Malta

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Quick Facts

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Capital

Valletta

Population

400,000

Government

Republic

Religions

Christianity (Catholic)

Languages

Maltese, English

Calling Code

+356

Nationality

Maltese

Local name

Time Zone

UTC +1

Daylight Saving

UTC +2

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Introduction

Blue Grotto

© All Rights Reserved baluba

A mere dot in the Mediterranean on maps of Europe, the Maltese Islands may well be Europe's most compact tribute to ancient history. The pre-historic temples at Hagar Qim date back to the Copper Age (or 3800 BC), making them the oldest human structures known to man. At Valletta, the architectural heritage of the Norman and baroque eras proudly line cobbled streets. Such illustrious historical figures as Ulysses and the apostle Paul set foot on Malta, giving the island a near-mythical past that is perfectly underscored by its ancient appearance.

The beauty about Malta is that once you have finished enjoying the amazing cities, towns and countryside, the beach is still there with the beautiful blue of the Mediterranean warmly inviting visitors into its midst. Diving around Malta is excellent, with superb visibility and stunning underwater scenery. And with an average summer temperature of 30 °C, Malta is a great way to unwind over summer.

Brief History

Geography

Islands

Malta consists of 3 inhabited islands

• Malta
• Gozo (Għawdex)
• Comino (Kemmuna)

Cities

• Valletta - The capital
• Mdina - Is Malta's old capital
• Rabat (Malta)
• Birgu
• St. Julian's
• Sliema
• Paceville
• Mosta - Is home to the Mosta Dome.
• Luqa
• Qormi
• Zabbar
• Rabat & the Citadel - (Gozo's Capital)

Sights and Activities

Rotunda of St Marija Assunta

Mosta Dome

© All Rights Reserved EliseJones

Rotunda of St Marija Assunta, also known as Mosta Dome, is a stunning church in Mosta. Built in the 19th century its dome is one of the largest in the world with a diameter of 37 m. The construction of the church was not completed until the 1860s, but while it was being built the old church was left in the center and torn down upon completion of the new dome. On April 9, 1942 a 200 kg bomb was dropped on the dome by a German bomber and broke through the dome but did not explode sparing the lives of over 300 people awaiting for an evening mass.

St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta

St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta was built by the Knights of Malta between 1573 and 1578. It was designed by a Maltese military architect named Gerolamo Cassar, which gave the cathedral a military fort-like look. The inside is covered with extremely ornate murals and paintings with lots of gold gilding. There are also eight rich side chapels that are each dedicated to a different patron saint. Several famous paintings including "The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (1608)" by Caravaggio are located in the Cathedral.

Hagar Qim

Hagar Qim is an ancient temple that dates back to 3200 BC. The temple was first excavated in 1839 and many amazing relics have been found. There are also several other temples near by like Mnajdra, which are worth a visit. Many of the more famous relics are on display in the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. Hagar Qim is located on the southern tip of the island of Malta.

Beaches

The islands of Malta and Gozo are the homes to some of the most amazing beaches in the world ideal for swimming, snorkeling and diving scuba or free. There are sandy beaches and rock beaches, which are rock shoreline that gently enters the water. There are countless beaches to choose from offering different activities. For more information on the different beaches click here.

Other Sights and Activities

• Hypogeum - Located Paola, it is the only prehistoric subterranean temple in the world.
• The Sacra Infermeria (MCC) - Is located in Valletta.
• Water Sports - Go sailing and motor boating on Malta's beautiful coast.
• Boat Cruises - Espicially from Sliema can be a great activity.
• Trekking and Horse Riding - Exploring the hills around the islands is a great activity by foot or by horse.
• Meditation - Take a deep breath and relax.
• Fishing - Catch some delicious fish in the these pristine Mediterranean waters.
• Malta Classic Car Collection - Is a great car museum located in Qawra.

Events and Festivals

Malta Fireworks Festival - May
Village feasts or Maltese festa

Weather

It is said to have the best weather in Europe and it is easy to see why. Malta has warm, dry and sunny summers and mild winters. In summer, average temperatures are around 30 degrees Celsius during the day and around 20 degrees at night, thoug occasionally temperatures hit 40 degrees when winds blowing from Africa bring hot weather. Winters are mild, around 16 degrees, 10 at night. There is almost no rain in the summermonths from May to September, most of it falls between October and February with December being the wettest month at 110 mm of rain. Spring and autumn are pleasant times for a visit with warm, dry and sunny conditions but not overly hot.

