The Malta National Aquarium has 51 tanks including reptiles, insects and amphibians, amongst others, Mediterranean fish, including fish commonly found in Maltese waters together with replicas of historical artefacts that one can find in the seas around the Maltese islands.

The main tank of the aquarium houses species from the Indo-Pacific Ocean, including black tip sharks, zebra sharks, leopard sharks, bamboo sharks, rays, eels and other exotic species. The main tank is approximately 12 meters in diameter and has a walk-through tunnel that allows visitors to experience the fish at a much closer range.

All tanks are expertly themed to replicate the underwater environment.

After breakfast we set off on another bus adventure, this time to St Paul’s Bay to visit Malta’s National Aquarium. During our hour-long journey, we saw many different styles of architecture, landscapes and neighbourhoods.

The aquarium is split up into different zones that feature both marine life and the history and hidden treasures of Malta. There is also a zone that covers reptiles and amphibia. The aquarium is excellent and we saw several types of fish that were unfamiliar to us.

We had lunch in La Nave bistro (part of the aquarium complex) overlooking St Paul’s Bay and the islands of St. Paul, Comino and Gozo. Even though it was rather windy, we chose to sit outside to with our choice of cake options so that we could enjoy the views. I noticed another lady coming outside and taking a seat only to retreat inside a few minutes later because of the wind. After she had gone back inside, I noticed that, in her haste to get inside, she had left her rucksack hanging on a chair outside. I went inside to tell her that she had left her bag behind.

Back in Valletta we decided to have a cuppa in the room overlooking the harbour rather than going to a café in the city.

Later, we had a pre-dinner drink in the hotel bar before walking into Valletta for our last evening meal in Malta where we dined in La Pira. I chose a stuffed fresh pasta dish instead of my usual fish choice. The food was delicious and the service was laid back but attentive.

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped for a drink in a bar overlooking St John’s Co Cathedral. In comparison to previous days, we found it rather chilly because of the breeze so we returned to the hotel for one last drink before our journey home.