Kalkara is a small and quite charming Malteasen town that overlooks the Grand Harbour on the eastern part of the island. The town got its name from lime, which translates to Calce in Latin, ever since the Romans first established a foothold on Malta. The Grand Harbour of Kalkara is surrounded by the bays of Rinella and Kalkara Creek and two peninsulas, Bighi and Ricasoli. These nearby bays and peninsulas provide ideal justification for booking a charter in Kalkara and planning an exciting cruise itinerary.
Why choose Kalkara?
Kalkara is known for boat building, especially for the Maltesean designs of dghajsa and barklori. Because of their strong love for sea and boats, the local people organize and participate in traditional boat races and regattas, often racing in the same boat that they built. These manifestations centre around the Grand Harbour and attract quite a bit of nautical attention from the international sailing community, because of the excellent maritime infrastructure the harbour possesses. The regattas usually take place in September and in March.
What to do and see on your yacht charter in Kalkara?
Kalkara has, despite its relatively small size, many historic sites of cultural importance. For instance, Fort Ricasoli, on the tip of the Rinella Peninsula, was built to defend the harbour from foreign invaders. Another fortified monument is the Rinella Battery, from the 19th century with the main attraction, the Armstrong 100 tons cannon. Sacral monuments include the Chapel of Our Saviour from the 15th century, the First Parish Church and the Present Parish Church, with the Kalkara traditional festival of the local patron saint St Joseph being hosted annually. There are also the two Villas, Villa Bighi from the 17th century, today used for housing the International School of Restoration and Villa Portelli, a former summer residence of the local aristocracy. Despite having many ancient monuments, Kalkara is also wary of the future and currently developing a state-of-the-art technology park, under the name of Smart City, based on the similar models in Dubai.
Sailing season - When to charter in Kalkara?
It gets hottest in Kalkara around August, when the highs can reach staggering 35 degrees Celsius. July and September are also hot, but not as hot as August; only 30 degrees during the day and 20 degrees at night. The best time for a visit, if avoiding the heat is a priority, would be in May or October, when it is not as hot, the sea is still warm, the prices are lower and the crowds are thinner. If dry weather is a priority, the months with the lowest chance of rain in Kalkara are July, June and May. Wind in Kalkara is usually moderate, with some wind speeds in March and in November requiring more experienced hands at the rudder.In the pak of the season, during the months of July and August prices for chartering, berths and other maritime accommodations are more expensive.