a couple from Latvia who had come over on the ferry with me. Jason and Emily had come to Gozo to run a half marathon trail run in a couple days, and as we traveled around the island we saw some of the areas marked out for the run and it looked like it would be beautiful, but very hilly.

Once we all got into the buggy, Sam sped off and we began the tour. I quickly found out that this little vehicle can get very loud, especially when going up hills, so it was a little difficult to hear his commentary from the back seat while we were driving. Sam explained to us that we had some options of where we could go throughout the day, so it could be a little customizable, although we mostly deferred to what he thought would be best. He first quickly stopped at an overlook to show us the view and some local plants, including the Prickly Pear!

Here you can see the small island of Comino and the larger island of Malta behind

Our first stop was at Ramla Bay. We pulled up to a beautiful sandy beach with large hills on either side, and Sam told us that you can hike up to the top of one to a cave called Calypso’s Cave, which is supposedly where Calypso kept Odysseus a prisoner in the Odyssey. He told us that the hike would take 20 minutes, although we were a little doubtful of this time estimate by how far away it looked, and opted not to do the hike. Nonetheless, we had a few minutes to enjoy the beach before heading back to the buggy.

We then drove to the Ggantija Temples, which I was very interested in seeing. These are known as the oldest freestanding structures in the world. It was interesting to see after just having been to some other Neolithic sites the day before. The museum showed some artifacts found at the site, and some seemed similar to what I had seen at the other sites. But what I thought was most interesting was that the stones looked a bit different. The Hypogeum and Tarxien Temples were made of the yellow limestone that is seen all over Malta as a primary building material. A lot of Ggantija, however, was made with a harder, different type of limestone and had a more gray look to it.

After taking in these ancient structures, we got back in the buggy to go back to the busier city of Victoria and visit the Cittadella. This is a small, fortified city from the 15th century on top of a hill complete with a church, small alleys between tall stone buildings, and fortress walls that you can walk on top of. We had only a half hour here (longer would have been nice, but I knew that some things would feel rushed since we were trying to see as much as possible in one day), so we did a quick walk around the walls and through some of the streets, taking in the beautiful views of the island. On the way back to meet our driver, we saw there was a small doorway at the base of one of the walls, where there were WWII shelters dug out underneath. Malta was bombed significantly during WWII, so several of the places I visited had shelters dug out below that you can still visit.

We then drove a little way to a restaurant where our lunch was being served. It was an interesting buffet that had nothing labeled, so I got a few little snacks, but was not too adventurous. We were laughing that that’s why Sam asked us if we were allergic to anything before we went in. They had a delicious pound cake for dessert though, so I definitely enjoyed that!

The next stop was the Munxar Path, where we had incredible views of the sea cliffs, and even a little stone bridge. Sam dropped us off and showed us the path to walk, so we got a little hike around to the next village where he drove to pick us up. It was a very scenic walk, and we saw that the marathon was going to going through this area, which seems like it would be quite challenging!

Seems like a challenging location for a marathon!

Sam got us back in the buggy and drove us down winding roads and through many small villages. It was interesting to see all the houses, and you could tell that by the names many were owned by people from other countries. Sam explained how when he was growing up there were a lot more local people in Gozo, but over time it has become a lot more mixed with people immigrating from other countries and Maltese people moving abroad.

Our next stop was quick but very cool to see. Sam pulled over on the side of the road and we could look down into a limestone quarry, where we could see the people working to cut those yellow stones that are everywhere in Malta. Because the limestone is such a soft stone, it wears away in the sun and wind, and buildings need to have their stones replaced every so often, so obviously this is still a very necessary process. It was really cool to see where all of this material is coming from and the process they use today.

Next, we drove to the Dwejra Inland Sea, which was another of my favorite stops of the day. Here, you walk down to a little cove where you can get on a boat and they will take you completely through a cave out to the other side where you are back out in the Mediterranean. They took us into a few other sea caves and we could see the beautiful blue water (although I’m sure it would be nicer if it wasn’t so hazy out) and even coral growing on the side of the rocks. I love a boat ride, and this was one of my highlights of the day!

