Twixmas in Malta
Ravioli, tiramisu & blue lagoons that make January feel like June
We caught the bug.
27th December 2024 - January 5th 2025, we found ourselves in Málaga. Sea dips on New Year’s Day. Pinchos and paella. Sun on our faces. And twelve grapes at midnight (Spanish tradition, under a table, with a glass of fizz).
Our newly preferred way to spend the Crimbo Limbo.
So we did it again.
Only this time, in Malta!
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Mild winter sunshine with temperatures in the mid-late teens. Cafes and restaurants still buzzing. Blue lagoons daring you in (although it didn’t quite win). And days spent wandering streets lined with butter-yellow buildings, with conversation mostly based around where we’d go for dinner.
Being so close to Italy, a lot of the food carries those familiar Italian influences - you’ll see fresh pasta, seafood, risotto, pizza and tiramisu on every menu, with flavours that feel like a sunny cousin of the mainland.
An abundance of delights that make January feel like June. Here’s what we ate and drank, and what we did and saw - if you ever find yourself tempted by a little Twixmas escape.
Where to stay
We stayed in Sliema at Hotel Verdi. It’s a great base - lively without feeling hectic, easy to get around, and well connected to everywhere you’ll want to go. The hotel itself is modern, good value for money and well-located.
Valletta, the capital, has the most to see and do, and it’s an easy 20 minute bus ride away - all the culture, without staying right in the thick of it.
Head the other way and you’ve got St Julian’s, a coastal town buzzing with bars and restaurants and a more obvious nightlife scene.
To eat & drink
Rampila - a candlelit restaurant set inside a sixteenth-century tunnel beneath Valletta’s walls. Calm and a little magical, with Maltese–Mediterranean food that’s more relaxed than fine dining - just seasonal, local dishes done really well. Think prawn and lobster ravioli, crispy-skinned seabass with romesco sauce, and very good tiramisu.
The Little Cucina - a cosy, authentic little Italian tucked down an unassuming side street, all gingham tablecloths and neighbourhood charm. The kind of place you wish you had round the corner at home. Excellent prawn linguine.
Trabuxu Wine Bar - you’d barely notice it if you walked past. Step inside and it’s like a little speakeasy - flowing small plates, charcuterie boards, good wine, and the sort of place where you could nibble and natter all night long.
Grano - a bustling sandwich bar famous for its ftira - traditional Maltese sourdough flatbread. The traditional filling is tuna, sun-dried tomato paste, olives and peppered cheese. Grab one, perch on a cobbled curb. Perfect fuel for a day of wandering.
Legligin - traditional to the max. Tasting menu only (lunch or dinner), and incredible value for what you get.
Barracuda - right on the seafront in St Julian’s. Family-run, homely, with just enough finesse. We went for a 3-course special menu on New Year’s Eve! Lovely for a long lunch or an unhurried dinner.
The Bridge Bar - Drinks on the steps, candlelights, and live jazz at 8pm on Fridays.
Lou’s Bistrol, Silema - just around the corner from our hotel, ideal for evenings when we didn’t want to venture far. The menu is a little bit of everything - pasta, pizza, Thai, Japanese, American dishes - but done in a nicer bistro style that’s nicer than your average casual spot.
To do & see
Wander the streets of Valletta - Malta’s beautiful capital city! No need for a strict itinerary- you’ll discover charming cafés, buzzing bars, restaurants, balconies, shops and picturesque steps just by wandering. If you want a quick overview, a €5 mini-bus tour lasts about 15 minutes and makes sure you don’t miss any highlights. St. Lucia Street is particularly vibey (where that sandwich shop above is).
This is the place to be on New Year’s Eve - live music, pubs and bars galore and, of course, fireworks at midnight (always a little anticlimactic, but always nice to see).
Take the bus to Mdina - The Silent City - tranquil, teeny population, with narrow, cobbled streets and medieval architecture. Great for a morning wander, then head to the square of indepdent cafes for tea, cakes and antipasti boards.
Boat to Goza & The Blue Lagoon - you”ll see plenty of tourist huts offering packaged day trips - ignore them(!) they were chaos - it’s worth making your own way there instead. More time, no fixed agenda, and the freedom to just wander. An easy day trip if the weather’s on your side.
Visit the Three Cities - Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua. They feel slower and less polished than Valletta - in a good way. Fewer tourists, a much more relaxed feel, beautiful harbours, and those hidden cobbled streets we all love.
Street markets - pop-up markets on Tuesday’s and Sunday’s. Food, drink, clothing, vintage antiques. We didn’t see them all, so this guide might be more useful if you’re a committed market moocher.
Some bugs are worth catching - like a Twixmas sunny escape addiction.
Here’s my guide to Malaga too, if you fancy somewhere new.
A great reminder of the lovely Twixmas we had ❤️
Brilliant piece on how timing can completely reframe a destination. The Twixmas window sounds like a smartmove for avoiding crowds while still getting that Mediterranean warmth. I've found those off-peak travel windows often reveal a place's more genuine side, when locals outnumber tourists and restaurants don't feel like conveyor belts. The Barracuda spot you mentioned for New Year's Eve sounds perfect for that unhurrid vibe.