Malta

Although small, Malta has a vast and rich history, with evidence for habitation going back to the Neolithic era (5th millennium BC). The country boasts the world's most ancient standing buildings (the Neolithic temples), and its strategic location and good harbours in the middle of the Mediterranean have attracted Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Crusaders, the French and finally the British, with the colonial period lasting until 1964.

The Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also known as the Knights Hospitallers and Knights of Malta, took over sovereign control of Malta in 1530, and by 1533 the Order had built a hospital at Birgu (one of the Three Cities) to care for the sick. In 1565, Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, mounted a great siege of Malta with a fleet of 180 ships and a landing force of 30,000 men. In response the Order, with only 8,000 defenders, drove the Ottoman Turks away after a hard siege of several months. After this siege, the Order founded the city of Valletta on a peninsula, and fortified it with massive stone walls, which even withstood heavy bombing during the Second World War. By 1575 the Order had built a new large hospital known as the Grand Hospital or Sacred Infirmary in order to continue with its primary mission of caring for the sick.

In 1798, the French under Napoleon, en route to Egypt, took the island on 12 June, without resistance, when the Grand Master of the Order capitulated after deciding that the island could not be defended against the opposing French naval force. French rule lasted a little over 2 years, until they surrendered to the British Royal Navy, under Admiral Nelson's command, in September 1800.

Great Britain annexed Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Malta became an important coaling station with the construction of the Suez canal but somewhat lost that role with the advent of ships with greater range.

The island was awarded the George Cross for its heroic resistance during the Second World War. An image of the cross is displayed on the flag. Malta has remained in the Commonwealth of Nations when it became independent from in 1964, despite becoming a republic a decade later, and became a member of the European Union in May 2004.

• Freedom Day, 31 March (1979)
• Sette Giugno, 7 June (1919)
• Feast of Our Lady of Victories, 8 September (1565)
• Independence Day, 21 September (celebrating gaining independence from the UK in 1964)
• Republic Day, 13 December (1974).

Malta's climate is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea and is similar to other Mediterranean climates. Winters are wet and windy. Summers are virtually guaranteed to be dry and hot. Temperatures range from a low of approximately 15 °C (59 °F) in December, January, February and March to highs of approximately 29 °C (84 °F) in June, July, August and September.

Mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains, with a coastline that has many coastal cliffs and numerous bays that provide good harbours. The highest point is Ta' Dmejrek (near Dingli) which has an elevation of 253 m (830 ft) above sea level.

• Visit Malta

The islands' sole airport is 🌍 Malta International Airport (MLA  ^IATA) (in Luqa). The airport is the main hub for flag carrier Air Malta and a base for Ryanair with numerous flights all around Europe and the Mediterranean countries. The airport is also served seasonally by numerous European airlines from their respective hubs, but increasingly flights are available year-round. 

Buses to various locations on the island (Valletta, Sliema, St. Julian's, etc.) are outside the terminal building. Ticket machines and schedules are by the bus station. As of February 2020, a ticket for one-way adult in summer is €2.00 (€1.50 in winter). It takes 30-70 min to get to Valletta or Sliema depending on traffic (which can be heavy).

Official Malta taxis have fixed rates to destinations. These rates should be described on a board in the arrivals halls.

There are frequent fast ferries to the Sicilian port of Catania (3 hours) and Pozzallo, Italy (90 minutes), but the seas can be turbulent with a heavy swell if it's windy. Usually the trip takes around twice as long on large passenger ships, but fares are lot cheaper, which makes it ideal for drivers of cars, trucks, or campers. Other destinations include Livorno, Salerno, Rome (Civitavecchia), Palermo, Genoa and Tunis. However, discount airlines like Ryanair, Wizzair, Windjet and Efly can be more convenient and the prices of their flights are often comparable to the cost of a boat trip.

Malta has been known for its potpourri of vintage buses of all brands and bodies, with additional unique custom decorations added. Those have mostly been retired (yet many remain preserved purely as antiques), and the bus system is operated using modern, air-conditioned buses.

