Malta

Malta, Malta

The sun shines almost all year round in Malta. The island boasts some of the fairest temperatures in the world. Add to that the fantastic beaches and superb Mediterranean cuisine, and there is barely a destination to compete. Together with its neighbouring islands, relaxing beach, and vibrant nightlife, Malta is a wonderful island to visit any time of the year.

Population:

420,000

Currency:

EURO €1 = 100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

112 for Police, Fire Brigade & Ambulance service

Opening Hours:

Shops are generally open from 9:00 till 13:00 and from 16:00 till 19:00. Some shops in the tourist areas might not close in the afternoon.

Newspapers:

The Malta Independent
Malta Today
In-Nazzjon

The Island

The Island of Malta is an archipelago in the warm Mediterranean waters, some 93 km south of Sicily. Only the three largest islands Malta, Gozo (Għawdex), and Comino (Kemmuna) are inhabited. Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours while the landscape is characterized by low hills with terraced fields.

Malta is not just sun and beaches: historical Malta offers unique megalithic temples, fortified cities and other unique monuments. Valletta, the capital of Malta, has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site due to the various monumental buildings. It is a baroque city which has often been described as an open-air museum due to the amount of historic buildings it packs. As a consequence of the strong historic and cultural links to Britain, Malta is bilingual, so the great majority of the Maltese can communicate in English.

If you plan your visit for special times like summer Festa season, Easter and carnival, be assured you won’t be stuck for what to do – simply join the crowd for some incredible fun.

Do & See

There are various places of interest in Malta, and most locations are easily reachable by public transport via Valletta. Plenty of different events are continuously held around the island, especially during the summer months. One of the most spectacular ones is the annual Malta Fireworks Festival in Valletta in the end of April - for three days, different countries and firework suppliers compete in putting on the best firework show; almost every weekend, the different villages hosts religious Festas. For an entire week, they celebrate their saint with church bells, processions, confetti and (at the weekend) they end the folk festival with an outstanding firework show.

Beach Life

Maltese beaches are predominantly safe and rather well-kept. Good beaches are to be found both in the south and in the north of Malta, so wherever you’re staying a nice beach is most probably just few minutes away.

Dining

Eating in Malta is an exuberant experience--take a pick from different dishes ranging from fish and seafood to the traditional rabbit stew. Maltese cuisine reflects the rich cultural heritage of the country, with clearly traceable English and Sicilian (as well as other Mediterranean) influences. Most restaurants offer very good wine lists featuring both local and foreign wines.