Thursday, 15 December 2011

Malta's historical monuments and tourist attractions

When I spent some time in Malta, where I stayed at the Corinthia Palace Hotel (details in my other blog for all those who are interested) I decided to take advantage of the very cultural country I was in and soak up some of the history.


My first destination was Imdina, also referred to as the silent city. The sheer magnificence of the classic architecture that the buildings in this city displayed was breathtaking. It was such a marvellous sight to see, and the dramatic history that the island's old capital had seen was amazing. It shook me to my core, the pure courage and determination that the population of this small island had shown to remain strong in the face of a siege against an enemy with an army more than ten times as vast in numbers than that of their own. The trip to this great and historical city left me very impressed and glad that I had made the effort to learn about such an enriched culture.

Second on my list was Valletta, the current capital city of Malta, known also for its historical buildings and landmarks. In this city I also found many architectural buildings which left me astonished at, not only how rich Malta's culture was but also how many beautiful historical monuments and treasures they had acquired over the years of their history. Such buildings included:

St John's Co-Cathedral which had been home to the knights in the time of the grandmaster La Vallette.









Fort St.Elmo which had great significance in the siege that I had learned a lot about in my visit to Imdina.









Also not to forget is the Grandmasters Palace which was one my favourites as the interior design was astonishing.


The Grandmasters palace from the outside. (on the right)











Lastly I decided I would spice things up by trying out Malta's night life in Paceville. I was told that it was one of the most lively places in Europe. It was very inviting at first, but as morning dawned I found myself feeling like I wasn't very welcomed in this town of frivolity and partying, but then again I've never been one for the busy night life. At least once again the sight was very pleasing and very easy on the eyes, all clubs lit up and looking as inviting as possible and I'm sure anyone who is more into these type of hobbies would probably find Paceville right up their alley.

All in all I found Malta to be a very enlightening country full of rich exciting things, especially it's culture. It is a definite must visit. On the right is a video of some of the same and more attractions in case I have not succeeded in verifying the true brilliance of this island.

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

My experience of the Corinthia Palace hotel


When I went on holiday, to get away from all my troubles in the busy city life of Scotland; I decided to spend it in Malta. I had been referred to a hotel called the Corinthia Palace Hotel by a friend who said it would make my holiday all the more worthwhile having. Spending a few nights in this very luxurious and mind numbingly relaxing hotel made me realise that this hotel deserves all 5 of its stars and that is why I am taking the opportunity and time to add a few nice and informative words about this magnificent hotel.

First of all as soon as I entered I was amazed at the architecture alone of this truly remarkable hotel, you can realise the great detail and attention that has gone into this hotel, making it a great commodity to the Maltese tourist industry. Although it may not definitely be one of Malta's busiest hotels, you can be sure that its satisfactory percentage is much higher than that of most of the other hotels on the whole of the island as its aim is individual and complete customer satisfaction and it showed as my every need was catered for when required.

Everything comes into account when you are planning the perfect holiday and that is why I believe that this hotel deserves all merits as it is equipped with all the necessities for just such a holiday. The Corinthia Palace hotel has its own athenaeum spa which is renowned for its variety of treatments all done with the use of pure natural oils which completely enhanced the relaxation treatments that I had chosen. It all felt like a little part of heaven.

Other than its spa it is also renowned for its cuisine and the atmosphere in which one dines when visiting any of its also renowned restaurants and if you don't feel like all the hassle of dressing up for a fancy dinner their is also other smaller, more casual restaurant/cafes in which one can dine more casually. I personally went for the more elegant styled restaurant as I wished to celebrate my holiday in style, and I was not disappointed. I had a four course meal starting with a complimentary appetiser from the chef himself, a mature cheese wrapped delicately in a slice of prosciutto and covered in a creamy mushroom sauce, it was followed by a creamy tomato soup, turkey breast in a chestnut sauce and finally a chocolate mousse cake covered in white whipped cream and hot melted chocolate sauce to top the night off. The detail that was in every dish's presentation and taste was divine and is also definitely worthy of its 5 star rating.

Also it has many other attractions including: its heavenly landscaped gardens, the presidential palace just 2 minutes away from the hotel, indoor and outdoor pools and also many, but not limited to, summer based water activities which can be booked at the main desk in the reception. I, personally, mainly relaxed in the indoor pools, jacuzzi and spa as they were the quietest and most suited to my tastes.

Lastly, which cannot be forgotten is the staff who are polite, helpful and very hospitable. They made my stay even more magical. This hotel has the complete package to enjoy your holiday to the fullest and I can honestly say I did enjoy mine. If you require more convincing their is the video, on the left, giving you a full layout of the hotel. Also you should not hesitate to enquire by phoning their own manager, Mr Italico Rota on 21 44 03 01, who is very helpful and can assist you with any query, or you can simply visit their site: http://www.corinthia.com/en/Malta_PalaceHotelandSpa/home/

This hotel was the perfect remedy me, when I just needed a break away from all the stress of work. It is a memory of a lifetime and definitely not one to be missed. I hope this blog interests others as visiting this hotel will definitely not be a mistake.

Below are some more pictures of this exquisite hotel.