August 9, 2024 • 8 mins
"It’s one of the most southerly European nations – so far south that it’s parallel with Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria. Malta has long been on my bucket-list and this relatively under-the-radar destination offers not only good-value for visitors, but it exudes astonishing scenery and historic treasures. I recently jaunted to Malta with Insight Vacations, who offer a fabulous introductory guided tour, spilling forth with Malta’s greatest hits."
Read Mike's full article here.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks B.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Mike Hardley is our travel correspondent. He's with us this morning.
Hey Mike, good morning Jack.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Just plane spotting qualifiers in Olympic Sports.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well, have you seen the breakdancing this morning?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I've seen a bit of it. It's extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Yeah, I'm I'm not just I'm not disputing that they're
really talented, but I'm also convinced about the breakdancing just yet.
And I wonder if breakdancing is a sport then, hey,
plane spotting in years to come? Gaming? You know why not?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
You know?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, I've been watching a Singapore Lines plane which it's
been circling around christ Church for the last two hours.
Can you imagine how mind coming that must be for
the passengers? Yeah, they must have I know, they must
have a lot of fuel on board. There's been major
fol problems. That's quite a cheap so right, desperate to
(01:07):
get this plane in And I mean obviously ultimately they'd
have to pull the pin and go to walkland if
the folds clear.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
But yeah, oh that's frustrating. Can they Lenda Wellington? Those
big jumbos this plane can't not too big, right. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
It's currently the most watched flight in the world on
flight Radar twenty four, so I'm not the only.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Trade Okay, yeah, very good. Ah, look the plane's botting.
Nerds unite great well. Speaking speaking of dramatic trips and experiences,
this morning, you are venturing to Valletta, right, that's how
we say Valletta in Malta. Yeah, and so along with
the capital city, I mean, Malta is one of the
most fortified countries in the world.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Right, astonishing You would not want to take them on, Jack.
There are just fortifications everywhere. They garbed cities, coastlines, harbors.
It's the most striking first impression of my when you
go there and those structures they have been successively built
and rebuilt over three thousand years, and I think it
(02:17):
all serves as a reminder that one strategic position in
the med has been such a coveted target for so
many powers over the centrix. But you do feel like
you're walking into a movie set in Malta.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, yeah, what is so distinctive about the letter.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
It is such a jewel of a city, Jack, And
I think it's once again the location because it sort
of is perched on top of this very narrow peninsula
above what they call the Grand Harbor. It's the deepest
natural harbor in the Mediterranean. It's been in use since
the Phoenetian era, and the city itself has been so
(02:54):
beautifully preserved. So you wander these cobbled streets, and the
sweet reward at the end of virtually every street is
a soul flipping view of the sea. You've got that
sapphire blue of the med contrasting with the golden butterscotch
of the city's limestone buildings. It really is amazing. And
the city has got a grid street pastern of these
(03:16):
elegant tanhouses. Best of all, architecturally, the money shot are
the Maltese balconies. There are thousands of them, and they've
all been fully enclosed, brightly painted wooden balconies with glass windows,
and they jut off the side of every floor of
every townhouse. And the letters so that will fill your
(03:36):
gram Oh awesome.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
So tell us about Fort Saint Elmo.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yes, Now, this fort played a huge role in the
defeats of the Ottomans when they tried to conquer Malta.
So the Knights of Saint John, they said, the Ottomans packing.
But the National War Museum is at Fort Saint Elmo's
today and it does such a good job of whizzing
you through Malta's battle history. The funny thing about the
Knights is they became very corrupt and fell out of
(04:02):
public favor. So Napoleon Bonaparte, God bless them, sniffed an
opportunity and seized control of Malta for a while. But
then his troops started looting the treasures from the churches,
So the locals appealed to the British for help, and
the Brits sent to the French packing. So there's been
this just incredible sequence of conquest on Malta. Best of all,
(04:26):
they played a huge role as the Mediterranean base for
the Allies during World War II, and it's that aspect
of their history that is brilliantly showcased at the museum.
That even got President Roosevelt's jeep at the museum in
the letter. So yes, some really cool stuff to check out.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Very good. Yeah, that's quirky. What draws the crowds to
Saint John's Cathedral?
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Well, this is a very showing treasure and it's the
final resting place for hundreds of nights of Saint John.
They're all laid to rest beneath the marble slabs of
the floor. But every pillar, jack, every rib of that
church is just encrusted with gold. It's ridiculous. The biggest
draw of all Cardivaggio's only signed painting, his dramatic masterpiece,
(05:15):
The Beheading of John the Baptist. It's the largest of
all of his paintings. And the amazing thing is it
hangs inside the church, above the very spot where the
artist himself was stripped of his knighthood after he decked
a higher ranked night. Apparently Count of Vaggio was as
mad as a cut snake. But yeah, all over the letter,
(05:38):
the place just is drenched with history.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah, oh that is amazing. So that's not food, our
favorite subject, always the cafe scene and street food. What's
it like?
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yeah, well, on the go, I would be sure to
get your teeth into fitterra. It's what the locals bingon.
