Travel

Malta

The small Mediterranean nation of Malta has had a momentous history, falling under the control of nearly every regional empire at some point or other. Most recently Malta was part of the British Empire before gaining independence in 1964.Malta’s capital is the walled city of Valletta, which contains many buildings, palaces,and cathedrals dating back from the 16th to 18th century, when the Knights of St. John founded and controlled the city.

Malta Accommodation
Accommodation in Malta is distinctly geared towards the package tourist market. The majority is made up of fairly uniform, non-descript resort hotels and apartments catering for the Brit abroad, but if you’re willing to stay a little off the main drag or in some of the smaller towns and villages you’ll see that accommodation in Malta does cover the whole spectrum.
Mainly due to the climate, camping has never taken off in Malta and so is not really an option. There are no official camping grounds and wild camping is illegal although tourists sleeping on the beach after a night out is not unheard of. If you’re after cheap accommodation on Malta, your best option is to stay in a guesthouse. These are normally fairly small, family run places rather like an English B&B. Most won’t have air-conditioning and toilets and showers will be shared, but the cheap price reflects this. Bear in mind that a lot of guesthouses are only open during the high season and close when the market is slow.

Malta Transportation
The Maltese Islands are not very large, which makes getting around relatively trouble-free.
The public bus service on Malta and Gozo is a good way to get around as buses serve the major tourist areas, go practically everywhere and are cheap and efficient. The cost of a bus route ranges from €0.35 to €0.58 and the longest bus journey takes about fifty minutes; the average ride is between twenty and thirty minutes
Renting a car is a good option if you want to get to the farther reaches of the island. All the road signs are in English and driving is on the left.
Major and local car hires are located on Malta and Gozo with daily rates of €16 - €28. International and national driving licenses are acceptable. A number of internationally based car hiring firms as well as local garages also offer the services of chauffeur-driven cars.
Renting scooters, motorbikes or mountain bicycles is an option, but travel this way can be somewhat limited as not all roads are two-wheel vehicle friendly.

Places to visit in Malta
Sliema , Sliema and the coastline up to neighbouring St Julian’s constitutes Malta’s main coastal resort. It is a centre for shopping, restaurants and caf’e life. Sliema is also a major commercial and residential area and houses several of Malta’s most recent hotels.
Sliema, which means `peace’, was once a quiet fishing town on the peninsula across Grand Harbour from Valletta. The town began to develop rapidly in the early 20th century as a summer resort for wealthier Valletta residents. Their elegant villas and town houses line the quiet, inland streets.
Gozo , Gozo is the second largest island of the group of islands that form the Republic of Malta. This island of approximately 31,000 inhabitants has a largely rural ambience. Besides a beautiful coastline and sandy beaches, the rest of the terrain is made up of craggy hilltops and lush valleys.Gozo is connected to Malta, the main island of the republic, only by ferries which ply regularly. A bridge connecting the two islands was not completed owing to protests from the Gozo inhabitants. The citizens of Gozo are fiercely protective of an identity unique from the rest of the country.
Mellieha, Mellieha is a large village in the north-western part of Malta, the largest island of the Republic of Malta. This village of approximately 7,500 inhabitants is a popular resort town in the summer.
Like the rest of the island, Mellieha too enjoys a warm climate with ample sunshine throughout the year. In July and August, the average temperature during the day is 30°C; winters are mild.

Food in Malta
Food in Malta may not rank as gourmet cuisine, but it is very reasonably priced and there are plenty of places to choose from. Beyond the proliferation of pizzerias, pasta houses and snack bars, there are occasional gourmet restaurants and a good range of places serving fresh fish. The latter can be anything from family-run seaside cafés to fully-fledged restaurants which entice you in with their tanks full of live lobsters. Menus are almost always translated into English.

Shopping in Malta
Malta is a genuine shopper’s haven which caters for shopping enthusiast of all kinds.  Whether you’re looking for international luxury brands, beautiful art works or antiques, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in Malta.  Below is a list of just a few of the many shops and Shopping Malls which can be found around the Maltese Islands.