As the daughter of a football journalist, Malta meant just one thing to me for a long time. Its tiny capital city Valletta was the place where on a balmy November night in 1989, the Republic of Ireland finally booked a place at the World Cup finals when John Aldridge put two past a dodgy Maltese goalkeeper.
Italia 90 was in our sights and the rest was glorious history.
Other than that, my only other brush with the Mediterranean island was glimpsing it from a very far distance while on holiday in Sicily some 80 kms away. But I'd heard tales of its natural beauty, its growing reputation as a wellness and cultural retreat and its emergence as a gastronomic destination in its own right.
All attributes which tick the right boxes for seasoned travellers or even young families who wish to combine some grown up holiday making with a kids' beach holiday.
So after a dank and cold January and February, it was with pleasant anticipation that I found myself boarding an Aer Lingus flight for Malta in early March. This is a new route for the national airline but one that is evidently already very popular given the number of fellow travellers keen to also escape the gloom at home.
Landing at the island's very manageable main airport, there was an instant uptick in temperature on leaving the terminal.
Malta's compact size makes it easy to navigate and there's a good public transport system between the large tourism hubs.
Renting a car is another popular option but be prepared for some narrow, rickety roads in places.It is also very affordable to take a taxi everywhere. We headed for Saint Julian's, a very pleasant easy-going seaside town about a 15 minute drive from Valletta.
The five-star Marriot overlooks Balluta Bay, a rocky stretch with a small beach and a promenade lined with busy restaurants and bars. The 13-storey hotel has fabulous views out to sea, a rooftop pool and bar and a gorgeous restaurant with a sumptuous view of the old town.
To slake off the winter grime, I immersed myself in the spa which offered an array of treatments, including a jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. If you're feeling more energetic, there's a fitness centre and a squash court.
The rooms in the hotel were generous with a jacuzzi bath and a large terrace, but perhaps the best thing about the hotel was the Marriott's impeccably trained staff for whom nothing was too much trouble. If you're thinking five-star accommodation is out of your budget, the hotel has really good deals in the shoulder seasons when the temperatures aren't so high and the island's many delights are still relatively quiet.
The day after arrival we headed for the Unesco World Heritage city of Valletta, built by the Knights of St John in the 16th century. The fortified Baroque city is as beautiful as I had been told.
Narrow winding streets led us to the magnificent St. John's Co-Cathedral, with its gilded interiors. Witnessing Caravaggio's masterpiece, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, was worth the four-hour flight alone.
The painting is also noteworthy as it was specially painted for the spot where it now hangs, Caravaggio having briefly lived on the island before he was forced to flee on suspicion of murder.
A second painting by him, the beautifully luminescent St Jerome Writing, is housed in a second room all on its own.
Ambling through the narrow streets later, a busker sang Les Champs Élysées helped by two passers by and it felt like instant summer. The feeling continued while sitting in St Georges Square opposite government buildings at a restaurant called 59 Republic. Describing itself as 'casual fine dining' it's the perfect spot for people watching. Mention Malta and people who've been there will invariably recommend a visit to Gozo, its neighbouring northern neighbour. We headed there the following day, just a short fifteen minute ferry ride away.
Sean Connery, Sharon Stone and David Beckham are among the holiday makers who've already discovered this gem but it still feels a little undiscovered.
Hiking, snorkelling and diving are some of the activities that people like to do on this smaller island which operates at a more leisurely pace.
First stop was the almost unpronounceable town of Xaghra in the centre of the island. This is where South African personal therapist Karin Laing found her nirvana in a 765-year-old villa which she transformed into a wellness centre called L'Gharix Temple Retreat.
The centre offers treatments lasting from one hour to a week and includes yoga sessions, sound and energy healing and hypnotherapy. It's an idyllic spot and from here you can wander into the nearby town which has its own baroque church, almost as ornate and splendid as the co-cathedral in Valletta.
Escaping the afternoon sun in the otherwise empty church, its chaplain Father Joseph told me that when he was parish priest of a church in Tottenham, London it was the Irish who were his most frequent 'customers'.
'Now I love to meet the many Irish who are coming to Gozo. They are all welcome,' he added.
Maltese wine is a revelation. There are five wine producers on the island and also a traditional sparkling wine made using the same method as champagne. The domestic demand for these wines is so high that it is hard to source outside the island. There is also a wine festival during the first week of September and by all accounts it is well worth a visit.
The following day and back on Malta, we continued the culinary theme with a visit to Tartarun, one of the island's finest restaurants in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk.
The picturesque village on the south coast appears on many of Malta's tourism posters, thanks to its gorgeous harbour which is home to a colourful fishing fleet.
Listed in the Michelin guide, Tartarun is run by Schiavone family and son James treats diners to a daily changing selection of simply cooked whole fish and other, more modern, imaginative seafood dishes.
Apart from fishermen they support the local baker that provides daily bread for the village and their 150+ bin wine list is renowned locally. On the last day of our four-day mini break, we visited Mdina, the original capital with a commanding view over the entire island and the surrounding scene all the way over to Sicily.
A fortified hilltop medieval town, cars are banned from its centre, hence its moniker of 'the silent city'.
Founded 4,000 years ago, its colourful doors, numerous historical sites, treasures and medieval and baroque architecture take you through different eras of its timeless history.
Like several other sites in Malta, its tiny winding streets and piazzas served as a location for the hit TV series, Game of Thrones.
Xara Palace, a five-star boutique hotel in Mdina, where Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston dined in happier times, is a great choice for food.
On our way to the airport we managed a quick stop at the nearby Dingli Cliffs, a magnificent stretch of 200 metre high cliffs more than two kilometers long. We didn't have time to stay for the famed stunning sunset with breathtaking open sea views but it's definitely a reason to return.
There's something for all in beautiful Malta, from pristine beaches to winding streets, from wellness retreats to archaeological delights, from gourmet food to locally produced wines and all of it accessible and at affordable prices.
I will definitely be back!
GETTING THERE
Flights Aer Lingus operates three flights per week from Dublin to Malta. One-way fares start from €69.99, including taxes and charges for travel until April 30.
For more information on fares and schedules and to book visit aerlingus.com Accommodation Malta Marriott Hotel & Spa Tour operators from Ireland to Malta: Sunway.ie cassidytravel.ie budgettravel.ie All information on the Maltese Islands and things to do is available at visitmalta.com
