TRAVEL & LEISURE

It is a fortified city in the Northern Region of Malta which served as the island's capital from antiquity to the mediaeval period It is also known as the Silent City This name was originally coined when the capital city was moved out of Mdina and into what is modern day Vittoriosa. This movement left Mdina so uninhabited that people started to consider it to be like a ghost town, and the silent city nickname was born.

Far from silent now, Mdina is bustling with tourists at any time of the year. Taking the quaint carriage ride through its winding streets, with a driver/guide providing a running narrative on the history is definitely the way to start exploring this town Following the carriage tour, Mdina is a very walkable place and it is a pleasure to explore by foot. From the Mdina Glass shop to a varied selection of other gift/souvenir shops, finding that perfect take home gift is very easy A break at Fontanella Tea Garden, with its panoramic view of the countryside and sea, is the perfect spot to recharge and begin exploring again.

Having cancelled the trip to Catania, Sicily in February due to Storm Helios, the trip was rebooked in early March for Jackie and I. I opted for the Ryanair flight instead of Air Malta due to the preference of their flight times. Going forward though, I would definitely try the ferry crossing to Catania. This was recommended by several people during our trip, so I’m definitely giving that a try next time

Catania was just a long-weekend jaunt (Thursday to Monday) so we had a lot to do in a short time Arriving in the rain, things didn’t go as planned. While the sun did come out the next day (and for the rest of our time there) Jackie was a little under the weather for the first couple days. I was happy to explore on my own while she recovered. Luckily our accommodation was excellent and included a little kitchenette, so she could rest comfortably and make suitable food for her ailing tummy.

When Jackie was feeling up to it, we began our tour of Catania We took a bus tour, accessible from the square, a block from our accommodation, and travelled north along the coast The tour took a couple of hours and allowed for brief stops for pictures. This gave us a chance to get oriented to where Catania was in Sicily and was a good value for the cost.

The next day, we had a Mt. Etna and tasting tour scheduled through EtnaTribe Tours. Mount Etna, or simply Etna, is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, in the Metropolitan City of Catania. Our guide, Francesco, was very knowledgeable about the area and the volcano Cont’d on page 26