A Total Trip: How a history lover uncovers Malta’s secrets

Jacklynn Botwe has built her adult life around history, art and travel. Her journeys always incorporate a deep dive into the backstories behind the place, which she shares with the thousands of people who follow her. Recently when she found herself looking to learn something new, she headed for Malta.

“It’s a tiny island with a lot to discover,” she says.

Malta boasts some of the world’s most sophisticated prehistoric architecture, and its natural harbors and prime location later attracted the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs and Normans. But the most influential settlers were the Knights of St John, who held power here until Napoleon's arrival at the end of the 18th century.

Jacklynn is open for anything, but wanted to lay out every purchase with intention as she embraced the unexpected. Using Apple Pay gave her peace of mind that wherever Apple Pay was accepted, she could pay securely, even in random spots around the world. Here’s what she spent, as she used Apple Pay for its convenience, security, and acceptance at a wide variety of merchants.

Editor’s note: While some experiences were paid for ahead of time for this piece, such as Jacklynn's  accommodations, every experience listed here has Apple Pay capability on-site. 

Accommodations and modern flavors

No ordinary hotel would suffice for this trip, so she opted to stay in a 500-year-old fortress outside Valletta. The Cugó Gran Macina was originally built in the 16th century; now converted into a luxury boutique stay, it has a rooftop terrace and views over the Grand Harbor. Her room was booked for €322 ($382) per night.

From there it was €3 ($3.50) for the short ride to the heart of the city on a traditional Maltese water taxi, called a dgħajsa. She got her first taste of traditional Maltese cuisine by ordering the catch of the day at PRECA for €22.50 ($27).

Thousands of years back

Once she was settled in, it was time to step back in time in the less-visited southeast of the country. Set on picturesque sea cliffs, the megalithic temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra date to between 3600 and 3200 BCE. These are some of the best preserved and most evocative of Malta's prehistoric sites.

“It’s crazy to think that Cleopatra lived closer to the invention of the iPhone than she did to these structures being built,” she says.

The massive limestone blocks (Ħaġar Qim translates to “standing stones”), some weighing tons, were a place for spiritual rituals. The original stone roofs have long since crumbled; today, permanent canopies protect the stones from the elements. Entrance to the site was €10 ($12).

Fast-forwarding about 3000 years, Jacklynn’s next stop in the timeline was St Paul’s Catacombs, in the central Malta town of Rabat.

“Staircases leading into darkness? So my thing,” she says.

About 1000 tombs are cut into the rock, with narrow walkways, small doorways and low arches creating a labyrinth of ancient passages to explore. Burials here took place over 500 years, starting in the 3rd century CE. Admission was €6 ($7).

One relic in particular grabbed her attention: a carving of a boat etched into the wall, with a story that remains untold.

“The inscription remains a great mystery,” she says. “They don’t even know what language it is.”

The subterranean explorations didn’t stop once Jacklynn left the catacombs: how could she resist dinner in an ancient tunnel? That’s what awaited at L’enoteca, in the heart of Rabat. Hidden beneath the restaurant is an ancient cave, where burrata was served with poached dry figs for €12.50 ($15), and a platter of smoked meats and artisan cheeses was €32.50 ($39).

“This is every history lover’s dream,” she says.

The Middle Ages in Malta

Close to Rabat, the medieval walled city of Mdina is a world apart from modern Malta. It’s a favorite of history-loving day trippers from Valletta because its bastion fortifications – plus the winding alleys and near-absence of modern cars within them – make the city appear much the same as it has for centuries. The shady palaces of aristocratic nobles add to the allure.

“What I really love about this city is the complete and total immersion,” Jacklynn says. “It’s not just one crumbling ruin, it’s an entire city.”

A highlight was Palazzo Falson, which offers a rare glimpse into the private lives of the medieval aristocracy. Walls painted in deep colors, heavy bedroom draperies, a 4000-volume library, corridors of medieval paintings and low-ceilinged kitchens make for sumptuous if claustrophobic quarters – until they give way to a sunny stone courtyard with a fountain.

The palace houses the art and history collection of former owner Olof Gollcher, an artist and philanthropist who died in 1962. Admission was €12.50 ($15); tea on the rooftop terrace was another €2.50 ($3).

Back to Valletta, and to perhaps the most significant historic building in Malta: the Grand Master’s Palace.

The stunning complex once served as the seat of power for the Knights of St John, the order ruled Malta for more than 260 years. The opulence of their citadel is testament to their power and strength. Lavish decor, combined with high marbled hallways and wide staircases, make it easy for a history lover like Jacklynn to imagine the past.

Of particular note are the more than 5000 suits of armor (dating from the 16th to 18th centuries) that still remain in the palace’s extensive arms-and-armory collection, even after looting from Napoleon’s advancing troops.

The Grand Master’s Palace remains the official residence of the Maltese president, but is open to the public. Admission was €12 ($14).

Capping it off

To wrap up the Knights of St John portion of her history tour, Jacklynn headed for the Upper Barrakka Gardens. This shady, colonnaded oasis was designed as a retreat for the Knights, and still over the the best views in Valletta. The Saluting Battery of cannons boom across the water from the terrace below every day (save Sunday) at noon and 4pm.

Altogether Jacklynn spent €1,080 ($1,276) using Apple Pay for access to centuries’ worth of stories, from inexpensive tea on a terrace to splurging on a stay in a fortress.

“But sometimes, experiencing history doesn’t cost a thing,” she says, remembering her last evening looking out over the Mediterranean. “Just imagine how many people have watched this same sunset.”