La Ragazza Italiana
Le avventure di una studentessa italoamericana in Italia
Malta.
 |  Mediterranean LunchFor lunch I decided to try a penne pasta with chicken, truffle, mushrooms, and tomato. |  Vella's HouseWhile walking through the island of Gozo, I encountered many apartments with "Vella" signs outside. Possible a connection...? |
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 |  Exploring Mdina |  Blue Lagoon DrinksAfter a nice swim in the Blue Lagoon, I found this lovely treat... let's just say it's not pineapple juice in that pineapple. |
 Camino IslandI could not believe the view when our boat tour dropped us off at Camino Island (home to the Blue Lagoon). The water was truly turquoise and aqua. It was a beautiful day and the weather was very warm. |  |  |
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 |  Natural History MuseumOn Sunday (the third day in Malta), I explored the old capital city, Mdina. Chrissy and I walked through Malta's Natural History Museum, toured an exhibition about the knights of Malta, and went inside a few churches. The city is very old-looking, but the architecture is very nice. |  |
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 Entrance to MdinaUpon entering the city of Mdina, there is a very tall gate constructed hundreds of years ago. |  |  |
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 |  Malta WatersMalta water without a single filter or edit. |  Flag of Malta |
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 |  Truffle RisottoDuring the second night in Malta, we ate dinner in Saint Julian's right next to the water. Pictured above is the most amazing, and first, risotto I have ever had. It contained herbs, tomato, garlic, and truffle sauce. |  |
 Blue Lagoon (Camino) |  |  |
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 |  |  Gozo IslandA video of this island boat tour is included at the top of the page! |
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 Caves of Camino |  |  Bus Tour View on Gozo |
 |  Paddle Boat - Camino Caves |  |
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 Island Boat Tour |  |  |
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 |  Traditional Maltese Ravioli |  Valetta Rooftop View |
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The final stop on my 20th birthday trip was the island of Malta. The decision to go to Malta was made after some in-depth family history research. I spent hours figuring out where my mother's surname originated and records lead me to Sicily and Malta. Although Elis Island records listed "Malta" under Italy during the early 1900's, many of the "Vella" immigrants were from Malta. Movement between Sicily and Malta was very common over the course of history because the two are so close, leading me to conclude I likely had Vella ancestors who passed through Malta.
On the sixth day, AKA the morning after my birthday, we woke up early to catch a train to the airport and a flight to Malta. All was smooth and I could tell the island was beautiful as soon as we landed. Our Airbnb was absolutely lovely, located along waters of Saint Julian, and our host recommended all the top places for us to visit during our three-day trip.
Malta
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I did not want to waste any time after arriving to Malta. On the first day, we walked about 20 minutes to Sliema and took the ferry to Valetta where there were shops and restaurants. The ferry ride was very relaxing and gave us a view of the cities. The second day was absolutely my favorite day of the whole trip. From 10 AM to 5:30 PM I took a boat/bus tour through the islands of Camino and Gozo. These islands are breathtaking and the water is more clear than any other I have ever seen. The boat landed on the Island of Gozo, where the bus tour began, and I explored the local villages. Everywhere, the name "Vella" was written on monuments and apartments. (Good sign!). I took a boat tour through the caves, explored a few shops, and took some great photos you will see below. Moving on to Camino Island, this is where I swam in the Blue Lagoon. Yes, I actually went swimming... and it was amazing. The water is bright turquoise and you can feel the little fish swimming around. After the tour, the ferry ride back allowed for the perfect view of the sunset. My day concluded with a delicious Maltese dinner from NAAR, a restaurant overlooking the water in Saint Julians. The truffle risotto with mushrooms and herbs and toasted cheesy bread were to die for.
On Sunday, the last full day in Malta, Chrissy and I ventured to Mdina. I use the word venture because of the hours it took Chrissy and I to figure out how to use the Maltese bus system, get off at the wrong stop, and then walk through a desert of cacti. Eventually, we made it there and learned about the history of Malta at the various museums and cultural exhibitions. The architecture of the city was very old and traditional, considering it was the capital, and made for some artsy photos shown below. Dinner on the third night was delicious, as well. I ate the best Mediterranean chicken wrap with feta, parmesan, chicken, and onions inside a crispy, toasted pita.
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As I write this blurb, the final morning just before leaving Malta, I must admit that I am not looking forward to concluding my vacation. The blue waters, warm weather, and traditional-feel of Malta will surely be missed and I hope to come back, again, to swim in the Blue Lagoon. Certainly, traveling through Malta was my favorite part of my 20th birthday trip and study abroad.