Please sign in to post.

Larnaca or Bourgas or Malta??

So, I have a rather long visit to Budapest planned for the last week of July and the first two and a half weeks of August and I was looking for a side trip. Wizz Air has always been able to solve this. I don't want to take more than 2 or 3 nights and my choices are:

Larnaca for beach time and debauchery : $250 RT 4pm arrival, 4pm departure - 3 hours - room $120/night for a very nice three star (new for me and interesting that the few hotels i checked were adult only?)

Bourgas for, well, beach time and debauchery: $200 RT 11am arrival, 11am departure - 1.5 hours - room $110/night for a 5 star or about $85 for a four star (been here before, very good for the intended purpose)

Malta for ...... sightseeing I guess ....: $140 RT 6pm arrival, 10am departure - 2.5 hours - room closer to $200/night (new for me)

Suggestions

Posted by
763 posts

I haven't been to Larnaca or Bourgas but for my money, it's Malta. We came back from a week there a couple of weeks ago, and wished we had booked more. You'd have a lot to pack in in 2 days, but by all means include St. John's Co-Cathedral which is closed Saturday afternoon, if that affects your schedule. We spent a few hours at The National War Museum, which is very well done and an easy walk from the ferry. Malta took a beating during World War II (it was bombed more heavily than London during the blitz), and the museum combines the military aspect with the impact of life on the local people quite well. The Lascaris War Rooms, where Eisenhower made his plans for the invasion of Sicily, are also a quite good place to spend an hour or two. There are bomb shelters throughout the city; a visit to one brings home what the people of Valletta endured during wartime. Even if you're not an archeology fan, try to get tickets for the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum -- 3 flights down carved into limestone over 6000 years ago. Beautiful and mysterious, visits with guided tours only. But if you're interested, get on it immediately. We were there in early May and it was booked through July at the time. (Sometimes, there are a few same day tickets available, though.) The Tarxien Temples, a short walk away, is a complex of four megalithic structures dating to 3500 BC. Combining the treasures from both is the National Museum of Archaeology, located right on Valletta's main drag. Fascinating stuff in a beautiful building. If you're a classical music fan, you might be interested in the Manoel Theatre, one of Europe's most beautiful and acoustically amazing. Be prepared to walk the hills; Valletta is on par with Lisbon and Porto. To save time, download the Cool app (it's their Uber). If you decide to go and want a few restaurant recommendations, PM me. There are some real gems and the prices are very reasonable.