Rings of Saturn Blog

Back in 2024, I was still working at my previous job. There was a sudden change in the workflow and within weeks things became really terrible and unbearable for my team. We ended up working more than before for, actually, less money than before! 🤨

There was a lot of resentment, but nothing we could have done to prevent the changes. Inevitably, stress and tension started building up and we were all overworked. Burned out and in desperate need of a mental break, I went on a travel spree, covering three destinations that summer – Ireland in July, Malta in August, and London in early September! 🌍

After Ireland, I decided that next I wanted to go lying on a beach somewhere! Bulgaria itself has a coastline, which I have visited many, many times, so I wanted someplace new to me. I wondered for a while and researched my options and, in the end, I decided to visit another islind – Malta!

For my temporary home, I chose an apartment in St. Paul’s Bay. It fit my budget and it was close to a beach. The city itself is very lively with many restaurants, shops, water parks, nightclubs, and pedestrian walkways by the sea.

Now, I mostly went there to lie on a beach and just recharge my batteries. However, I’m not capable of staying motionless for too long, so I did some sightseeing, as well. Below I’ve shared the few places that I visited during my stay in Malta! 🤎

Malta National Aquarium

I noticed that Malta National Aquarium was 20-30 minutes walking from my apartment, so on my second day I decided to visit the beach during the day and then the aquarium in the late afternoon.

I absolutely love marine life! There are so many fascinating creatures, some of which look as though they are extraterrestrial! So this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss!

The facility itself isn’t super big, but there’s still a lot to see. There’s also a terrarium section, along with the marine animals. You could spend the late afternoon gazing at beautiful sea creatures and amphibians, then visit the giftshop for some souveniers, and finish at the restaurant for a nice dinner (it’s best to reserve a table in advance).

Below you’ll find some of the photos I took there.

Valletta

Another place I couldn’t miss visiting was Malta’s capital Valletta. A beautiful small city that offers many opportunities for walks and entertainment in a 1-day trip.

There are pedestrian paths by the seashore, many panoramic spots, perfect for taking photos, many opportunities for a day on the beach, many restaurants, cafés, nightclubs, and entertainment facilities.

I walked along Mediterrenean Street, visiting Wuestenwinds beach for a stroll and photos before continuing to Lower Barrakka Park.

Then I had lunch at a nice restaurant and continued exploring the beautiful city and, of course, the gift shops.

I couldn’t help but notice one thing, though – the surprisingly large population of pigeons in Valletta. They were especially concentrated in the city center and at the restaurants. I mean, they were literally walking around on the tables or landing on the chairs beside me, staring right at me as if to hypnotize me to give them my food. That was quite the experience. 😂

I mean, pigeons in Bulgaria are pretty annoying, too, but Maltese pigeons were something else. 😂

Mdina + Rabat

My sixth day in Malta was my third sightseeing adventure. This time I went to the historical cities Mdina and Rabat.

Mdina was once the capital of Malta and it’s a small fortified city. There are many sites within it, such as museums and cathedrals. There are also many restaurants, cafés, and hotels.

I began with the Mdina Dungeons Museum where one can learn a lot about Malta’s dark history of crime and punishment. There are many mannequins representing different ways and means in which people were tortured and punished through the years. It’s not way too realistic, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart.

After that interesting experience I walked around exploring the fascinating city.

Eventually I found myself at Malta’s National Museum of Natural History, where one can learn about the local biodiversity and palaeontological heritage. “The current repository houses more than 10,000 mineral and geological items, 12,000 specimens of birds and mammals, and collections of hundreds of thousands of molluscs, insects, and fossils”. [x]

After the museum, I had lunch at a lovely restaurant and continued towards Rabat and St. Paul’s Catacombs. “Serving as a burial ground from Punic, Roman and Byzantine times the St Paul’s Catacombs represent the earliest and largest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta”. [x]

This was the first time I ever visited catacombs. It was an interesting experience seeing all those deep tunnels, seperated into open “rooms” and knowing that dead people were laid there. Of course, there are no bodies now, but just imagining walking about with hundreds of dead people around you sounds quite creepy.

Yeah, I know, that’s what cemeteries are for, but there’s a difference between dead people buried beneath you and dead people lying beside you just wrapped in a piece of cloth. 😬

Anyway, those are the places that I visited in Malta, other than the beach. I really needed this kind of break to recharge my batteries and think about my future possibilities. I wouldn’t say it was exactly there when I decided it was time to quit my job and pursue my dreams, but lying on a beach in total relaxation definitely helped with the thinking proccess.

For even more photos and videos you can follow me on Instagram 🤎

Till the next time!

Lina Dimitrova

09/03/26

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Part 1: Visiting Ireland | Part 2: Visiting Malta |