The Malta Public Transport is the operator of the bus network across Malta. The bus system is notoriously slow, with bus lines doing many detours and buses often stuck in traffic jams, especially around 6PM. There are many bus routes that overlap around Valletta, however these may be sparse the further out one goes.

There exists a national public transport route planner at Malta Public Transport. The website also will point to the related “Tallinja” app. It is worth planning your journeys using the website or the app, especially as sometimes buses can be cancelled at the last minute and you need to consider another way of getting around.

A single ride fare is €2.00 in the summer (June through October), €1.50 in winter, and €3.00 at night, and you can buy the ticket directly from the driver. It allows you to travel within a two-hour period including changing lines (but doesn't allow returns) until you reach your destination.

Since 2021, it has been possible to use contactless MasterCard and Visa cards to pay for the fares, as well as cash.

If you plan to travel around Malta by bus extensively, you may want to purchase the Explore card. These allow the addition of various add on passes e.g. 4-day unlimited travel, 7-day unlimited travel, or a tourist orientated “Plus” add on. Do note that you have to enable these add-ons via the Tallinja smartphone app: whilst the staff at the Valletta bus station will sell you the physical Explore card and add on the necessary credit, as of August 2023, they will not be able to use the credit to activate the add-ons. Whilst the Tallinja app is available for iOS and Android, and is relatively easy to use, some assistance may be needed for tourists who either do not have a smartphone or are technologically challenged. It may be worthwhile to either activate roaming on your mobile phone, or get a cheap eSIM, to make the most of the app whilst one is out and about.

As of August 2023, the Plus add on is €79 per person. It offers unlimited Malta bus travel for 7 days, unlimited Gozo travel for 4 days (do note the clock on this 4 days travel starts at the same time as the rest of the card is activated!), a return trip on the Valletta to Gozo fast ferry, a Valletta harbour cruise (€20 by itself) from ISeeMalta, and 2 trips on the Valletta harbour ferries.

Do note some of the add-ons may not allow the use of some types of buses e.g. express buses. Do read the terms and conditions carefully.

Many lines depart from Valletta, which makes it almost always necessary to transit there. Buses are often full, especially on weekends, on the lines passing by the tourist spots. Hence, it is almost always impossible to board at another station than the first station - the bus won't even stop. With very low frequencies (most lines pass every 30, 60 or 90 minutes), you need to wait for the next bus, which can be full too. You may thus want to first head to the terminus (e.g. Valletta), even if it is your opposite direction, and then take the line in the direction you wish. For example, to go to Gozo from St. Julian's, first go back to Valletta (or Sliema Ferries, if using line 222), and then head towards Gozo.

At an end station, buses often change lines. Don't watch the bus number before it is fully stopped and empty of its passengers, as it can change its number at that time (e.g., a bus can arrive in Valletta numbered as 51, but then depart as number 53).

For tourists, a combination of the Explore Plus and a Heritage Malta pass may serve your needs. An alternative is the ISeeMalta combination tourist pass with access to sites as well as a few days of unlimited travel on their Hop On Hop Off circular route tourist buses. Do note though that the “HOHO” type tourist buses seem particularly poorly reviewed on TripAdvisor.

Malta's white taxis are the ones that can pick you up off the street. Figure on €15 for short hops and not much more than €35 for a trip across the island. There are now government-approved fares for taxis from the airport ranging from €10 to 30.

For cheaper airport transfers and local taxis try using one of the local "black cab" taxi firms such as eCabs, Peppin Transport (cheaper online prices), Malta Transfer airport shuttle, Transfers Malta, any.cab Malta Airport Transfers or Malta airport transfers with a high quality of service and online booking available. Their rates are normally lower than white taxis but their services must be prebooked (at least 15 minutes notice). The ride-share company Bolt also operates in Malta. Airport to Sliema cost aprox €19.