Our last stop of the day was at the Xwejni Salt Pans. This is an area right on the coast of the island where there are shallow shapes cut out of the rock. During the summer months salt water is left to evaporate and the remaining salt is harvested. This tradition has been happening for 350 years, and still continues today, so when we arrived we were able to sample and buy salt that came from right where we were standing!

We then had just a short drive back to the ferry terminal, but instead of taking the ferry back we were informed that the wind had calmed enough that we could take the smaller boat trip ride back. We all got on board a wooden boat and were off back past Comino to Malta. The wind may have calmed, but it was still a pretty rocky ride, so I was glad we hadn’t gone in the morning if it would have been worse. The views were pretty even though it was a bit of a hazy day, and we made it back safely to the island of Malta, where we found our vans to drive us back down to where we had been picked up in the morning.

You can see how blue the water is at the Blue Lagoon

I made it back to my apartment around 6, went out to a local pizza restaurant that was highly recommended, and then finished the night with a walk on the Sliema promenade with some gelato and views of the sea. I definitely slept well after this long day of adventure!

Categories: Malta - May 2026 | Tags: Buggy, europe, Gozo, history, malta, Salt, Tour, Travel | Leave a comment

Day 2 in Malta – St. John’s Co-Cathedral and Neolithic Structures

Posted on May 12, 2026 by Kelsey

On Wednesday I started the day in Malta by taking the ferry back to Valletta and going to St. John’s Co-Cathedral. This was one of the “must see” buildings and it certainly was impressive. When I went inside it was pretty crowded with lots of tour groups, but I really enjoyed the in depth audio tour.

The building was built by the Knights of St. John in the 16th century, and was initially very plain, but over time they added much more decoration to the interior once that was the style of the time. This created a mismatched look between the plain exterior and ornate interior that is pretty unique among many other cathedrals. Going around to all the chapels I learned that each one was dedicated to a different division of the Order of St. John. There was a French area, a German area, an Italian area, etc., and each was decorated with symbols representing the country, as well as monuments for various Grand Masters of the Order. You can also see the eight pointed cross many places, which is the symbol of the Knights of St. John.

In addition to the beautiful architecture and decoration, the co-cathedral is also well known for having a couple Caravaggio paintings, including the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, which was his only work that he signed. There was a whole section set up more like a museum with an exhibit and video about Caravaggio which was really interesting. He had quite a temper and killed a man in Italy, so was sentenced to death in Rome, but once the Knights of St. John heard about his amazing painting they offered for him to come live there (and pardon him) if he would paint for them. However, he soon got in another fight and was arrested and expelled. But, he did leave behind some amazing works of art!

Caravaggio’s Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

After leaving the co-cathedral I needed to make my way to the Hypogeum for my tour that I had booked the day before. It was only a short drive away, and the building was hidden amongst normal shops and houses. I really had no idea what to expect, and they did not allow any photos inside so you’ll have to trust my description. They only take about 10 people into the tour at a time, several times a day, which is why it sells out so quickly. When we got inside they had us put on shoe covers and we watched a short introduction video about when the Hypogeum was discovered. There were houses built on top and when a worker was cutting down into the ground below he found a large network of underground rooms and caves that were built over 5000 years ago (older than the pyramids)!

They explained that when it was discovered the archeologists found lots of human remains and bones that showed that parts of it were most likely used for some sort of burial rituals. Now those have been taken out, but we could walk on elevated walkways through multiple levels of the caverns, looking at some remaining paintings, carvings, and structure that was created so long ago. There was an audio tour that played as we were ushered from room to room and it pointed out some of the unique features that we were seeing and gave some possible explanations for what the structure was used for, but of course no one knows for sure. One of the things that I found most interesting was that they created doorways and ceilings completely underground that are similar to other Neotlithic structures, but much better preserved. They also did not have metal tools at the time, so it is even more impressive to understand how much skill and time it would have taken to create these structures. There was also a room that was designed to resonate at a certain frequency, which was very interesting and also gives more possible context as to what these types of structures were used for.