Getting There

Being an island country, plane and boat are the only options to get to Malta.

By Plane

The Malta International Airport in Luqa is home to the national airline, Air Malta. Air Malta has regular connections to destinations in Europe, Africa and Middle East. Some other regional airlines flying into Malta include Air Méditerranée, BritishJET, MyTravel Airways, Ryanair and Thomsonfly.

By Boat

Italy

• Travelling to Malta by boat is possible from Sicily, Italy. Frequent ferry services are available from Catania (four hours) and Pozzallo (90 minutes). Operators include Virtu Ferries.
• * Grimaldi Ferries between Salerno and Valetta.

Tunisia
Grimaldi Lines travels between Tunis and Malta.

Getting Around

By Plane

Harbourair Malta links Grand Harbour in Valletta to Mgarr Harbour on Gozo island.

By Train

There are no train services on Malta and the smaller islands.

By Car

There are numerous international and local companies that offer rental cars and you can pick them up at the airport, dowtown in Valletta and also in smaller places where there are hotels. Most roads are paved an in a regular shape, but the driving skills of locals are not. Although the mortality rate in traffic is the lowest in the European Union (source), it pays to be a careful and defensive driver!

Remember that traffic drives on the left in Malta and be sure to have an international driving permit. The prices of rental cars are among the cheapest in Europe and own transportation is the preferred method for most tourists. As a general rule, make sure that if you do hire a car in Malta the vehicle is checked for physical damage in the presence of the car hire representative. That helps avoid nasty surprises upon returning the vehicle.

By Bus

The local bus services on Malta and Gozo are excellent and cheap. The buses are really something, old with character, which makes the ride that much more exciting. Buses link Valletta and Gozo City with all major towns and villages, including the hotel areas.

By Boat

Gozochannel operates a passenger car ferry several times daily between Cirkewwa in Malta and Mgarr in Gozo. Thejourney time is about 25 minutes each way.
The Comino Hotel runs runs a ferry service to the island Comino from March to November.
Paradise Diving has daily services to Blue Lagoon from May to October.
There is also a ferry from Sliema Ferry Terminal to Valetta (the capital) and vice versa.

And of course there are also boats for tourists to visit parts of the island. You can do a trip to Gozo, a 360 degrees trip of the island, or a 1 and a half hour cruise of the creeks surrounding Valetta. All for a reasonable price.

Red Tape

If you are a European Union (EU) citizen, you may enter without any restriction as per your EU citizenship rights. If you are not an EU citizen, you will need to obtain a Schengen Visa. This visa is valid for any country in the Schengen zone.

Money

See also: Money Matters

Since 2008, Malta has adopted the Euro (ISO code: EUR, symbol: €) as its official currency. One Euro is divided into 100 cents, which is sometimes referred to as eurocents, especially when distinguishing them with the US cents.

Euro banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, €500. The highest three denominations are rarely used in everyday transactions. All Euro banknotes have a common design for each denomination on both sides throughout the Eurozone.

The Euro coins are 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, €1 and €2. Some countries in the Eurozone have law which requires cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest 5 cents. All Euro coins have a common design on the denomination (value) side, while the opposite side may have a different image from one country to another. Although the image side may be different, all Euro coins remain legal tender throughout the Eurozone.

The €1 and €2 coins contain the Maltese cross, the 50 cents, 20 cents and 10 cents coins contain the Maltese coat of arms and the 5 cents, 2 cents and 1 cent coins contain Mnjaidra Temple.

Work

Study

Language

Maltese, English and Italian are spoken on the island. Pretty much everyone speaks english on the island.
If you are going to Malta to see the real native Malta, do not expect English language to be spoken at all. Many people, almost all, in tourist areas speak English of some description but if you are in an English area, expect an English holiday too.

Eat

Typical Mediterranean food is served on Malta, though there are some local specialities.

Sleep

Drink

The main place for a bit of fun is the Paceville area. You'll find about 6 clubs, all a stone's throw from each other.

Health

See also: Travel Health

Safety

See also: Travel Safety

It is seemingly very safe to walk around at night. Take normal precautions like you would do at home.

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

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