Living alone, barely leaving the house, and watching the rest of the world get on with their lives like they were in a fast-forward montage. Meanwhile, I was in my flat rewatching Game of Thrones for the second time this year, arguing with myself about whether Daenerys was really that bad. Spoiler: she was, but that’s not the point.
It suddenly hit me…
Is this my life now? Living like a little mole creature with takeaways and mood lighting?
I decided no.
There had to be more to life than reciting Tyrion quotes in my pyjamas.
So I did what any emotionally stable adult having a mild crisis at 11:47pm would do:
I booked a holiday.
Two weeks later, I was lying in Mediterranean sunshine wondering why I ever allowed myself to become a duvet-dwelling goblin in the first place.
Picking a location in a country you know nothing about is basically adult gambling. Google whispered “St Julian’s,” and because it said:
✔ lively
✔ central
✔ budget friendly
…I said, “Okay, Google, you win again.”
By day, St Julian’s is gorgeous—beaches, cafés, soft breezes, the kind of place where you suddenly understand influencers.
By night?
It transforms into Freshers Week: Reloaded.
Sticky floors.
People stumbling around like NPCs with low battery.
Club promoters who deserve Oscars for commitment.
Now, I’m past my “tequila solves everything” era, but watching the chaos at 3 a.m. from the comfort of my hotel chair? That was quality entertainment. And by morning, it’s as if someone pressed the reset button—out come the luxury shoppers like nothing ever happened.
Let’s talk about the food because Malta really said, “Here, have joy… and also calories.”
Malta’s Sicilian influence means pizza is everywhere. Dangerous. Beautiful. Tempting. My top pick was Alice Pizza in St Julian’s. Their mushroom pizza on a white base? Spiritual experience. And the Nutella-stuffed dough? I’ll just say it: that dessert healed something in me therapy couldn’t reach.
Then there’s pastizzi—flaky, buttery pastry pockets of happiness, usually filled with ricotta or curried peas. Shockingly, the curried peas were elite. And peas count as veg, which means it was basically a salad. Don’t argue.
But this trip wasn’t just about eating things wrapped in carbs. No. I had a mission: confront my fear of solo fine dining. If I was going to sit alone at a restaurant, I was going to do it in Michelin-level style.
Fun fact: Malta has 42 Michelin-recommended spots and 7 Michelin-starred restaurants. On an island you can drive across in the time it takes to find parking at Tesco.
First stop: Aki in Valletta, thanks to a follower with immaculate taste.
Romantic lighting? Yes.
Couples everywhere? Absolutely.
Me? A single man seated by the open kitchen like a Victorian child staring into a bakery window.
But watching the chefs work was hypnotic—I forgot I was alone. Until the food arrived and stole my entire soul. Truly unreal. A must-visit.
Next was The Mdina Restaurant in the Silent City. Think stone walls, ivy climbing everywhere, balconies that scream “Shakespearean drama,” and a courtyard that made me want to faint delicately onto a chaise lounge. Another romantic restaurant attended solo—because emotional growth apparently means putting myself in situations that feel like social escape rooms.
The food was great, but the ambience? Stunning.
-Upper Barrakka Gardens
-The Saluting Battery
-St Paul’s Cathedral
-Mdina Silent City
All free…. All beautiful…. All perfect for someone rediscovering that being alone doesn’t have to feel lonely.
I sat on benches, leaned against ancient walls, found rock pools that looked like accidental infinity baths and did alarming amounts of people-watching.
But the highlight?
A catamaran trip to the Blue Lagoon.
Sun, music, ocean breeze, and piña coladas served in hollowed-out pineapples because apparently Malta wants you to live your best tropical-movie life. £55 on Viator. Worth every penny. Arrive early if you want a sunbed—those things disappear faster than happiness during a British winter.
So how much did this therapy session cost me…
-Flights – £237
-Hotel – £350
-Food – £100
-Excursions – £55
-Transport – £15
If you’re judging my food spending… listen, self-discovery is hungry work.
Would I Go Back?
One hundred percent, without hesitation.
Malta gave me sunshine, comfort, carbs, and clarity.
Maybe it hit so hard because I’d been stuck in a slump.
Maybe because it was my first solo trip.
Or maybe because Malta is just that good.
All I know is: I left the island a different person.
And I booked my next trip before my plane even landed back in the UK
Want more ? Check out my 5 day Malta Itinerary
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