Faterra is this flattened sourdough bread, typically stuffed with tomato paste, tuna, caper's, onion, olives,
and peppered goat cheese. And they will just munch those
all over the city really good. I'm a walkover for
(06:11):
old school coffee shops. And there is this amazing cafe
called Cordina in Valeta. It's been going for about two
hundred years. They are toasted for terras are really good,
by the way. But if you want some sweet treats,
go to Cafe Cordina for their date frisses. So these
are deep fried wine based dough filled with sweet dates,
(06:32):
very sort of Arabic sweet dates, and then served with
ice cream. They are so good. But beast of all
Jack at Cafe Cordina a slice of Diplomatica. It's a
rum soap sponge with marsipan and hazelnut cream housed between
layers of puff pastry and the top of with icing sugar.
Thank me for that later.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Oh yeah, that sounds incredible. And what about the signature dishes?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yes, three very quick mentions. Maltese blistered octopus. Now they
take the octopus and they cook it in garlic with
a tomato, olive and can composition. Babulous for the intrepid
rabbit stew is the national dish of Malta, and hot
on the heels of that traditional horse meat stew and
(07:18):
a red wine and time gravy.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Jack.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I have a confession. I thought I was notching on
the rabbit. It turned out to be the horse too,
but it was admittedly really delicious that time gravy. Yeah,
so good.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah, okay, you didn't even I don't think I've eaten horse,
so I don't know what I have it. I shouldn't
eating rabbit a few times, but yeah, horse, yeah, I
mean why not you know?
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Yeah, well that's it. I mean I didn't know I
was having horse, but the horse was good.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Yeah, very good. Well, yeah, horse probably isn't saying that.
I mean, it's so small a I think of Malta's
being just like really good, Like could you could a
keen half marathon a kind of run around the whole island?
Is it that vibe or is it? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:04):
That's right. And they haven't registered a metal Telly at
Paris unfortunately not yet.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Yeah right, okay, all right, very good. It sounds like
an amazing spot. I'm really envious. I would absolutely love
to visit Malta. So maybe one day, maybe one day
if they can get any planes back in. Yeah, very good,
we will catch it, so bike, thank you very much
Mike Yardley, our travel correspondent, all of his tips for
feasting your way from exploring your way through Malta and
Valletta will be up on the news Talks he'd be website,
(08:31):
News Talks, heedb dot co dot NZ Forward Slash Jack
is the best place to go for everything that we
talk about on our show. Before Middaytaday, we're going to
play some new music, the second album from Australian musician
Tones and I Plus we will have you book picks
for this weekend. Next up, Jason Pine is here ahead
of a massive weekend sport
Speaker 1 (08:51):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, Listen live
to news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks B.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Mike Hardley is our travel correspondent. He's with us this morning.
Hey Mike, good morning Jack.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Just plane spotting qualifiers in Olympic Sports.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well, have you seen the breakdancing this morning?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I've seen a bit of it. It's extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Yeah, I'm I'm not just I'm not disputing that they're
really talented, but I'm also convinced about the breakdancing just yet.
And I wonder if breakdancing is a sport then, hey,
plane spotting in years to come? Gaming? You know why not?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
You know?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, I've been watching a Singapore Lines plane which it's
been circling around christ Church for the last two hours.
Can you imagine how mind coming that must be for
the passengers? Yeah, they must have I know, they must
have a lot of fuel on board. There's been major
fol problems. That's quite a cheap so right, desperate to
(01:07):
get this plane in And I mean obviously ultimately they'd
have to pull the pin and go to walkland if
the folds clear.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
But yeah, oh that's frustrating. Can they Lenda Wellington? Those
big jumbos this plane can't not too big, right. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
It's currently the most watched flight in the world on
flight Radar twenty four, so I'm not the only.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Trade Okay, yeah, very good. Ah, look the plane's botting.
Nerds unite great well. Speaking speaking of dramatic trips and experiences,
this morning, you are venturing to Valletta, right, that's how
we say Valletta in Malta. Yeah, and so along with
the capital city, I mean, Malta is one of the
most fortified countries in the world.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Right, astonishing You would not want to take them on, Jack.
There are just fortifications everywhere. They garbed cities, coastlines, harbors.
It's the most striking first impression of my when you
go there and those structures they have been successively built
and rebuilt over three thousand years, and I think it
(02:17):
all serves as a reminder that one strategic position in
the med has been such a coveted target for so
many powers over the centrix. But you do feel like
you're walking into a movie set in Malta.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, yeah, what is so distinctive about the letter.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
It is such a jewel of a city, Jack, And
I think it's once again the location because it sort
of is perched on top of this very narrow peninsula
above what they call the Grand Harbor. It's the deepest
natural harbor in the Mediterranean. It's been in use since
the Phoenetian era, and the city itself has been so
(02:54):
beautifully preserved. So you wander these cobbled streets, and the
sweet reward at the end of virtually every street is
a soul flipping view of the sea. You've got that
sapphire blue of the med contrasting with the golden butterscotch
of the city's limestone buildings. It really is amazing. And
the city has got a grid street pastern of these
(03:16):
elegant tanhouses. Best of all, architecturally, the money shot are
the Maltese balconies. There are thousands of them, and they've
all been fully enclosed, brightly painted wooden balconies with glass windows,
and they jut off the side of every floor of
every townhouse. And the letters so that will fill your
(03:36):
gram Oh awesome.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
So tell us about Fort Saint Elmo.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yes, Now, this fort played a huge role in the
defeats of the Ottomans when they tried to conquer Malta.
