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| Malta
is more than a venue - it's an attitude. Lying in
the centre of the Mediterranean ocean, some 95 kilometers
south of the Italian island of Sicily, Malta allows
for a sunny holiday at any time of the year. Be enchanted
with Malta's beautiful beaches, its unique historical
sites, its rich culture and the plentiful nightlife
activities
This page contains
all you wanted to know about Malta. Scroll down the
page and read through to learn all about the Maltese
islands, or just use the icons to jump to the section
of interest to you. |
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select from the following icon which category you wish
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Arriving in Malta
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Malta is just a few hours' flying time from most mainland European
cities and has excellent intercontinental connections.
Travelers may choose from scheduled services or charter
flights, which offer convenient departure points from
European regional cities. Air Malta, which is the
national airline, operates flights to and from all
major airports in Europe, North Africa as well as
the Middle East.
You also have the option to come
to Malta by sea via direct scheduled ferries direct
from major ports in the Mediterranean.
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Sea & Sun
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If it's the sea and sun
,which you are after, then look no further. Malta offers
numerous sandy beaches and clear blue seawater. Located
on the northern side of the island lay four of Malta's
most beautiful beaches, all just a stone throw away
from each other. We recommend you visit Mellieha Bay,
Paradise Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha and Golden Sands. Bathing
is safe virtually anywhere around the Islands, as there
are no tides. Sea temperatures average 23° C. We
can offer you accommodation in hotels located by Malta's
most beautiful beaches. Fill in the form on the left
or contact us
for more details
Malta's clear blue seawater is also
renowned for its
water sports activities, especially for diving. Enthusiasts
may choose from numerous sites, ranging from reefs and
wartime wrecks to labyrinthine caves. Be gasped by the
rich marine life present in the Maltese waters or by
the florescent looking colours experienced during night
dives. Is it a wonder that Malta is regarded as a year
round mecca for divers? Traveltomalta.com has an excellent
relationship with the best diving schools in Malta.
We can offer you a specialized diving holiday package
to suit your needs. Diving courses vary from beginner's
courses to professional ones. The best thing about it
all is that while you are experiencing a lifetime experience,
you would be also following a course, which leads to
the award of International Diving Certificate, enabling
you to enjoy diving anywhere around the world. Fill
in the form on the left or contact
us for more details.
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History
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History, in Malta, stares you in the face everywhere
you visit on the islands.
Until recently, the Egyptian pyramids were thought
to be the oldest architectural monuments in existence.
Recent archaeological research, however, has shown
that the earliest Neolithic temples on Malta are about
1,000years older than the famous pyramids of Giza.
Huge rocks, several tons
in weight, were used in the construction of these
temples. How these enormous loads were moved, or even
lifted, 5,000 or 6,000 years ago, remains a mystery.
In Malta's rich fascinating history, two particular
periods, namely the neolithic and the period of the
Knights of St. John, stand out from the rest because
they are so unique to the Maltese islands. On their
own these remains make a good reason to holiday in
Malta.
Visit the Maltese islands and soak up over 7000 years
of history. We are sure that you will enjoy its captivating
intensity. At traveltomalta.com, we are able to offer
you tours to the oldest and most prestigious historical
sites in the world. Fill in the form on the left or
contact us
for more details.
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Shopping in Malta
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You can find nearly everything you need in Malta. 
The main shopping centres are in Valletta, the capital,
and Sliema, however you can even find two or three mini-markets
and/or supermarkets in one village. Malta is well known
for its handcrafted lace - manufactured mainly on the
island of Gozo - Malta's sister island, glass blowing
and pottery, which all make special gifts or souvenirs
to take home. You can see most of these souvenirs in
the making at the Crafts Village in Ta' Qali.
There is one open-air market daily at Merchants Street,
Valletta. In other towns and villages, there is also
one open-air market, but once a week. On Sunday mornings,
markets are also put up and held in most towns or
villages, with the largest being held in Valletta.
On your way out of Malta, the Malta International
Airport has a good duty- free section. Duty-free allowances
for each adult are 200 cigarettes or the equivalent
in cigars or tobacco, one bottle of spirits and one
bottle of wine and a reasonable amount of perfumes
or aftershaves. In the duty-free section, you can
also find a variety of souvenirs, sportswear, and
CDs and other music related things, among the others.
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Going Out
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Nightclubs
and bars
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The club scene in Malta has grown massively over the
past few years. Internationally renowned DJ's ,
are frequent guests all throughout the year. World-renowned
DJ's, which have recently visited the islands, include
Carl Cox, DJ Tiesto and David Guetta.
Malta's nightlife is mainly located in the central part
of Malta, namely around St Julian's and Sliema, two
suburbs of Valletta. These two neighborhoods host a
multitude of bars, restaurants and nightclubs, next
to each other, for streets on end. There are several
discotheques, which are really popular on the island.
