For all its joys, traveling can take a toll on body and mind. Long flights, poor sleep, and unfamiliar surroundings often discombobulate even the savviest travelers. Enter the Mediterranean archipelago of Malta, which offers serenity and recuperation the second your feet touch down.
Revitalizing destinations like this are what the new content hub GoddesseyTravels can help you uncover, meaning you can book your next trip knowing you’ll have the energy to enjoy it. Finding places to unwind and reset is part of parent company TravelerStretch’s wellness mission. TravelerStretch provides practical health and stress-relief support for the physical, mental, and spiritual wear of travel—ensuring you arrive fully present, restored, and ready to immerse yourself in the journey.
In a place like Malta, you’ll want to ensure you make the most of it. Beyond crystal-clear waters, secluded bays, and skin-warming rays (which shine roughly 300 days a year), these islands have an ethereal aura that invites relaxation.
Discovered in the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, an underground burial and temple complex in Paola, Malta, the Sleeping Lady is Malta’s ancient mother goddess, a 5,000-year-old figurine that’s emblematic of the country. The sculpture, now displayed at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, depicts a woman lying peacefully on her side, representing renewal, regeneration, and peaceful rest. Long a place of deep contemplation steeped in mythology and ancient history, Malta is also where the nymph Calypso kept Odysseus for seven years in the Odyssey.
Arriving at this slice of tranquility is easy and another reason to choose it for a restorative journey. Delta Air Lines operates seasonal nonstop flights from JFK between early June and late October. Or enjoy the attentive hospitality and award-winning cuisine on board Turkish Airlines on a route that includes a full-day stopover in Istanbul.
Stay at Mulberries Wellbeing Château
The leafy courtyard of Mulberries Wellbeing Château
Courtesy of TravelerStretch
After a day of travel, visitors can decompress in historic accommodations at Mulberries Wellbeing Château, a sustainably created wellness sanctuary in a reimagined former farmhouse. Owners Jesabel and Aaron Abela personally welcome guests into a garden flush with native vegetables, herbs, and active beehives, before encouraging a session in the indoor whirlpool, pool, and steam room. Meditation and yoga replenish weary limbs in a serene grotto, tucked away from the concerns of the outside world.
Beyond Mulberries’ carefully reconstructed walls, Malta’s deep history and natural beauty await, offering opportunities to connect with nature and meditate among the surroundings.
Tour the ancient temples of Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, and Ġgantija
One of the Mnajdra temples
Courtesy of VisitMalta
On Malta proper, the ancient temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, among the world’s oldest free-standing stone structures, are places of worship erected millennia ago. Tours of these more than 5,500-year-old sites combine detailed history with moments of reflection and poetry, guiding visitors on an immersive passage into Neolithic ritual life.
Malta’s prominent place in the ancient world means spiritual locations like these are common throughout the islands. In Gozo, the Neolithic temples of Ġgantija and their towering limestone walls predate Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza. Legend has it that these temples were constructed by a giant woman (ġgantija means “giantess”), part of Malta’s longstanding reverence for the divine feminine.
Explore the landscapes of Gozo and Malta
The sea salt beds at Xwejni
Courtesy of TravelerStretch
Getting to Gozo is simple thanks to the inter-island “fast ferry,” which departs from the waterfront below Valletta’s Upper Barrakka Gardens. Once you reach Malta’s smaller isle, you’ll find insights into the country’s history.
A visit to the Xwejni salt pans on the island’s northern coastline uncovers the centuries-old stone basins, where sea water, sun, and coastal winds produce sea salt. At the water’s edge, taste the crisp, mineral bite of freshly harvested salt grains, made using traditions passed down through generations. The bell towers of Ta’ Pinu Basilica, Gozo’s architectural wonder and pilgrimage site, tell of the island’s committed Catholic history (this impressive church has been honored by three popes).
Gozo’s rural rhythms encourage a slower kind of exploration. Its rolling hillsides inspire a curiosity about nature, one rewarded by walks through the Mediterranean garrigue, along a rugged coastline of cliff edges and rolling waves.
Malta’s shores are just as compelling. Feel the freedom of space between sea and sky at Dingli Cliffs, the highest cliffs in the country. A guided walk along these limestone crags informs participants about the region’s flora and fauna, as well as the history of the land beneath their feet. Arrive for sunset to be awed by the vision of a clifftop chapel against red rays sinking into the sea.
Practice yoga at Fort Manoel and swim in the Blue Lagoon
A traveler in camatkarasana (wild thing pose) at Fort Manoel
Courtesy of TravelerStretch
Another day, center yourself with a sunrise yoga class among the 18th-century walls of Fort Manoel in Marsamxett Harbour, guided by yogi Merve of Yoga Malta. The hour-long practice will prepare your body for a day of discovery via stretching, balancing, and invigorating movements.
Next, catch the ferry to Gozo, where a private boat leaves from Mġarr Harbour and whisks you to the Blue Lagoon on neighboring Comino. There, sunlight transforms the shallow sandy seabed into a neon-blue haven. Or swim in the turquoise water of Crystal Lagoon, also on Comino, among the sheer faces of the yellow limestone cliffs. En route, you’ll sail over shipwrecks with narration from local experts.
Take a cooking class, visit farms, and shop and dine local
An olive oil tasting at the Ta’ Mikiel farm in Gozo
Courtesy of TravelerStretch
True well-being while traveling also means mindfulness—such as making connections and learning about a country’s culture from the people who call it home. Hands-on experiences are among the best ways to do this, and in Malta there are plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the local community.
Join a bigilla-making workshop at the restaurant Diar il-Bniet in Dingli, where local experts guide you in the art of producing the country’s signature broad-bean dip. At Ta’ Mikiel in Gozo, a multigenerational olive grove, you’ll taste the velvety oil pressed from the olives grown on site. And, learn about Gozo’s sheep’s-milk cheeses, ġbejniet, with shepherd Abraham Scicluna and his mother, Delina, at their family farm.
Artworks in MICAS
Courtesy of VisitMalta
Continue to support local businesses with an afternoon exploring the historic capital of Valletta. Stop in at Designers Boutique Valletta for the island’s women-owned brands, including handcrafted fashion, jewelry, art, accessories, and beauty products.
Afterward, venture beyond the city’s walls to admire the rotating exhibitions of international artwork on display at Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS). Or head further afield to Naxxar in central Malta and shop the textures and cuts of the renowned Maltese design team, Charles & Ron, at their flagship store.
As the dinner hour approaches, head to Tartarun, a restaurant on the Marsaxlokk harbor, where you’ll find thoughtfully sourced local fish, prepared with a blend of Mediterranean heart and Japanese nuance. Think sea bass al sale with seaweed beurre blanc.
Run by the Schiavone family for more than a decade, the establishment reflects respect for craft, its village, and the people who sit at its tables. It’s not just fine dining; it’s something more personal.
Visit the old capital of Mdina
Mdina
Courtesy of TravelerStretch
Wrap up your exploration by wandering among the baroque architecture of the heavily fortified “Silent City” of Mdina, which has strict traffic restrictions. Settled some 4,000 years ago, it was Malta’s capital until the Knights of St. John arrived in 1530. Stroll the streets unencumbered by cars and noise, touring the buildings and alleyways, which stand much as they have for centuries.
Stay into the evening when day-trippers have left and a tranquil stillness envelops the city. Take in the panoramic views from the city’s hilltop perch and experience a feeling of ancient peace.
