SWEET SENGLEA

ACROSS FROM THE GRAND HARBOUR SITS VITTORIOSA, COSPICUA AND SENGLEA, KNOWN AS THE THREE CITIES, THE MOST HISTORICAL FOOTPRINT OF THE KNIGHT’S PRESENCE IN MALTA. EX PARISIAN, ERIC TENIN, CHOSE TO SETTLE DOWN IN SENGLEA AND HERE, HE TELLS US WHY.

The first time I entered Senglea, I knew it was going to be a memorable experience. It’s like I had made a jump back in time to the “real” Malta! The architecture, the little shops, the ornate churches, the narrow streets and steps - everything takes you back several hundred years. There’s a story on every corner and the locals are happy to tell you more. In 2015, when I moved here, a lot of Maltese didn’t really understand why a Parisian would choose Senglea as a place to settle down in Malta. The area had the reputation as being “rough”, totally run down and not very pleasant to live in. I was a bit hesitant from what I had heard, however when I discovered it was one of the rare areas in Malta that felt like it still had its soul, I didn’t think twice.

Of course, don’t expect to find a block of shiny brand new flats with square walls and direct parking access from inside the building. This does not exist in Senglea, and that is precisely what helps keep its charm. Here, all you’ll find are palazzi, houses adorned with intricate carvings, Maltese balconies (gallariji ), arches and buildings of many eras. It’s hard to believe that Senglea, (it was called Isla at that time, a name that is still in use nowadays), was once the hunting land of the first Knights of Malta. In fact, Senglea owes its name to Grand Master Claude de La Sengle, a French Knight of the order of St John, who turned it into a fortified city in the mid-16th century to protect it against its enemies.

For there is beauty and history among these walls, there is also a lot of suffering. Located by the sea and opposite to Birgu, Senglea was exposed to all sorts of assaults. First the Ottomans during the Great Siege in 1565 (La Sengle was right to fortify it!), then against the French, when Napoleon conquered Malta in 1798, and more recently, during World War II. Photos of Senglea after the war are impressive.

On a happier note, what I like first about Senglea is that it offers a unique view of Valletta, the Grand Harbour and Fort San Angelo; a skyline you can never be tired of, especially when the setting sun bathes the stone with its orange light. If you want front seats, all you need to do is go to the tip of the peninsula, where the Gardjola Gardens and its famous watchtower (il-gardjola), is located, and admire the scenery. It’s also the best spot to watch some of the major events that take place in the Grand Harbour that I enjoy every year: the always mind-blowing International Fireworks Festival, the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the Pageant of the Seas. But my favorite event is undoubtedly the bi-annual “Regatta” where rowers of several coastal cities fight for “the Shield”. You have to experience the crowd cheering for their favorite team at least once!

Of course, like many cities and towns in Malta, Senglea has an important religious “feast” that brings out both the devout and not so devout on the 8th of September. In Senglea this is the feast of Maria Bambina which also falls on the national Victory Day holiday, which marks the end of the two sieges in Malta.

Be ing near the sea, Senglea also has a wonderful waterfront. Here amongst the luzzu traditional fishing boats and their dedicated owners, you can take a stroll and enjoy a drink or a local meal among the locals. You may also want to “hail” a traditional taxi boat known as a dgħajsa tal-pass for a harbo ur tour or simply to go to Valletta.

If you want to explore and understand what the “real Malta” is like, definitely put Senglea and The Three Cities on your list of places to visit. You’ll certainly enjoy one of the crown jewels of Maltese heritage.

ERIC AND MICHAEL’S MOVE TO MALTA

In 2015, after making the decision to escape the big city lifestyle, my partner Michael and I decided to leave Paris and move to Malta. We tried several places around the world, but Malta was the only one that ticked all the boxes in our minds – safe, sunny almost every day, near the sea, English speaking, and most of all, friendly people. We came for a couple of house hunting visits but didn’t say, “Wow!” immediately until we discovered Senglea and the Three Cities. The people were welcoming right away, the properties we saw had much more charm than other parts of the island and having the sea on our doorstep made a huge difference.

We quickly discovered a local Facebook group, Friends of Cottonera, which is made up of locals and expats alike. We began to get quite active in events that were being held and made a lot of friends very quickly. Michael engaged his business strategy experience by joining a local NGO, Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC), and we used our previous short term rental property experience to open a couple of holiday properties that turned out to be quite successful. We later stumbled upon a derelict property and our architect talked us into turning it into a small boutique hotel. It took several years of red tape and renovation works, but we opened Senglea Suites in April 2022 with grand success.

We continue to love our life here and are convinced we made the right choice. When we’ve had down days, we’ve tried to think of a place that would make us as happy...but we are still here!

www.sengleasuites.com

WITH SO MANY CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ON OUR LITTLE ISLANDS, IT’S HARD TO DECIDE WHAT TO SEE AND WHERE TO GO. WE HIGHLIGHT A DIFFERENT LOCAL LOCATION EVERY MONTH, AND THIS MONTH, IT'S SENGLEA, ONE OF THE THREE CITIES.

War Shelter

During the war, shelters were hewn out of the bastions. Families lived in them during bombardments. Today, you can see the doorways to this time in history closed up. To see what it was like in a shelter, you can visit the Malta at War Museum in Birgu.