Anyone done the ho ho bus from Valletta to Mdina & back? Good places for lunch?

[kikki21]

Looking at taking the ho ho bus in Malta seeing as it goes to Mdina?

Good idea or not.

It seems a good low cost option.

Have heard reports on TA that it's not that great though!

 

 

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[cruisemom42]

Just get a regular bus to Mdina -- they run frequently, are inexpensive, and take about a half hour for the run between Valletta and Mdina.

[kikki21]

Just get a regular bus to Mdina -- they run frequently, are inexpensive, and take about a half hour for the run between Valletta and Mdina.

 

 

 

Thank you - we are in port all day & I'm keen to visit Mdina first & then spend time in Valletta. I have seen from other posts that travel time is about 30 mins so that's great [emoji4]

 

 

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[Aimee192]

Valletta is only a 15-20min walk from the port, if you're able to walk up the steep steps, you can just walk up to Valletta where you can find buses to all of Malta. Most bus trips are only 30-45 min long.

 

For info on which buses to get, you can use the below website that gives you all info. Please note that buses are NOT always on time, so make sure not to choose the last bus possible to make your deadline :)

*Edit* Actually, scratch that, buses are not reliable at all. If you're pressed for time you should opt for a taxi, not as cheap as buses but much more reliable. Would personally avoid the white taxis, they're known to be the most expensive, but you might be able to get a good deal for the day :) */end Edit*

 

https://www.publictransport.com.mt/en/trip-planner

 

Feel free to ask me anything else about Malta, I'm Maltese. I'll do my best to answer :)

Edited July 6, 2017 by Aimee192

[jdlg4silb]

Valletta is only a 15-20min walk from the port, if you're able to walk up the steep steps, you can just walk up to Valletta where you can find buses to all of Malta. Most bus trips are only 30-45 min long.

 

For info on which buses to get, you can use the below website that gives you all info. Please note that buses are NOT always on time, so make sure not to choose the last bus possible to make your deadline :)

*Edit* Actually, scratch that, buses are not reliable at all. If you're pressed for time you should opt for a taxi, not as cheap as buses but much more reliable. Would personally avoid the white taxis, they're known to be the most expensive, but you might be able to get a good deal for the day :) */end Edit*

 

https://www.publictransport.com.mt/en/trip-planner

 

Feel free to ask me anything else about Malta, I'm Maltese. I'll do my best to answer :)

 

 

Hi Aimee,

I'm going to take you up on your offer of help. Our ship will be in Malta from 8 am-6pm. We'd like to explore, see the Blue Grotto, eat lunch at a memorable spot, and just try and see and soak up as much as we can in such a short time. What would be your advice on a schedule, where to go, a lunch idea, etc.

Thank you so much for your help.

Jerry

[Aimee192]

Hi Aimee,

I'm going to take you up on your offer of help. Our ship will be in Malta from 8 am-6pm. We'd like to explore, see the Blue Grotto, eat lunch at a memorable spot, and just try and see and soak up as much as we can in such a short time. What would be your advice on a schedule, where to go, a lunch idea, etc.

Thank you so much for your help.

Jerry

 

Hi Jerry,

 

Personally I'd suggest that upon leaving the ship you should find taxi services that you can make a deal with for an entire day of service.

From there you may then go to Mdina, the silent city. There's the Natural History museum and the Roman villa, and the sights and the narrow winding roads are quite picturesque, I think it's a must see on the island, you shouldn't miss it.

I'd suggest you stop for a visit at Hagar Qim just before Blue Grotto. Hagar Qim is one of the oldest religious sites on earth, dating back to 3600BC, so it really cannot be missed!

Then it's off to Blue Grotto. There you can stop for lunch, the restaurants there are divine, specialising in fresh fish but offering other options if you're not a fan, with a fantastic view of Filfla, an uninhabited small island just off the coast of Malta. If the weather permits, so basically if you're here during one of our 300 days of sunshine, you can hire a boat (probably a traditional Maltese luzzu) to take you around the caves and in summer you can even choose to dive in for a quick swim if you ask them beforehand. Make sure you pack plenty of sun cream, the sun here is quite harsh. I got a pretty nasty sun burn in March :p

If you've got some time left to spare (depending on how much time you spend in each place, commuting by taxi won't take more than 20-30min from one place to another) you can either visit the fishing village, Marsaxlokk, which offers some beautiful sea views, or the three cities Bormla, Birgu and Isla, some of the oldest cities on the island.

Overall, I'm fairly sure you can cover most of these in the time you have if you travel by taxi. The country is tiny and stuffed to the brim with history and scenery, so you're guaranteed to have an experience wherever you choose to go.

[jdlg4silb]

Hi Jerry,

 

Personally I'd suggest that upon leaving the ship you should find taxi services that you can make a deal with for an entire day of service.

From there you may then go to Mdina, the silent city. There's the Natural History museum and the Roman villa, and the sights and the narrow winding roads are quite picturesque, I think it's a must see on the island, you shouldn't miss it.

I'd suggest you stop for a visit at Hagar Qim just before Blue Grotto. Hagar Qim is one of the oldest religious sites on earth, dating back to 3600BC, so it really cannot be missed!

Then it's off to Blue Grotto. There you can stop for lunch, the restaurants there are divine, specialising in fresh fish but offering other options if you're not a fan, with a fantastic view of Filfla, an uninhabited small island just off the coast of Malta. If the weather permits, so basically if you're here during one of our 300 days of sunshine, you can hire a boat (probably a traditional Maltese luzzu) to take you around the caves and in summer you can even choose to dive in for a quick swim if you ask them beforehand. Make sure you pack plenty of sun cream, the sun here is quite harsh. I got a pretty nasty sun burn in March :p

If you've got some time left to spare (depending on how much time you spend in each place, commuting by taxi won't take more than 20-30min from one place to another) you can either visit the fishing village, Marsaxlokk, which offers some beautiful sea views, or the three cities Bormla, Birgu and Isla, some of the oldest cities on the island.

Overall, I'm fairly sure you can cover most of these in the time you have if you travel by taxi. The country is tiny and stuffed to the brim with history and scenery, so you're guaranteed to have an experience wherever you choose to go.

 

 

Thanks for the help Aimee!!! We are going to follow your itinerary and will let you know how we do.

[tiggrbaby]

Thanks for the help Aimee!!! We are going to follow your itinerary and will let you know how we do.

 

Would love to know how you make out!

[iancal]

We liked it. So much so that we decided to return to Malta for 8 days the following Sept. as part of an extended land trip. We had not even considered it until we disembarked. The HOHO was right there so we made a quick decision. One thing thought....many people did not realize that the ticket included a boat tour of the harbour which we also very much enjoyed.

 

We never fuss about where to eat while on a short day tour. Often we don't even bother except for a snack or beer/glass of wine. If we do, it is by luck/chance.