Gail Porter update: 03:54, May 19, 2010, I flew out of the cold Manchester a week before Christmas
A weekend spa break is required in Malta.
I barely realized the magnetic mattress there would heal my length
Standing insomnia
My destination is a new hotel.
First in Europe
It uses a vibrant magnetic mattress, duvet and pillow to make you sleep better at night.
Well, I usually get up at four o\'clock A. M. and no matter when I climb into the bed, I don\'t really want a few nights at the Fortina Spa Resort in Sliema to have an impact on my annoying sleeping habits.
My boyfriend Jonny and I arrived on the island at midnight, so we didn\'t know anything about the surroundings, but before being escorted to our special \"health recovery\" room, we received a warm welcome at the hotel.
We were told that there was a heated Jacuzzi on the balcony from which the view over the harbor could be seen and I couldn\'t wait to see it during the day so we went back to our magnetic bed.
I woke up the next morning, leaned back on my phone to check the time and almost fell off the bed, and I was very shocked. It was 10am.
I was sleeping all night.
Almost unheard of for me. I was elated. I woke Jonny -
He slept like a baby, too.
We had a quick meal before we missed our breakfast.
We had to move on as we booked the eleven o\'clock A. M. massage.
Jonny has never had it before, so he is both scared and excited.
I am doing a Thai massage and Jonny is doing a lava shell massage.
I \'ve had a Thai massage before, but it\'s one of the best massages I \'ve ever had.
This is exactly what I need to relieve all the pain, pain and stiffness my body has been holding on.
I also had the best head massage before I left.
I\'m in heaven.
Jonny looks like a cat with cream.
His massage included massaging the whole body with hot shells.
On the last day we will exchange treatment options so I am looking forward to that.
There are many restaurants in the resort, offering delicious food from all over the world.
After the treatment, we went to the hibaiki Japanese restaurant for some fresh sashimi and cooked tuna steak.
After lunch, it returned to the room to prepare for the afternoon of exploring the island.
But let\'s look around first.
After a good night\'s sleep we rushed to breakfast and missed all the other gadgets.
Mountain-
Fresh ionised air purifiers, water for living and shower systems, and sanitary bedding that kills dust.
We also had a body energy drink by the bed that massages your feet and helps to increase blood circulation and relax.
There\'s a skin spa in the bathroom-
A huge capsule.
Spa shower with 20 heads, \"steam experience\", color light and types of equipment for various water massage settings.
I can see that I will be happy in this regard.
We also have a power board, a machine that gives you the equivalent of a full body workout in 15 minutes.
I went after my lunch was settled.
When you do the exercises stated in a series of brochures, plate vibration is a strange experience.
I found it exciting and of course my muscles felt like they were working hard.
After the massage, lunch and mini workout, it\'s time to venture to Mdina and then to the capital Valletta.
Called the silent city, Mdina has all its churches, monasteries and palaces as a beautiful and charming place.
In Valletta, we went to the upper barakka garden in the middle.
17 th century, great views of Malta\'s big port.
From there, we visited Co-in St John-
Cathedral, former residence and museum of the Knights of Malta.
The look is simple but the stunning interior is like a work of art.
The ceiling was painted in the 17th-century by Italian Baroque artist Mattia Preti, who applied oil directly to limestone.
The painting represents the life of St. John\'s Baptist church, dedicated to him by the cathedral.
Back to Fortina, it went straight to the spa before eating at Sa Re Ga Ma Indian restaurant.
Before dinner we walked into the cocktail bar Limes for a drink and met Liz and Ian, who spent the first few Christmas in Fotina with some other Brits.
It\'s interesting to see people all know from early visits arriving.
Staff treat them like family members.
After a great dinner, we went back to the bar for the night and met several other \"regulars\" for a fun night.
Then, back in our room, Jonny and I sat in the jacuzzi with champagne in hand and looked at the amazing view of the harbor.
The next morning, after a perfect night\'s sleep, we headed to the port of Cirkewwa and took the ferry to Gozo, a tiny sister island with a population of only 29,000.
Most of the residents used to be farmers but are now engaged in manufacturing and tourism.
Our first stop was the Temple of Ggantija, built around 4,000 BC, older than the pyramids of Egypt.
After walking around and learning about the atmosphere and history, we ate the olives, sauerkraut and tomato sauce we bought from a local person who sold his own traditional Maltese condiment.
Then we went to the coast and looked at a Fungus Rock with a natural opening called Azure Window.
The view was amazing and we saw the Blue Cave known for its underwater flowers and crystal clear water.
After returning to the resort, we made the most of the spa again, rested in the Jacuzzi and sweated in the steam room and sauna.
Then we took a cold shower and dipped our face in a bowl of ice.
The evening dinner was a mix of Mediterranean and Vietnamese cuisine, followed by more drinks in the lemon, then returned to the room, relaxed in the Jacuzzi, and slept for another night without interruptionBliss.
On the last day we exchanged our previous treatments, completely relaxed, went to our room and slept most of the afternoon.
Our last dinner was a sashimi on the Teppanaki Grill and the sashimi melted on the tongue.
Then, we had some more colorful drinks at the cocktail bar with our regular guests, and cheers for the fact that we will be back soon. Air Malta (www. airmalta. com)has twice-
Daily flights at Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport, daily service in Manchester, and twice weekly flights in Birmingham.
The return fare is 99pp.
Five nights, three nights.
Star Fortina Spa Resort with half board and accommodation including return flight and Malta transfer starts in the health recovery room at £ 464pp.
0800 917 3001, www.
Fortinasparesort. com.
More information about Malta: www 8877 6990, www. visitmalta. com.