Should you wish to sleep by day and party by night all
week round, Malta is the ideal holiday location for
you. At traveltomalta.com, we can arrange the best accommodation
deals in all types of hotels close to the best nightclubs
and bars in Malta. Contact
us for more details.
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Casinos
and gambling
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 You
name it. You have it. Roulette, blackjack, stud poker,
Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer. Horse Racing. Not mentioning
state-of-the-art slot machines including video poker.
These adult games can be played at either of three large
modern excellent casinos, in St Julians, Bugibba, and
Cottonera. These three main casinos range in architectural
style from an elegant colonial-style villa, a restored
17th century harbor-side palace (subsidiary of the Casino
di Venezia in Venice, Italy) or an ultra modern seaside
hotel complex. You are so pampered in your choice in
that you can choose your venue according to your mood.
Would you like to try your luck in Malta? Contact
us and we can offer you the best accommodation deal
to meet your needs.
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Village
festa
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 No
visit to the Islands in the summer periods would be
complete without seeing a village festa in full swing,
a popular component of Maltese summer nightlife. It
is your chance to catch a slice of island life close
up and be part of a tradition that stretches back to
the 16th century.
Besides processions, band marches, dancing and confetti
throwing, spectacular firework displays are performed,
both in air and also the popular "guoco di fuoco"
show, where fireworks are built onto complex revolving
wheels attached on masts, powered solely by jet propulsion
produced by colourful fireworks.
There is something unusually captivating about a typical
Maltese village festa. Traveltomalta.com recommends
a village festa outing to all those visiting Malta in
the summer period (May-September).
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Dining
and wining
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Restaurants are plentiful and spread
all over the Maltese islands. Choose from high-class
restaurants, 'al-fresco' dining places, pizzerias as
well as local café-bars. 
International cuisine is available everywhere. In Malta,
you will surely not have a problem to satisfy your taste
bud, and your budget. A number of restaurants offering
typical Maltese food are also available. Consult our
restaurant guide
for list of restaurants on the Maltese islands recommended
by traveltomalta.com.
When dining, ensure that you try out a Malta produced
wine from the wide variety available to accompany your
meal. Grapes grown in Malta's hot and humid climate
ripen much quicker than their counterparts further north.
It is not a surprise that Maltese vintages are more
than holding their own at international competition,
winning several accolades in France, Italy and further
a field.
As a quick snack, we recommend that you try a typical
Maltese snack called 'pastizz', which is a delicious
flaky pastry filled with ricotta or peas.
Should you decide to book your accommodation with us,
we will offer you a special card, free of charge, enabling
you to benefit from special discounts when dining at
selected restaurants. This is one more reason to book
your accommodation in Malta with traveltomalta.com.
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Land
and Population
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The islands of Malta consist of low-lying coralline
limestone plateaus surrounded by impermeable clay slopes.
The highest point is 239 m (784 ft) above sea level.
 The
climate is dry and temperate, with a mean temperature
of 19° C (66° F). Average annual rainfall is
about 560 mm (about 22 in). Because Malta has no permanent
rivers or lakes and precipitation is limited, the natural
water supply has become a problem. The country has implemented
a program to desalinate seawater; up to 70 percent of
Malta's water comes from desalination plants. The Maltese are predominantly Roman Catholic
and speak a language similar in vocabulary to Arabic,
although its alphabet and grammatical structure are
derived from Latin. Both Maltese and English are official
languages. Italian is widely spoken
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Airport Information
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The Malta International Airport is just a 15-minute
drive away from Valletta. Air Malta is the national
airline and it operates regular scheduled flights
to many European and North African airports with connections
to other European carriers. Flights to Malta from
London Heathrow will take just over 3 hours with up
to 14 flights a week and from London Gatwick 13 flights
a week. Air Malta also operates regular scheduled
flights from Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.
The Bureau de Change at Malta's International Airport
open 24 hours and there are several bars, cafés,
souvenir shops, newsagents and duty-free
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Entry requirements and restrictions
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Visitors with a valid passport from Europe of from
any Commonwealth country are entitled to stay up to
three months in Malta without a visa. For longer stays,
you will need a visa.
If you are caught with firearms, ammunition, drugs
and counterfeit goods, you will not be allowed entry.
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Getting Around in Malta
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By car:
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Traffic drives on the left. Traveltomalta.com offers
car hire services at bargain prices. You may pre-book
a car hire with your accommodation, or book with the
car hire with our representative once you arrive in
Malta. Contact
us for more details.
Driving is on the left hand side of the road. Driving
in Malta is relatively safe and in most cases it's
easier to just go with the flow. Seat belts are compulsory
in the front and are recommended in the rear. The
speed limits are 40kph (23mph) in built-up/residential
areas and 64kph on main roads.
Be careful where you park, as there are plenty of
'Tow Zone' and 'Clamping Zone' areas. Be sure to check
for any signs showing the above before parking.
