LGIR Crete to LMML - Malta
Handler: Executive Aviation Malta
2.5hrs
19/2/21
Beautiful departure out of Heraklion airport a quick right turn to climb out of range of the snow covered mountains then a visual left turn back to cross just above those same mountains so the view over deep aqua blue water to turn to Snow White was spectacular, Crete is a very scenic island from the arrival to driving travelling around to the departure.
It was very quick to reach FL300 as the outside air temp is -39c
Our path to Malta takes us past Sicily and staying well clear of Mt Etna that has been very active in the past few days. We can clearly see her and the activity plume of a dark smoggy cloud layer trailing in the wind direction. It is a clear fine day but there is a slight shudder of the aircraft every now and then, from the shear energy of the Volcano.
We are greeted on the ground by our handler Executive Aviation, very friendly and quick service through the airport to our rental car.
We stayed in the Hilton on the marina of St Julians, modern large rooms with views of both the sea and the marina and very close to the old city Valletta. The history is interesting, in short, in the early 1500s it was the escape and safe haven for the Knights of St John from Rhodes who established the language and fortified the island.
All the island is easy to drive and explore by car, taking the ferry across to the smaller islands. Beautiful coast line, very few beaches, mostly rock grottos, nature arches, great cave scuba diving and historic churches. The old city of Valletta is very beautiful, all very tight long maze of streets and an active busy hub of shops, businesses and residential apartments surrounded by towering stone walls and buildings.