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Facts
The Maltese islands, situated almost at the centre of the Mediterranean, offer the attraction of clear blue waters, secluded bays and sandy beaches while, in the towns, medieval walled citadels and splendid baroque churches and palaces reflect the rich history of the islands.
Exploring the chasm-like streets of Valleta's old town is a real experience. The sheer buildings are festooned with stone balconies, wooden shutters and a tangled web of telegraph wires.
Guarding the harbour are two gargantuan fortresses, St.Elmo and Ricasoli (which you may have seen graphically enhanced for Ridley Scott's Gladiator). If you're not looking up in Valletta, then you'll probably be looking down, at the tombstones of the Knights of the Order of St John in St John's Cathedral.
Strung between Sicily and Tunisia, the archipelago of Malta comprises of three major islands (Malta, Gozo and Comino). The inhabitants of these islands have inherited a culture that sits somewhere between European and North African.
Every church in Malta celebrates its patron saint with vigor. Fiestas spring up with near-pagan regularity, and usually entail a whirl of banners, parades and the gobbling of pastizzi, the ubiquitous savoury pastries.
As well as being a hotspot for history buffs and sun-worshippers ( Gnejna beach is one of the best), New Age explorers pay homage to the well-endowed fertility goddesses, locally dubbed the Fat Ladies, found in mysterious temples dotting the serene island of Gozo.
In recent years Malta has become popular as a film location, the Hollywood of the Mediterranean. Films that have been made there include Brad Pitt's Troy, Madonna's Swept Away and Russell Crow's Gladiator.
Visas
Malta will be joining the EU at the start of May 2004. Currently there is no requirement for a VISA to travel to Malta, however you will need a valid passport with 6 months validity and also a return ticket.
Check www.gov.mt for further details.
Currency
The local currency is the Maltese Lira (Lm) = 100 cents = 1000 mils. Notes are in the denomination of Lm20, 10, 5 and 2. Coins are in denomination of Lm1, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.
Money can be changed at banks, bureaux de change, some hotels, and larger shops and restaurants. Automated foreign exchange machines and ATMs are available at various locations across the island. The two key banks are Bank of Valetta (BOV) and HSBC. N.b. that if you are a HSBC account holder, there is still a charge for withdrawing money from an ATM.
Time & Date
GMT + 1 hr
Area Code
+ 356
Getting Around
Malta has some of the cheapest car hire rates in Europe. Prices start from Lm4.50 per day including mileage and insurance. Petrol: 1 litre - 25c3mils (lead-free) Diesel : 1 litre - 16c5 mils. A number of internationally- based car hiring firms as well as local garages offer the services of self-drive as well as chauffeur-driven cars. Malta is a left hand driving country with speed limits of 80 km/h on main roads 50 km/h in residential zones.
Taxis are also available from the airport and hotels.
Malta also has a well known bus network that covers the entire island. The buses are old; many dating back to the 1950's, however with the move into the EU later this year, Malta's buses are slowing being modernized particularly to ensure that they are under pollution regulations.
Business Hours
English is widely spoken in business circles and, on the whole, Maltese business people have a conservative approach to business protocol. Punctuality is expected and appreciated and dress must be smart. The best months for business visits are October to May. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1245 and 1430-1730, Sat 0830-1200. Some smaller offices close 1300-1600, opening again later.
Bank Holidays 2004
New Year's Day- 1st January, St Paul's Shipwreck- 10th February, St Joseph- 19th March, Freedom Day- 31st March, Good Friday- variable, Worker's Day- 1st May, Sette Giugno- 7th June, St Peter & St Paul- 29th June, The Assumption- 15th August, Our Lady of Victories- 8th September, Independence Day- 21st September, Immaculate Conception- 8th December, Republic Day- 13th December, Christmas Day- 25th December
Local Voltage
240 volts AC, 50Hz, UK style three pin plug
Language
Maltese, English, Italian
Climate
Warm most of the year, with the hotter months between July and September. Rain fall is light, mainly during the winter months. Temperatures range from 12 to 31° C with an average annual temperature of 18° C.
Fares
British Airways serves Malta from London, Gatwick with a daily service. Air Malta serves Malta from London, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted as well as other regional cities in the UK. Air fares are seasonable and it is advisable to book early, particularly for the summer months.
