Malta

The Maltese archipelago lies virtually at the centre of the Mediterranean, with Malta 93km south of Sicily and 288km north of Africa. The archipelago consists of three islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino with a total population of 400,000 inhabitants over an area of 316sq km and a coastline of 196.8km (not including 56.01 km for the island of Gozo).

Malta is the largest island and the cultural, commercial and administrative centre. Gozo is the second largest island and is more rural, characterized by fishing, tourism, crafts and agriculture while Comino is largely uninhabited.

With superbly sunny weather, expansive beaches, a thriving nightlife and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do. With a little help from any guidebook, captivating places of interest are immediately identified - the world famous Hypogeum selected as a place of World Heritage by UNESCO, prehistoric temples and grand palaces are but a few.

The long relationship between the Islanders and the various nationalities that occupied Malta over the centuries has created a marriage of styles and traditions, giving the Islands a fascinating eclectic culture.

Getting Here

Situated in the heart of the Mediterranean, the Maltese islands are within 4 hours reach from all major European Capitals in Europe. Air Malta is the national airline and flies regular scheduled flights between major European destinations, and the North of Africa.

Apart from Air Malta, British Airways, Ryanair, Lufthansa, Emirates, Alitalia, Air France and other major low cost carries all fly to Malta, thus making the island easily accessible.

However not only for Europeans can benefit from these but also for transatlantic passengers wishing to make the journey can benefit from excellent flights connections to Malta through Heathrow and Frankfurt with British Airways or Lufthansa.

Visa Requirements

Members of the European Union, the Commonwealth and visitors from the United States do not require a visa to enter Malta.

Language

The official languages are Maltese and English. Maltese is a language of Semitic origin written in the Latin script. Over the centuries, it has incorporated many words derived from English, Italian and French. Italian is also widely spoken.

Getting Around

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 €20- €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.

A regular ferry service links Malta to Gozo, taking about 20 minutes each way. A sea plane service links Grand Harbour in Valletta to Mgarr Harbour in Gozo. There are also regular boat services between each island and Comino.

Weather

Malta's climate is strongly influenced by the sea and is typical of the Mediterranean. The Islands have a very sunny climate with a daily average of five to six hours sunshine in mid-winter to around 12 hours in summer.

Winters are mild, with the occasional short chilly period brought about by the north and north-easterly winds from central Europe.

Summers are hot, dry and very sunny. Day-time temperatures in summer are often mitigated by cooling sea breezes, but in spring and autumn a very hot wind from Africa occasionally brings unseasonally high temperatures and humidity. This is known as the Sirocco, or, in Maltese, the Xlokk - this wind affects Greece and Italy as well; in Malta the air is generally drier because of the short sea track from the African coast.

Annual rainfall is low, averaging 568mm a year, and the length of the dry season in summer is longer than in neighbouring Italy. Sea bathing is quite possible well in to the 'winter' months, and the peak beach season can last until mid- to late October.

Nightlife

Malta is said to have some of the best nightlife in the Mediterranean, very much on par with Greece and the Balearic islands. Numerous concerts and open air parties are held in Malta every year, with such acts as MTV, Maroon 5 Enrique Inglesias, and Brian Adams to name a few that have visited the islands.

Visitors are free to walk around the streets at night, as they are relatively safe.

Currency

The local Maltese currency is the lira, and is equivalent to Euros 2.33. As from the 1st January 2008, Malta will convert to the Euro currency.

Local Cuisine

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 marriage of tastes has given Malta an eclectic mix of Mediterranean cooking. Many popular Maltese specialities are Italian/Sicilian or Moorish in origin.

Maltese cuisine is, nowadays, still popular in households and restaurants in Malta, but is by no means the main gastronomical form present on the island. Rather, it is a traditional form of cuisine, which was prepared more exclusively in the past centuries, and which has now become a part of a much more varied diet followed by the Maltese people. Indeed, the Maltese enjoy a Mediterranean diet, with heavy Italian influences. However, for the purpose of this article, Maltese cuisine is seen to be the more traditional form of Maltese cooking, which is still present in the island, but which has now been joined by other different types of cuisine and influences, which are also an integral part of the Maltese diet.

Time Difference

Malta is one hour ahead of GMT.

Diving in Malta

Diving in Malta is very popular throughout the year due to the excellent climate.With high underwater visibility - usually 25-30 meters - you can see what's around and there's always quite a bit! The fish life is considered the best in the Mediterranean and, added to this, the number of diveable wrecks and the ease of it all combine to make diving in Malta a cut above the rest.