A photo from their website showing one of the rooms with doors and ceilings carved into the stone

After this tour I walked to a nearby cafe for a quick lunch with a view of the local church, then I walked to the nearby Tarxien Temples, which is another Neolithic site built around 3400 BC. This time it was completely outdoors but covered with large tents. This also had an audio tour, so I walked around the site and listened to that which was also fascinating.

After finishing up there I took the bus back to Sliema, did some souvenir shopping, and of course got a bubble tea! At night I found a local restaurant that served fried shrimp and had a delicious dinner to round out day 2 in Malta.

Categories: Malta - May 2026 | Tags: Caravaggio, europe, history, Hypogeum, malta, Neolithic, St John's Co-Cathedral, Travel, Valletta | Leave a comment

Day 1 in Malta – Exploring Valletta and Crafting

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Kelsey

At the same time that Mom and Dad left for England, I went on my own trip to Malta. I’m a little behind but now that I’m back home I’m going to try and get my blog posts up too and hopefully it’s not too confusing!

After a long travel day (Atlanta to Copenhagen to Malta) I got to the apartment I was staying in Monday evening. It was the top floor of a traditional Maltese building, complete with one of their iconic covered balconies and a rooftop with amazing views of the sea. I went out on a short walk to explore Sliema, the town I was staying in, and got a great initial view of Valletta, the capital, across the harbor. I was pretty tired, so I went to sleep with plans to get up early and really start sightseeing the next day.

I stayed at the top floor where the light is on!

On Tuesday I got up and took the ferry from Sliema to Valletta, which is just a short 10 minute journey. I always enjoy being out on the water, so I was excited that this is the easiest and fastest way to get there from where I was staying. Once in Valletta I walked to Fort St. Elmo, at the far end of the peninsula where Valletta is located. Here, I waited to get tickets to the Hypogeum, which are extremely limited and sold out online months in advance. But, you can go to this location to buy next day tickets first thing in the morning if they are available. Luckily, I was successful so I will share more about my visit to the Hypogeum in the next post.

I then strolled through the city and grabbed an iced tea and pastry to eat while I killed a little time before my walking tour. I found a square where there was a really nice temporary installation of tons of flowers and trees and sat on a bench to enjoy this pseudo botanical garden. I learned later on that historically plants were not allowed in Valletta as they have a problem with getting enough water. It rarely rains in Malta and their only source of fresh water is groundwater from that rain. Now, they also desalinate sea water to supplement that. At 10:30 it was time to meet my free walking tour to get my introduction to Valletta.

Walking towards the tour I was shocked by how many more people there were. I clearly had found the busy tourist area, and quickly learned that Valletta sees up to 50,000 people a day (cruise ships dock here as well as it just becoming a more popular travel destination in the last few years). This is particularly impactful once you learn how small the city is. The entire city is only 0.6 miles long and 0.4 miles wide, making it the smallest capital city in Europe. There are only about 5,000 residents, so 50,000 people coming in every day is quite a lot!

The walking tour was great and I learned a lot of context about the history and culture of Malta. Valletta was built by the Knights of Saint John, who created the fortified city in order to protect the island that they called home. The city has a grid layout and a lot of the buildings we saw could be attributed to the Knights. We started the tour at the new Parliament building, which was made in the same yellow limestone that most buildings in Malta are made out of, but with an interesting texture to represent how these stones wear away over time. Next to it was the opera house, which was mostly destroyed during WWII, but now has been reopened as an open-air theater. We ended the tour with a view of the Upper Barrakka Gardens, where they fire a canon twice a day. Our tour guide had timed it so that we could watch the canon go off, and it was a little underwhelming.

The tour also gave some great information about what Malta is like today. It has two official languages, Maltese and English, and both have equal importance, so most signs would have both. The tour guide also explained that Maltese is a mix from several other languages, primarily Arabic with some Italian, French, and English thrown in, which makes a lot of sense based on Malta’s location between Sicily and Africa. She also told us how before 2018 Valletta really run down, but was then designated as a European Capital of Culture, which gave a lot more funding and led to a huge resurgence of development and tourism. Now, the real estate in the city is super expensive, many of the buildings have been restored, and they see millions of tourists each year.