If you would like a taxi tour, it is a good idea to book it in advance with an agreed price and arrange to be picked up from your hotel or apartment. The tours are best kept short, around 3 to 4 hours should do it. In a car you will be able to cover Mdina, Rabat, Mosta, Valletta and the Blue Grotto. However, some people say that when visiting historical sights it is best to also hire a licensed tourist guide (who will wear their licence while on tour) and accuse taxi drivers of often giving inaccurate information.

Ride-hailing services like Uber, Bolt and Bonju are also available.

Renting a car in Malta is a fine way to see the country, since it's cheap and driving conditions have steadily improved greatly. Having your own car allows you to make a lot more of your trip and discover the many hidden charms these small islands have to offer. UK driving rules apply, with drivers keeping to the left side of the road.

Prebook your car rental online as this works out cheaper than booking when you arrive. According to the Mediterranean markets, Malta has very low rates for car rental. Any driver and additional drivers must take their driving licenses with them to be covered by the insurance policies provided by the local car rental supplier.

Car hire is available also at Malta International Airport with many leading brands such as Avis, Hertz, CityGo Rentals and Europcar having a car hire desk inside the airport.

There are also a number of local rental companies that operate on a meet-and-greet basis at the airport. Most of the time these companies provide more of a personalised service to the clients.

There is GPS coverage of the island by popular brands; however, do check with your rental company as to whether they make this available to you or not. Popular opinion states that the GPS mapping of Malta isn't altogether that accurate, where certain routes planned on the GPS, will send you up one-way streets without warning, best to use common sense in conjunction with this technology. Also, the Maltese can be a very friendly bunch of people when giving directions are concerned.

There are several ferry lines within the Valletta region, in particular linking Valletta to Sliema, and Valletta to Birgu (Vittoriosa - part of the Three cities). Malta Public Transport has bus links to Valletta Ferry Services which run the Valletta region services.

There is the regular ferry service between Ċirkewwa on Malta and Mġarr on Gozo, it goes every 45 minutes in the summer and almost as often in the winter (with lower frequencies in the evening, and very low frequency at night). You buy a return ticket at the Gozo end for €4.65 (no ticket required in Malta, though you can buy your return ticket from there, and save time in Gozo). The ferry is not strictly on time, and it can even depart before schedule.

There is also the passenger fast ferry from Valletta (Lascaris berths) to Gozo (Mgarr). These leave every hour, and take 45 minutes to complete the journey. There are special ferry bus services in Valletta to get passengers to the ferry, and similar bus services exist in Gozo. Note that whilst there are multiple websites for the fast ferry, this is due to the fact that the service is run jointly between multiple companies (as described the Maltese Government on this webpage). The definitive timetable exists at the Gozo High Speed website. For most tourists in Valletta this is likely the most convenient service to use.

There are tourist services to Comino. Some of the boats depart next to the terminal of the larger ferry, offering a return ticket for €15 (April 2023). One boat brings passengers to the Blue lagoon, then there is a choice - either return to the same ferry terminal or take another boat to Gozo. Both options are included in the ticket. There is no return trip from Gozo to Malta - use the regular ferry. Each trip takes around 10-15 minutes. The departures are hourly, from 09:00 to 17:00.

Renting a bike in Malta is not a very common and popular practice but it doesn't cost much, and offers enough flexibility to explore. Bicycle rental shops are present all over the island but it is always better to book them from beforehand via their websites so as not to be disappointed.

Cycling is an original and fun way of discovering Malta and Gozo, known for their very small size. It is a good idea to cycle on the west of Malta, in the areas of Dingli Cliffs and Fomm ir-Rih as they are far from congested cities and offer a pleasant view.

However, most roads in Malta are dangerous for cyclists; most Maltese motorists are not friendly towards cyclists and there are no bicycle lanes. It is best to stick to country roads making sure to rent mountain bikes as country roads can get bumpy and uncomfortable for city bikes. In summer, do not go cycling between 11:00 and 16:00 as the heat is unbearable.

