Rating of the day: 10/10
Official programs planned for today:
- Yin yoga
- Breakfast
- Valletta day trip
- Charity dinner
- Story night
There were also programs announced for this day, and I arranged these in advance on 2025.05.29. Although there was a request to register for only one program on a day, I booked myself a place for both available programs on this day. One of the programs is free, so buying here was a generous thing on my part. The reason I want to participate in both is that both promise to be very interesting.
The two programs:
Walking Tour
Sponsored by Malta’s Nomad Residence Permit.
Ready to fall in love with Malta’s magical capital? Join us for a free walking tour through Valletta, where every street tells a story and every corner reveals a hidden gem. Together, we’ll explore the city’s rich history, baroque beauty, and secret spots.
The tour will run at 3 times throughout the day, and you’re welcome to choose your preferred time when you register. It’s free to join, but spaces are limited—so make sure to sign up and save your spot.
The cost to use the Barrakka Lift in Valletta is €1.
Additional Information:
- Date: June 11
- Starting times: 11:00, 12:30, 15:30
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Meeting point: Outside the cruise ship at your preferred starting time. Please be on time!
- Price: Free
Malta Island Tour
Sponsored by Malta’s Nomad Residence Permit
Experience some of Malta’s most iconic sights on this 4 hour guided tour. The tour begins with a breathtaking view of the Blue Grotto caves from above, followed by a visit to the nearby village, where an optional boat ride offers a closer look at the glowing sea caverns. Then it’s off to Dingli Cliffs—the highest point on the island—for sweeping views over the Mediterranean. Wander through the quiet, medieval streets of Mdina, Malta’s ancient walled city, before ending the journey with a scenic drive around the historic capital, Valletta.
Optional: For those interested (if weather allows) Grotto boat tour available on-site for an additional €10, paid in cash. A fun extra for those who want to explore the magical sea caves up close!
Please note that to make the most of our time and visit as much as possible, there will not be a scheduled lunch stop during the day. There will, however, be opportunities to buy a quick snack or coffee along the way.
Additional Information:
- Date: June 11
- Starting time: 11:00
- Duration: 4 hours
- Meeting point: Outside the cruise ship
- Price: 65€ (early bird)
Of course, I overslept today too. After breakfast, I started writing and continuing the post about the day in Palermo, when my roommate mentioned that the meeting for the first program had changed to 10:30 instead of 11:00. It was 10:32 at the time, so I rushed off for the first tour. If I want to get off the ship, I have to go through the check-out procedure, which starts with finding the exit. There are several on such a ship, so it is not clear which way to go in the big labyrinth. Luckily, I solved the task, and in the end I was out on land in a relatively short time, and I was not late.
The first tour today was a bus trip. We had two guides who gave a very detailed presentation about the capital, Valletta.
Valletta
Valletta, known in Maltese as Il-Belt (the city), is the capital and one of the local councils of Malta. It is the co-archaeological seat of the Archdiocese of Malta. It has an area of 0.84 km² and a population of 6,315, making it the smallest capital in the European Union in both respects. It was named after its founder, the Johannite Grand Master Jean Parisot de La Valette. Since 1980, the entire city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I learned a lot about this city. It is a very important city from a strategic point of view, its history is built on continuous defense and survival. The two leaders were obviously very proud of their country and its history, because they talked about its history with such passion that it was impossible not to pay attention to them. Well, the majority succeeded in doing so, I think they lost a lot by looking elsewhere.
We visited a small boat bay, where we took a short boat trip for 10 EUR. Six of us sat in a small motorboat and got to see the area from the sea. We went into caves with the boat, saw how clean the sea water was. It was a very enjoyable trip.
The bus stopped at quite a few places, where we could see interesting buildings, hear stories about the place and of course admire the incredible view.
After the bus tour, we had just returned to the city, and the walking city tour had already started. This tour was supported by the Nomad Residence Permit – as I knew in advance – but I only now found out what this means. The head of this organization was waiting for us and presented the opportunity of how easy it is for a digital nomad to work in Malta. We were each given a small canvas shoulder bag with presentation materials, a water bottle, a pen drive, a local chip and Malta’s well-known soft drink. And of course, an inflatable neck support, which is a must-have for every person using an airplane.
After using the famous Barrakka lift, we were ready to continue the day. Our guide here also had very thorough knowledge, and our previous knowledge became even more colorful based on his stories. Overall, I can say that Valletta is one of the most interesting cities I have seen during my travels so far. The military precision and utility on which the city existed, the constant struggle with nature and the conquering forces give the whole city a very exciting characteristic. I would definitely like to come back here at least once.
And I can think about how I would like to live here for a while.
The evening
The evening program began with a storytelling evening. Here, a few selected colleagues shared their own stories with us that served as lessons. They were prepared, and most of the stories touched me. It was an experience to participate in this event.
The day was completely permeated by many conversations. The conversation was about professional and spiritual things. We checked out the white party, which was not a separate party for digital nomads, but was organized for the entire ship. We danced a lot, the atmosphere was very good. That ended at some point, so we occupied the disco, where we were also crazy until closing. At three o’clock we went to the burger place. After we finished there, there was only an hour and a half until sunrise, so a few of us decided not to go to sleep, but to wait for this event.
About thirty of us ended up participating in the spontaneous “event”. We danced and waited with joy to catch a glimpse of the sun. It was a nice experience.
Finally, I went to bed around 6 o’clock. I think we could not have done more for today!