After the walking tour I needed a snack so decided to try a pastizzi, one of the traditional Maltese pastries recommended by the tour guide. They are filled with either ricotta or mushy peas, so I definitely went with the ricotta. I don’t know that I’d want to eat it every day, but for a quick and cheap snack it was pretty good. Then I quickly stopped to get a bubble tea before catching another ferry to the Three Cities, which are located on the harbor on the other side of Valletta.

The Three Cities are known for being quieter, more residential areas and the streets I walked down were definitely that. I made my way to a crafting class, which I had booked through Airbnb Experiences. It sounded like a fun way to spend an afternoon and make a souvenir in the process. I met Dilara, the host of the class, at her apartment and she showed me to her balcony with an amazing view of Valletta, where she had laid out all the supplies needed for our drawing and embroidery class. It turns out I was the only one signed up that day, so I had a private class and it was nice to chat and get to go at my own pace. Dilara had printed out pictures of different Maltese flowers to use as inspiration, and I was able to trace and color, and then embroider over the image to add some texture. I asked her which one she thought I would most likely see while I was there and she recommended the Prickly Pear, since they are everywhere (I can confirm this!). I had a great afternoon working on the project and was happy with the finished product that I could take home and frame.

After I finished that up it was getting towards evening, so I took the ferry back to Valleta, walked through the Upper Barrakka Gardens and back through to the ferry to Sliema, which I took back to where I was staying. Overall, a great first day out getting the lay of the land and seeing what Malta is all about!

Categories: Malta - May 2026 | Tags: europe, history, malta, Mslta, Pastizzi, Sliema, Tour, Travel, Valletta | Leave a comment

Day 2 – July 12, 2025: One More Day in Dublin & All Aboard to Iceland!

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Greg

After a much-needed night of real sleep (no plane seats or time zone confusion), we hit the ground running to make the most of our final day in Dublin before heading to the cruise port. With different cravings, we all split off to grab our ideal takeout breakfast and then met up for a visit to one of the city’s hidden gems: the Little Museum of Dublin.

This quirky and charming museum is tucked inside a Georgian townhouse right across from St. Stephen’s Green. Instead of dusty artifacts, it’s packed floor-to-ceiling with donated memorabilia, photos, and oddities that tell the story of Dublin’s 20th-century rise. Our guide, Cal, delivered an energetic and humorous storytelling experience that turned two small rooms into a surprisingly rich history lesson. Though the museum was warm (Ireland’s having a rare heat wave), we had a great time.

We then strolled through St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin’s beloved city park, and made our way to one of the city’s most iconic destinations: the Guinness Storehouse. Even though our timed tickets were later in the day, the staff kindly let us in early so we could enjoy lunch at one of the two on-site restaurants.

Karen opted to try a Black Velvet, a bold mix of Guinness and prosecco. Verdict? Probably not making the cocktail rotation at home, but she earned points for adventurous sipping! I went traditional and had a pint of the classic Guinness, even though our tickets included a free one at the end. When in Dublin!

The Guinness Storehouse is not just a museum – it’s a full-blown experience. Spread across seven levels, it covers everything from the unique brewing process (just four ingredients: water, barley, hops, and yeast) to the brand’s legendary global advertising. Fun facts: the yeast used today is a direct descendant of the 1903 strain, and about 38% of its origin remains a mystery. Also, each batch of Guinness contains 3.4 quadrillion yeast cells. That is some of the science that makes Guinness unique.

In the tasting room, we learned how to properly sip Guinness (yes, there’s a method!) and discovered that despite its deep hue, the beer is actually a dark ruby red, not black. Our final stop was the famous Gravity Bar, perched on the rooftop with panoramic views of Dublin. Even those in our group who weren’t beer fans tried a Guinness sweetened with blackcurrant syrup making it smooth without the roasty flavor.

