Description

Malta is a small and densely populated island nation located in Southern Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy). The climate on the Island of Malta is Mediterranean and there is sun shine all round the year making it a popular tourist destination. Valletta, capital of Malta, has the charm of an Italian city with its many Baroque palaces set on narrow steep streets that form a grid pattern. The city was carefully planned by its founder, Grand Master Fra Jean de la Valletta and the Knights of the Order of St John, but the majestic architecture manages not to overwhelm the island's carefree personality.

Shopping

The most popular items that are sold on the Island of Malta are those made of gold and silver filigree. The side streets of Valletta house jewellery shops, selling intricate filigree work as well as classic and modern gold and silverware. The residents of Malta are also skilled at making handmade lace, which is another popular item purchased by visitors. There are craft centers on the Island of Malta where all of these unique and handmade items can be purchased. Today, the pottery industry creates useful and fun objects, household items and souvenirs ranging from candlesticks, pendants, decorative tiles to lamps and flower pots. Mouth blown and hand made, much of the glassware in Malta have strong Mediterranean colors. Gozo’s markets are full of useful and fun items from log baskets to decorative fishing pots to sunhats. Malta has a tradition of making some uniquely designed clocks, typical to the Islands.

Restaurants

Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many foreigners who made Malta their home over the centuries. This mingling of tastes has given Malta an eclectic mix of Mediterranean cooking. The Maltese enjoy a Mediterranean diet, with heavy Italian influences. Da Rosi and Quadra are restaurants which serve authentic Maltese cuisine. A tourist can choose from courtyards of elaborate buildings to harbor restaurants and local café-bars and savor rich sweets, pastries and deserts of ricotta. Restaurant menus follow the seasons using the best of available fare; from tomatoes, zucchini, herbs and olives to fish like lampuki, swordfish and tuna. A perfect snack is ‘hobz biz-zejt’, served in nearly every bar and still the ‘packed lunch’ of farmers and workmen which is a large thick round of bread dipped in olive oil, rubbed with ripe tomatoes and filled with a mix of tuna, onion, garlic, tomatoes and capers. In restaurants smaller ‘bruschetta’ or Italian bread with olive oil, garlic and tomatoes are served as appetizers. Thick vegetable minestra (soups) are frequently on the menu in homes and restaurants. Dried and fresh beans are another basic food. On most food shop counters, you’ll see Bigilla, a thick pate of broad beans with garlic

Night Life

The Island relies on tourism to support a large part of its economy, so there are many clubs, bars, restaurants, festivals, and happenings that all contribute to the exciting nightlife - which all cater to the tourists. For tourists who like music, there are several live concerts that take place in Malta all year round. To make the concerts even more special and memorable, many of them take place in outdoor theatres, which have beautiful scenery and backdrops. There are many nightclubs in Malta, some of which are great for people who love to dance. Top international DJs appear for guest weekends throughout the year. Paceville and St Julian's are the centre of the scene. For tourists who enjoy gambling or watching movies there are plenty of casinos and movie theatres on the island for late night entertainment.

Activities

Because the climate in Malta is so pleasant, it’s possible for families to take part in numerous outdoor activities. Kids can spend endless hours building sandcastles and digging holes in the sand. A tourist can choose to do anything from a wide variety of activities in Malta from diving, windsurfing, sailing, fishing to jet skiing, waterskiing to countryside walks. The island offers stunning views from dramatic cliffs plunging into the waves, lush valleys and gardens to mysterious prehistoric caves and secluded palaces of the Knights. Fishing is both an active industry and a sport for the Maltese Islanders. While fishing holidays are not organized formally on the Islands, there are local fishing boats and some charter companies in the harbor towns which arrange fishing trips on the sea.

Communications

The International access code to dial into Malta is +356. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code. Internet and phone services can be found in all major hotels and towns. Malta and Gozo has plenty of coin and card operated telephone boxes. The country is covered extensively by GSM 900 and GSM 1800 operators.

Contacts

alta Tourist Office, Valetta: +356 2123 7747 or www.visitmalta.com
Embassy of Malta, Washington DC, United States (also responsible for Canada): +1 202 462 3611
Malta High Commission, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7292 4800
High Commission for Malta, Canberra, Australia (also responsible for New Zealand): +61 (0)2 6290 1724
Malta Honorary Consulate, Johannesburg, South Africa: +27 (0)11 706 3052
Embassy of Malta, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 676 2340
United States Embassy, Valletta: +356 2561 4000
British High Commission, Valletta: +356 2323 0000
Canadian Embassy, Rome, Italy (also responsible for Malta): +39 (0)6 445 981
Australian High Commission, Valletta: +356 2133 8201
South African Embassy, Rome, Italy (also responsible for Malta): + 39 (0)6 852 541
Embassy of Ireland, Rome, Italy (also responsible for Malta): +39 (06) 697 9121
New Zealand Consulate, Valletta: +356 2143 5025
Emergencies: 112

Currency

Lm

Attractions

Interactive walkthrough and multimedia attractions give an overview of Malta’s history in under an hour. They are a fun and informative way to get to know the islands. You could find yourself watching the arrival of ‘the Knights of St John’ in Malta re-enacted with pomp and ceremony. In medieval ‘Mdina’, you’ll come across everything from Napoleonic troops to flower festivals. Children will enjoy activity and fun parks which include the old film set of ‘Popeye Village’. St.John’s Cathedral, The Palace of the Grand Master and The National Museum of Archaeology are some important places to visit.

Language

Maltese

Language Description

Maltese is the widely spoken language and it is also one of the official languages of the European Union too. Maltese along with English became the official language in 1936. Until then Italian was the official language of Malta. Italian and French are widely spoken and taught in secondary schools.

Tipping

If service charges are not included in the bill, a tip of 15% in hotels and 10% in restaurants are expected. All other services, including taxi drivers are tipped about 10%.