Island Life in Malta

Sitting in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and North Africa, Malta makes for a perfect escape for winter sun. It’s not a typical cycling destination in winter, with the Balearic Islands getting the major spoils for cycling tourists. Palu founder Alberto headed out with his Dogma F10 to check out the roads and soak up some island life.

We stayed in an apartment close to the capital of Valletta, just a short way up the hill where you have an amazing view of the city.

It was a great temperature for riding with an average of around 20 degrees. We wore full summer kit and only needed a wind gilet for the descents.

Culturally it felt like being in a Latin metropolitan version of London. There are plenty of British expats in Malta, Italians, and of course tourists. However, some of the roads are in poor condition and not the best for cycling. We discovered there are no bike shops open on Saturday afternoon and Sunday so better to buy plenty of spare inner tubes and canisters!

One of the best things about Malta is the cuisine, it has a huge Southern Italian influence and there is an abundance of fresh, local ingredients on the island. We particularly enjoyed the local speciality of Pastizi, a Pasta Sfoglia with Peas puree or with Ricotta.

The terrain in Malta is pretty rolling but there are no crazy climbs, perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy some relaxing rides around the island.

That trip has whetted the appetite for some trips abroad next year, including a home ride in Bassano del Grappa and another Spanish training camp with the MTB pro team Trek Delle San Marco.