The boat charter industry has grown considerably in Malta over the last few years. Malta's favourable tax regime for commercial yachting and its central location in the middle of the Mediterranean sea has meant that large, famous charter yachts – such as the Maltese Falcon and a whole range of small and midsized yachts – are now available for day and week charters. The Grand Harbour Marina has become the principal centre for bareboating (self-hire yacht chartering). It is the headquarter of such companies as Yachthelp and Navimerian Malta Yacht Charters.

As a tourist if you are wishing to see a lot of sites it may be worth getting a tourist card.

One card is the Heritage Malta Multisite Pass. For €50 (as of August 2023) you have entry into most of HM’s sites - the only exception is the Hypogeum which is worth seeing but needs to be booked in advance. This card can be paired with a Malta Public Transport pass to effectively get around and see all these sites.

An alternative is an ISeeMalta pass - this allows entrance to a similar (but not exactly the same) number of sites. The pass uses the ISeeMalta as the method of transportation.

It is worth comparing the passes, what’s available, and the prices to see what is most suitable for your needs. Note that the ISeeMalta buses are not well reviewed on TripAdvisor - however this may not be your experience if you choose to use it.

Malta is a great place to dive, with it being possible to dive all year round. The water temperature varies from a cool 14 °C (57 °F) in February/March to warm 26 °C (79 °F) in August. The visibility of water is generally high, making it a good place to learn diving as well.

The dive sites are close to shore. Consequently, most dives start there, making everything easier and cheaper. The dive sites include rocky reefs, some wrecks and cave diving (especially interesting is the dive in the Inland Sea in Gozo). There will tend to be more marine life during the warmer months, when you can hope to see tuna, octopus, moray eels, seahorses, fire worms, soft coral along with the usual sea grass and underwater ridges.

Being an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta offers up numerous amazing surf spots stretching all over the coastline. In the summer air temperatures average at 31˚C and sea temperature is a comfortable 25˚C, creating perfect conditions for spending hours in the clear blue ocean. Check out surf spots Ghallis, Palm Beach and St. Thomas, they are all close to the tourist centre of Malta on the north shore.

Christmas is a largely religious affair on the Maltese islands. This is because most Maltese people are Catholic. During the festive season, various Christmas cribs, or Presepji, as they're called in Maltese, can be seen on display in churches and shopping centres.

The Maltese people have many Christmas customs that are unique to the island. A very popular traditional Christmas dessert is Qagħaq tal-Għasel. These are light pastry rings filled with honey.

Malta uses the euro, like several other European countries. One euro is divided into 100 cents. The official symbol for the euro is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for the cent.

All banknotes and coins of this common currency are legal tender within all the countries, except that low-denomination coins (one and two cent) are phased out in some of them. The banknotes look the same across countries, while coins have a standard common design on the reverse, expressing the value, and a national country-specific design on the obverse. The obverse is also used for different designs of commemorative coins. The design of the obverse does not affect the coin's acceptability.

Major currencies other than the euro are not acceptable as an over-the-counter currency. In the past, they were widely accepted years ago and changed on the fly at restaurants and bars. So if you have dollars or pounds, it's best to change them at the plethora of exchange bureaus or banks across the island prior to going out.

Transportation costs are cheap by European standards. A weekly bus pass costs €25.

Food costs are reasonable, compared to western European capitals. Having a Maltese-sized pizza in a decent restaurant costs from €7 to €12. Snacks (sandwiches, burgers, pizza slices) can be bought from €1.50 to €5. A main course in a higher-level restaurant typically costs €20-30.

Accommodation is reasonably cheap by western European standards. A bed in a dorm can cost around €15, and a double room in rather cheap hotels around €40.

There are many small familyowned businesses in Malta. You might experience lack of servicemindedness by the children of these business owners, since it is traditionally the children that has to help out in the business, whether they like it or not.