We could’ve lingered longer, but time wasn’t on our side. We dashed through the Guinness store, flagged a taxi, and hustled back to the hotel to grab our bags. Despite thinking we were ahead of schedule, we ended up being among the last passengers to board our ship. A classic Hammond move – squeezing as much adventure as we can in each day.

We boarded the Azamara Quest, a mid-sized, 10-floor cruise ship that carries just 700 guests. Its size allows it to provide all the amenities you need while being able to dock in more off-the-beaten-path ports, perfect for our upcoming journey to the Faroe Islands and Iceland.

Our first night aboard was a mix of exploring the ship, enjoying a delicious dinner, and toasting the start of this next chapter with cocktails and dancing. With the sea ahead and some of the world’s most dramatic landscapes waiting for us, this trip is just getting started.

Categories: 2025 Family Cruise to Iceland, Uncategorized | Tags: Dublin, family travel, Guiness, Ireland, Travel | Leave a comment

Thursday, July 4, 2024 – Day 6: Our Search for Lavender

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Greg

For most Americans the 4th of July is a day for red, white and blue – but this year it was lavender day for us!

The main purpose of the car we rented yesterday was to explore Provence. After our French morning routine of stopping by a local bakery for coffee/tea/hot chocolate and pastries, we set off to see lavender and a couple of small provincial towns.

Our first stop was the Abbey of Senanque. This beautiful old abbey was stunning – a white stone building set in the middle of lush greenery and fields of lavender. There were lots of tourists, many with interesting driving and parking skills. Unfortunately, we could not tour the abbey since our arrival coincided with their two hour lunch break. Even without seeing the inside of the Abbey we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful scenery and our first glimpse of lavender fields.

We then drove about 15 minutes to the little village of Gordes. This is a beautiful little town on a hill that obviously knows its value to tourists. We enjoyed strolling around, looking in various shops, and having lunch at an Italian restaurant (we noticed Italian food being more prevalent in southern France)

Back in the car on the way to our next stop we drove past a gorgeous lavender field. We quickly pulled over and parked on a side dirt road. We captured the moment for a family photo shoot with no one around besides the passing traffic. It was exactly what we were looking for. Unbelievable!

Our last stop on our road trip was the little village of Roussillon. This town is known for the ochre-colored cliffs it sits on. The cliffs are beautiful and remind me of red rock found in the western U.S.

We then headed back to Avignon. We thoroughly enjoyed our day exploring Provence. It was amazing to see so much within an hour drive of our home base of Avignon.

Due to our unexpected trip to retrieve our travel documents yesterday, Lindsey and I had not yet visited the old walled city of Avignon. After our lavender road trip we went into town to experience the frenzy of the arts festival and see the old medieval city. Karen and Kelsey showed us around and guided us from their exploring the previous day.

Kelsey wanted to see one more site in Avignon, the Pont Saint Benezet. She and I went to see the historic remains of this 12th century bridge that now only goes over a portion of the Rhone river. We squeezed in an audio tour before it closed while Karen and Lindsey enjoyed wine at a cafe while people watching.

Before heading back to the apartment after dinner we stopped to see a street magician. Lucky me, he included me into his act. It was a fun and pleasant way to end a wonderful day in Provence.

#HammondAdventures #LifeonPurpose #FamilyVacation

Categories: 2024 Family Trip in France & Belgium | Tags: Avignon, France, Provence, Travel | Leave a comment

Wednesday, July 3, 2024 – Day 5: Two Paths – Lyon to Avignon, back to Lyon

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Greg

Today’s post needed to be written by Karen Hammond. You will see why in the day’s events.

The morning in Lyon was spent going in two different directions. We decided to divide and conquer. Kelsey & Karen rented bikes and went on a brisk bike ride to see one last sight before leaving Lyon. They rode on a great bike path along the river to the confluence – the point where the Rhône and Shoane Rivers meet. The time available for this trip was tight with just enough time to stop, take some photos of the Museum of the Confluence, and return to the hotel to make the train to Avignon. The museum, being a very contemporary building, anchors a part of Lyon with lots of modern architecture. The museum is controversial since the style contrasts with the gothic architecture throughout Lyon.