Sightseeing
The Maltese archipelago is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean, with the largest inhabited island, Malta, lying 93km (58 miles) south of Sicily and 290km (180 miles) from North Africa. Gozo and Comino are the only other inhabited islands. The landscape of all three is characterized by low hills with terraced fields. Malta has no mountains or rivers. Its coastline is indented with harbors, bays, creeks, sandy beaches and rocky coves. Gozo is connected to Malta by ferry and is more thickly vegetated, with many flat-topped hills and craggy cliffs. Comino, the smallest island, is connected to Malta and Gozo by ferry and is very sparsely populated.
Valletta: The town was built at the end of the 16th century by the Knights of St John as the island's new capital and, more importantly, as a fortress commanding an impregnable position over the peninsula. The city developed around what is now Republic Street, Old Bakery Street and Merchants Street, the latter containing some of the finest examples of Maltese-style Baroque architecture in the islands. The Co-Cathedral of St John has an austere exterior, but the interior is a sumptuous mixture of gilded tracery, marble mosaic floors and a lapis lazuli altar behind which is a remarkable marble group of the Baptism of Christ. The painting by Caravaggio of the beheading of St John is in the Oratory. The Grand Master's Palace in Republic Street was built 500 years ago as the abode of the Grand Master of the Order of St John, and contains a series of paintings depicting the great siege of 1565, painted by a pupil of Michelangelo, and a group of tapestries originally designed for Louis XIV. The palace also houses an armoury which has one of the best collections in existence. The Manoel Theatre, named after one of the most popular Grand Masters, is the second-oldest theatre in Europe and stages performances of opera, theatre, music and ballet between October and May. The National Museum of Fine Art, housed in an 18th-century palace, has a collection of furniture, paintings and treasures connected with the Knights of St John. The Church of Our Lady of Victories, built in 1566, is the oldest church in Valletta and was built to commemorate the victory over the Turks. At the nearby Auberge de Provence is the National Museum of Archaeology, which has exhibits from the area dating back to prehistory. The town also has a bustling market in the Floriana suburb on Sunday mornings and another one in Merchants Street from Monday to Saturday.
Sliema: Sliema lies facing Valletta. It is a large, modern cosmopolitan town bustling with hotels, shops, cafés, cinemas, restaurants, bars, clubs and discos. The shoreline here is rocky, but is nevertheless good for bathing. The neighboring St Julian's is also a lively and popular resort area.
Mdina: Mdina is perched on a high plateau towering over the rest of the island. It was once Malta's capital and the citadel is one of the finest surviving examples of a medieval walled city. The town is entered by a stone drawbridge which leads to a maze of narrow streets, lined with churches, monasteries and palaces, connected by tiny piazzas. Of particular interest is the Norman-style Palazzo Falzon which has a collection of antique weapons and pottery, a cathedral, and a museum that still houses a magnificent collection of art treasures; survivals from the sacking which the town suffered at the hands of the French in the 18th century. From Bastion Square the visitor has a breathtaking view of the surrounding fields and villages, and also of St Paul's Bay.
Rabat: Rabat has fine Baroque churches, St Paul's and St Agatha's Catacombs and the Roman Villa. There are many interesting walks within close proximity to the town, such as the Chadwick Lake, Dingli Cliffs and Verdala Castle overlooking Buskett Gardens, the only wooded area in Malta.
On the southwest shore is the Blue Grotto where, legend reports, sirens bewitched seafarers with their songs. Four caves reflect 0the brilliant colours of the corals and minerals in the limestone. The most spectacular is the Blue Grotto itself, which is best viewed in the early morning with a calm sea. Buses run to an embarkation point in Valletta where a boat can be taken to the caves.
Elsewhere: Within close proximity to Paola are the archaeological sites of Tarxien, with its Neolithic temple; Hypogeum, a complex of ancient underground burial chambers on three levels dating back 3000 years; and Ghar Dalam (Dark Cave) where the remains of now extinct birds and animals such as dwarf hippos and elephants have been found. Hagar Qim on the south of the island is a neolithic temple dating back 3000 years and constructed from huge closely-fitting stones decorated in a very ornate style.
Typical Maltese fishing communities such as Marsaxlokk, Birzebbugia and Marsacala are sprawled along the coves and inlets at the southernmost tip of Malta. Fishing nets and colorfully painted boats crowd the waterfronts and each day's fresh catch can be eaten at the family-run taverns. Also at Marsaxlokk is the recently discovered Temple of Juno which was originally used by the Greeks as a place of worship to the goddess of fertility.