Petrol is found at a reasonable price with stations
offering attendant services. Petrol stations spread
across Malta and Gozo, and are open from 07.00 - 18.00
Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays and Public
Holidays. Most petrol stations have unattended self-service
available from 18.00 until midnight. The self-service
meters only accept Lm 2 or Lm 5 notes; credit cards
are not accepted.
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By
taxi:
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There are white and radio controlled taxis. When going
for a white, bargain hard. We recommend that our esteemed
clients book their taxi requirements through our representatives
to ensure the best possible service at the best price.
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By
Public Transport Service:
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Malta's public transport system offers
a cheap and efficient way of touring the Island.
The main bus terminus is situated just outside the City
Gate in Valletta where buses operate to all parts of
Malta, although there are also direct, point to point,
services. In Gozo, the main bus terminus is in Victoria,
the island's capital. The cost of a bus route ranges
from 15 to 40 cents. The longest bus journey takes about
50 minutes; the average ride is between 20 and 30 minutes.
The Maltese bus is a locally built bus in metal plate
wood over an elongated truck chassis. Buses in Malta
are coloured in yellow with an orange stripe whilst
the ones in Gozo are gray with a red stripe.
Note that buses stop running at around 10.00pm, and
even earlier in Gozo, so be sure to make other arrangements
for getting to your destination. Bus timetables are
at the front of the bus and tickets can be purchased
either from the bus driver as you start the journey
or from the main bus stations situated in Sliema, Valletta
or Bugibba.
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The
Maltese Currency, Banking Services and Credit
Cards
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Malta has its own currency; the Maltese
Lira (Lm). It is divided into 100 cents, making the
equivalent value of Lm 1 to approx. US$2.5 / €2.4.
There are restrictions on the amount of Maltese Liri
when arriving/leaving Malta. The maximum amount of Maltese
Liri that can be brought into the country is Lm 50 and
taken out of the country is Lm25. The Bank Notes: Lm2,
Lm5, Lm10, Lm20, Lm50. The Coins: 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 25c,
50c, Lm1.
Major credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere,
mostly MasterCard and Visa. ATM machines are very common
especially in busy areas, and also by the banks themselves.
Different banks have different opening hours. As a rule,
banks are open from 8.30am - 12.30pm Monday to Friday
and up to 11.30am on Saturdays. However in busy and
tourist areas they usually have extended hours even
up to 6.00pm.
The main banks in Malta are Bank of Valletta, HSBC and
APS Bank. These banks have branches in nearly all the
villages in Malta and Gozo, and also in places like
the Malta International Airport.
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Time Zone
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Malta is on central European Time (CET), one hour ahead
of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in winter and two hours
from the last Sunday in March, until the last Sunday
in October. The islands are six hours ahead of Eastern
Seaboard Time (EST) in winter and seven ahead from the
last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in September.
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Telephone and Internet Café
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The telephone service is very good in Malta. Telephone
boxes are numerous and can be found in most squares
and busy streets. Telephone cards can be bought from
newsagents, stationers, hotels, bars and roadside kiosks.
Overseas telephone rates are quite reasonable with cheaper
rates after 6.00pm and 9.00pm.
Internet Cafes have become very popular
and are available in almost each and every village around
the islands of Malta.
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Postal Services
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The postal service in Malta is very efficient. Letterboxes,
widely spread in every village in Malta and Gozo, are
painted red. Stamps can be bought from Sub Post offices,
local newsagents, souvenir shops and hotels.
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Health Care and services
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Malta has a number of hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.
Almost all doctors and dentists in both Malta and Gozo
will speak English and Italian quite fluently. Medical
care is of a high standard in Malta. Medical facilities,
run along modern lines, are available through the regional
health centres and two general hospitals. There are
health clinics in several towns and villages with the
main hospital being the St Luke's Hospital in Guardamangia
near the capital of Valletta, with the main maternal
hospital, Karen Grech Hospital, being just nearby. There's
another general hospital in Victoria, Gozo.
Nationals of Australia and the UK staying
for less than six months and one month respectively,
are entitled to a free medical and hospital care. Comprehensive
health insurance policy for all travelers is, nevertheless,
recommended.
However, visitors to Malta who are
in need of regular medication are advised to bring their
own supply or a prescription from their GP. Pharmacies
in Malta open Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 1.00pm
and then from 4.00pm to 7.00pm. Some pharmacies also
open on Sundays. These pharmacies are indicated on the
local newspapers and also broadcasted on some of the
Maltese radio stations.
When sunbathing, if you are not used
to the strong sun, make sure to use a high SPF factor
sun-cream or total sun block for the first few days
then change to a lower factor when you have acclimatized.
The only real pests in Malta are the
mosquitoes so bring plenty of insect repellent creams
and sprays.
No inoculations are necessary for visitors from Europe,
United States, Canada or Australia, but a valid yellow
fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for travelers
over nine months of age arriving from infected areas.
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Animals and pets
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Malta is quite safe where animal diseases are concerned
with a quarantine imposed on all animals imported into
the country.
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