While Kelsey & Karen were off on their adventure, Greg & Lindsey enjoyed a more leisurely morning with their favorite iced chai latte and a pastry from a local patisserie. What time was left, they wandered a bit through some shops and picked up madeleines for the next leg of our trip.

Both teams were successful, meeting up at the hotel before quickly whisking off to catch a train for the 90 minute ride to Avignon. Our next stay was an AirBnB apartment just a 10 minute walk from the train station. Despite our lack of French we were able to communicate with the host who was able to show us the spacious apartment with an interesting layout (3 bedrooms, 2 showers, 1 toilet). Travelling further South we noticed a big change in temperature and were happy for the air conditioner that almost cooled the apartment.

Immediately after arriving Greg (THANK GOODNESS!) realized we left our passports in the room safe in Lyon! We decided the best plan would be for Greg to get our rental car early (fortunately we had booked one that was to be picked up later that evening) and drive the 2½ hours back to Lyon to retrieve the passports. Lindsey volunteered to be his copilot, and the two of them set out to learn about driving highways in France. Fortunately it was a relatively easy trip and they were able to retrieve the passports and get back to Avignon before midnight. Greg definitely earned MVP status for this one (Lindsey close runner up for keeping the driver company while updating the radio station frequently).

Meanwhile Kelsey & Karen started to explore Avignon. Our apartment was a 15 minute walk to the old walled city. The first thing we noticed were signs for the “Festival Avignon” and LOTS of people. It turns out we arrived on the first day of a 3 week arts festival. Every surface in the city was covered in posters advertising performances, and at every turn someone walked up to you trying to give you a postcard about a show. We quickly learned that saying “No, merci” let folks know we didn’t speak French. We avoided most pitches except for one performer who insisted we’d love the “no words show about three clowns who wish they were in Scotland.”

Our first stop in the old city was a tour of Palais des Papes (a huge gothic palace that was the home to the Popes in the 14th century). We then walked around the Jardin de Doms, a lovely park that overlooks the city and the Rhone River. Later we went into the city and watched several street performers and had dinner and ice cream in one of the town squares. We walked back to the apartment in time to make a plan for the next day and greeted Greg and Lindsey when thl returned from their “adventure.” Hammond family traveling always seems to include a little “hiccup.” We were glad to get it out of the way toward the beginning of our trip.

#HammondAdventures #LifeonPurpose #FamilyVacation

Categories: 2024 Family Trip in France & Belgium | Tags: Avignon, France, Lyon, Travel | Leave a comment

Sunday, June 30, 2024 – Day 2 in Paris

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Greg

After breakfast at a local cafe, we travelled 30 minutes by train for a day trip to Chateau de Versailles. Although the palace may have started as a chateau, it is much, much larger now. The sheer size of Versailles with it’s 2,300 rooms and manicured gardens over 77 hectacres with 55 fountains and pools was amazing.

My favorite sights from our visit were the Hall of Mirrors and some of the incredible water fountains. As with many experiences in life, our pictures cannot capture the size and vastness of the rooms and gardens.

After a day on our feet, we enjoyed a nice, relaxing dinner. We took the opportunity to try escargot (snails) with our meal. The waiter was very helpful in showing us how to eat them. They were chewy and interesting. It was worth the experience but will not be on my desired food menu. The service, meals, and desserts were excellent at Le Terrasse Ecole Militaire.

Our evening ended with another visit to the Eiffel Tower from a different perspective to see the Olympic rings.

Along our walk we stopped at the Flame of Liberty monument at Place Diana. The replica of the flame held by the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the United States to France in gratitude for the renovation completed by two French craft companies upon the 1986 centennial. The tunnel under this intersection is also infamous for the car accident in 1997 that killed Princess Diana.

#HammondAdventures #LifeonPurpose #Paris2024 #FamilyVacation

Categories: 2024 Family Trip in France & Belgium | Tags: France, Paris, Travel | 1 Comment