Resorts: The most popular beach area is along the north coast where sandy beaches are plentiful and the clear waters here are ideal for sailing, skin-diving and water-skiing. The best beaches are at Paradise Bay, Golden Bay, Mellieha Bay, Armier Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, all of which are very popular during the summer and pleasantly quiet during spring.
Gozo & Comino: -
Gozo: Gozo is Malta's sister island and the second-largest of the archipelago. The landscape consists of flat-topped hills, steep valleys and rugged cliffs and villas that nestle among peach, lemon, olive and orange groves. In spring the island comes ablaze with the flowering hibiscus, oleander, mimosa and bougainvillaea. Some of the local crafts (lace and knitwear) are sold from the doorways of houses and on the street.
Victoria: The capital of Gozo is Victoria (also known as Rabat), built by the Arabs on Castle Hill, which offers the visitor panoramic views of the whole island. The cathedral has no dome, but inside a trompe l'oeil painting on its ceiling gives the illusion of a dome. There is also a cathedral museum.
The Museum of Archaeology contains Roman remains from a shipwreck on the island and items excavated from the neolithic temple at Ggantija.
Elsewhere on Gozo: Other places of interest on Gozo include the Citadel ('Gran Castello'), with its historic bastions and old houses (one of them set up as a folk museum). There are alabaster caves at Xaghra, with stalactites and stalagmites. These underground caves are known as Xerri's Grotto and Ninu's Grotto. The basilica at Ta'Pinu, near the village of Gharb, is one of the most beautiful of Maltese churches and an official Vatican place of pilgrimage. Xewkija is a small town with a beautiful new church, built round the old parish Church of St John the Baptist.
Resorts: The waters surrounding the island are unpolluted and crystal clear. The most important beaches are il-Qawra (better known as the inland sea, with a secluded pebbly bathing pool, crystal clear water and sheer cliffs), an unspoilt sandy beach known as Ir-Ramla il-Wamra and Xlendi Bay. In summer there are numerous festivals with fireworks and horseracing in the streets. Marsalforn is a fishing village on the north coast which has become one of Gozo's most popular seaside resorts
Comino: The island of Comino, thick with wild herbs (particularly cumin), lies between Malta and Gozo and is inhabited by probably no more than a dozen farmers. Paths which wind through the unusual rock formations provide the only communication links and the island is ideal for anyone seeking a very quiet holiday. A few sandy coves and small bays, such as Blue Lagoon, are the main attractions
Restaurants
Food and drink:
The Maltese food is the result of the interaction between the cultures of the island people and their successive conquerors. It is rustic and mostly based on season products and sea food.
Most of the classic recipes include tart base, which they fill up with vegetables, cheeses, fish, meat, rice or pasta, creating flavorful and abundant meals. Among these are the lampuki tart -fill in with fish, spinach, cauliflower, goat cheese and hazelnuts- and pastizzi, a delight of ricota and egg in fila mass.
Due to the lack of firewood ovens, the Maltese developed a slow baking process in which they put the food in mud vessels over a hot stone called kenur, which derived in a predilection by stews and pottage's - the rabbit stew with wine and herbs is highly recommended-. Another extended way of food preparation is the filling of meats and sea fruits, like the stuffed octopus in hot tomato sauce, or stuffed chicken cooked on a bed of potatoes, onions, garlic and herbs.
The Maltese wines are not expensive, and there are some of very good quality, as well as their beers. The wines of the Gozo Island tend to be a little more robust.
Hotels
Malta has many magnificent hotels with all the key chains represented.
For top quality hotels, the following are ideal for both location and quality.
Hiton Malta, Portomaso *****
The Hilton Malta is situated in Portomaso, a unique new waterfront complex in St Julian's. There are 294 rooms, and many excellent restaurants, including the famous London Thai Restaurant Blue Elephant.
Westin Draganara, St Julian's *****
Situated on it's own peninsula, with stunning sea views. There are 331 rooms and 5 restaurants and health club.
Xara Palace, Mdina *****
This is a unique hotel in the citadel of Mdina, Malta's ancient capital. The rooms have been restored with great care and patience to the opulence and charm of former centuries.
San Lorenz Hotel, Gozo *****
This is a resort hotel run by the Kempinski group. The sports facilities are exceptional with two squash courts, two floodlit tennis courts, indoor workout and well equipped gym. Indoor and outdoor pool.
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