So the Knights of Saint John, they said, the Ottomans packing.
But the National War Museum is at Fort Saint Elmo's
today and it does such a good job of whizzing
you through Malta's battle history. The funny thing about the
Knights is they became very corrupt and fell out of
(04:02):
public favor. So Napoleon Bonaparte, God bless them, sniffed an
opportunity and seized control of Malta for a while. But
then his troops started looting the treasures from the churches,
So the locals appealed to the British for help, and
the Brits sent to the French packing. So there's been
this just incredible sequence of conquest on Malta. Best of all,
(04:26):
they played a huge role as the Mediterranean base for
the Allies during World War II, and it's that aspect
of their history that is brilliantly showcased at the museum.
That even got President Roosevelt's jeep at the museum in
the letter. So yes, some really cool stuff to check out.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Very good. Yeah, that's quirky. What draws the crowds to
Saint John's Cathedral?
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Well, this is a very showing treasure and it's the
final resting place for hundreds of nights of Saint John.
They're all laid to rest beneath the marble slabs of
the floor. But every pillar, jack, every rib of that
church is just encrusted with gold. It's ridiculous. The biggest
draw of all Cardivaggio's only signed painting, his dramatic masterpiece,
(05:15):
The Beheading of John the Baptist. It's the largest of
all of his paintings. And the amazing thing is it
hangs inside the church, above the very spot where the
artist himself was stripped of his knighthood after he decked
a higher ranked night. Apparently Count of Vaggio was as
mad as a cut snake. But yeah, all over the letter,
(05:38):
the place just is drenched with history.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah, oh that is amazing. So that's not food, our
favorite subject, always the cafe scene and street food. What's
it like?
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yeah, well, on the go, I would be sure to
get your teeth into fitterra. It's what the locals bingon.
Faterra is this flattened sourdough bread, typically stuffed with tomato paste, tuna, caper's, onion, olives,
and peppered goat cheese. And they will just munch those
all over the city really good. I'm a walkover for
(06:11):
old school coffee shops. And there is this amazing cafe
called Cordina in Valeta. It's been going for about two
hundred years. They are toasted for terras are really good,
by the way. But if you want some sweet treats,
go to Cafe Cordina for their date frisses. So these
are deep fried wine based dough filled with sweet dates,
(06:32):
very sort of Arabic sweet dates, and then served with
ice cream. They are so good. But beast of all
Jack at Cafe Cordina a slice of Diplomatica. It's a
rum soap sponge with marsipan and hazelnut cream housed between
layers of puff pastry and the top of with icing sugar.
Thank me for that later.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Oh yeah, that sounds incredible. And what about the signature dishes?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yes, three very quick mentions. Maltese blistered octopus. Now they
take the octopus and they cook it in garlic with
a tomato, olive and can composition. Babulous for the intrepid
rabbit stew is the national dish of Malta, and hot
on the heels of that traditional horse meat stew and
(07:18):
a red wine and time gravy.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Jack.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I have a confession. I thought I was notching on
the rabbit. It turned out to be the horse too,
but it was admittedly really delicious that time gravy. Yeah,
so good.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah, okay, you didn't even I don't think I've eaten horse,
so I don't know what I have it. I shouldn't
eating rabbit a few times, but yeah, horse, yeah, I
mean why not you know?
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Yeah, well that's it. I mean I didn't know I
was having horse, but the horse was good.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Yeah, very good. Well, yeah, horse probably isn't saying that.
I mean, it's so small a I think of Malta's
being just like really good, Like could you could a
keen half marathon a kind of run around the whole island?
Is it that vibe or is it? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:04):
That's right. And they haven't registered a metal Telly at
Paris unfortunately not yet.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Yeah right, okay, all right, very good. It sounds like
an amazing spot. I'm really envious. I would absolutely love
to visit Malta. So maybe one day, maybe one day
if they can get any planes back in. Yeah, very good,
we will catch it, so bike, thank you very much
Mike Yardley, our travel correspondent, all of his tips for
feasting your way from exploring your way through Malta and
Valletta will be up on the news Talks he'd be website,
(08:31):
News Talks, heedb dot co dot NZ Forward Slash Jack
is the best place to go for everything that we
talk about on our show. Before Middaytaday, we're going to
play some new music, the second album from Australian musician
Tones and I Plus we will have you book picks
for this weekend. Next up, Jason Pine is here ahead
of a massive weekend sport
Speaker 1 (08:51):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, Listen live
to news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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