Valletta way better for quick city break

Why blow a couple of hundred quid at a spa when the same money can buy you a few golden days in Malta’ capital? LUCY WILLIAMSON asks

- LUCY WILLIAMSON

A spa day here can easily set you back €150 before you've even ordered lunch.

So when I found myself sipping coffee in a grand Maltese square after a cheap flight from London, I felt like I'd discovered one of Europe's best-value city breaks.

Malta has long been popular, yet it feels overlooked when people discuss weekend escapes. Conversations usually focus on Lisbon, Barcelona or Rome. Meanwhile, Malta quietly enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year.

I spent three days there on a spontaneous solo trip and realised Malta offers something many destinations do not. It combines a city break, beach break and history lesson in one package.

The island's size is one of its biggest advantages. Most places are close together, and the capital, Valletta, is wonderfully walkable. I stayed in neighbouring Sliema at the Preluna Hotel, where two nights cost around €230. The ferry to Valletta costs just a few euro and delivers you to a city resembling an enormous sandcastle designed by an architect.

Many highlights cost nothing. The Upper Barrakka Gardens offer spectacular Mediterranean views, while the nearby Saluting Battery fires its historic cannons daily at noon and 4pm. Men in period uniforms perform the ceremony, which is far more dramatic than simply checking the time on your phone.