Despite being a small island, there are many different beer brands to try:

Simonds Farsons Cisk (Farsons) are the main brewery in Malta and are based in Ħamrun. Malta is mainly known for Cisk (spelt Ċisk in Maltese with a dot above the "C"):

• Cisk. The main local beer (pronounced "Chisk") and, for a premium lager (4.2% by volume), it is very reasonably priced by UK standards. It has a uniquely sweeter taste than most European lagers and is well worth trying. (updated Dec 2023)

Other local beers, produced by Farsons are:

• Blue Label Ale. (updated Dec 2023)
• Hopleaf. (updated Dec 2023)
• 1565. (updated Dec 2023)
• Lacto (milk stout). (updated Dec 2023)
• Shandy. A typical British mixture pre-mixture of equal measures of lager and 7-Up. (updated Dec 2023)

Other beers have been produced in Malta in direct competition with Cisk such as '1565' brewed and bottled in the Lowenbrau brewery in Malta.

In late 2006 another beer was released in the market called "Caqnu".

A lot of beers are also imported from other countries or brewed under license in Malta, such as Carlsberg, Lowenbrau, SKOL, Bavaria, Guinness, Murphy's stout and ale, Kilkenny, John Smith's, Budweiser, Becks, Heineken, Efes, and many more.

Malta has two indigenous grape varieties, Girgentina and Ġellewza, although most Maltese wine is made from various imported vines. Maltese wines directly derived from grapes are generally of good quality, Marsovin and Delicata being prominent examples, and inexpensive, as little as €0.60–0.95 per bottle. Both wineries have also premium wines which have won various international medals. There are also many amateurs who make wine in their free time and sometimes this can be found in local shops and restaurants, especially in the Mgarr and Siġġiewi area. Premium wines such as Meridiana are an excellent example of the dedication that can be found in local vineyards.

In addition to producing alcohol, Farsons also produces Kinnie which is the signature soft drink of Malta. They also produce several soft drinks under licence including Pepsi.

• Kinnie. A local speciality in Malta, a non-alcoholic fizzy drink made from bitter orange (called "Chinotto orange") extract. It has a unique initially sweet and then very bitter flavour, so it is not for everyone but is worth a try. Most other varieties of soft drinks are produced locally under license as well. (updated Dec 2023)

The main Maltese nightlife district is Paceville (pronounced "pach-a-vil"), just north of St. Julian's. Young Maltese (as young as high school-age) come from all over the island to let their hair down, hence it gets very busy here, especially on weekends (also somewhat on Wednesdays, for midweek drinking sessions). Almost all the bars and clubs have free entry so you can wander from venue to venue until you find something that suits you. The bustling atmosphere, cheap drinks, and lack of cover charges make Paceville well worth a visit. The nightlife crowd becomes slightly older after about midnight when most of the youngsters catch buses back to their towns to meet curfew. Paceville is still going strong until the early hours of the morning, especially on the weekends.

Tap water in Malta tastes a bit salty compared to tap water elsewhere, though it does adhere to the EU's water safety standards. The saltiness is because almost all of the drinking water is obtained from the sea via large desalination plants on the west of the island or from the underground aquifer. It does not rain much on Malta and there are no inland lakes or rivers, so the sources of natural freshwater are limited.

Cooking tap water for tea or coffee does not help with the salty taste, so unless you have a means to distill the water by boiling and then condensing it, you'll have to make do with bottled water.

Buy some bottled water if you do not feel comfortable with the slightly salty taste of tap water. Some hotels will provide complimentary bottled water daily as part of your stay.

In 2021, Malta became the first country in the EU to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. However, while growing your own and social clubs for sharing are permitted, sale and public consumption remain prohibited.

The country has three mobile phone networks available: EPIC, GO Mobile, and Melita Mobile. Due to international agreements with providers around the globe, EPIC, GO and Melita are sure to be a part of your carrier's roaming plan. Malta uses GSM for its mobile services and alternatively, travellers can get a SIM card for their own unlocked smartphone to roam with.

The three mobile networks also offer eSIMs that can be purchased before arrival. There are also other providers which provide Malta-only and pan-EU eSIMs that are suitable for use.

Wi-Fi is almost always available in hotels and hostels, and many cafés and restaurants offer a free connection too. Additionally, there are some "Free Wi-Fi" zones around the island. The ferry from Malta Island to Gozo also offers free Wi-Fi.