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 difficult siege lasting 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 ended with their surrender to the British Navy under Admiral Nelson, in September 1800.

Great Britain annexed Malta as a colony in 1813. 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, which is still displayed on their national flag. Malta was granted independence in 1964 and became a republic ten years later. Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and became a member of the European Union in 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 nation's sole airport is 1 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 from the Sicilian ports of Catania (3 hours) and Pozzallo (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 a lot cheaper, which makes it ideal for drivers of cars, trucks, or campervans. 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 bus network across the islands of Malta is operated by Malta Public Transport. In general, the busses are a quick way of getting around as the distances are generally short. Some lines have quite some detours tough. Around 18:00, buses may get stuck in traffic jams around the larger towns.

Plan your bus rides real-time on the national public transport route planner on Malta Public Transport website or using the “Tallinja” app. The website and app are trustworthy, more so than the paper schedules posted at bus stop or Google Maps. Real-time planning is recommended as busses are sometimes delayed, and sometimes pass by stops some minutes earlier.

On Malta island, many lines depart from Valletta, on Gozo, many depart from Victoria, so you will often transit in those hubs. Most lines have a frequency between once and twice an hour. Buses are sometimes full, especially on weekends on the lines passing by the tourist spots. In the worst case, you need to get to the first departure station to get in.

The easiest way to enjoy the public transport on Malta is buying a "Tallinja" week pass (€27 as of summer 2026) with which you can take any bus across the islands. There is also a 4-day pass for €21, which additionally covers the fast ferry between the islands. Those passes can be bought from vending machines found at the airport and bus terminals. A single bus ride fare is €2.50 in the summer (June through October), €2.00 in winter, and €3.00 at night. You can buy the ticket directly from the driver, paying contactless with MasterCard, Visa card, or cash (pay exact amount, as drivers are not allowed to give you change). It allows you to travel within a two-hour period including changing lines (but doesn't allow returns) until you reach your destination. You can use to pay for the fares.

More information about fares and and multi-day and week-passes is found on the Malta Public Transport website.

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.

The ride-share companies Bolt and Uber also operate in Malta. Airport to Sliema cost approx €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.

Renting a car in Malta is a fine way to see the country, since it's cheap and driving conditions are good. 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: drive on the left side of the road.

Booking your car rental online is cheaper than booking on arrival. Compared to the rest of the Mediterranean, Malta has very low rates for car rental. Any driver and additional drivers must take their driving licences 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: several international and some local brands have desks inside the airport. There are local rental companies that operate on a meet-and-greet basis at the airport. Most of the time these companies provide a more personalised service to the clients.

There is GPS coverage of the island; however, check with your rental company as to whether they make this available to you or not. 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. It is 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 practice but it doesn't cost much, and offers 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 a fun way of discovering Malta and Gozo. 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. Rent a mountain bike for this. 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. It allows entrance to a similar (but not exactly the same) number of sites. The pass uses the ISeeMalta's Hop On Hop Off circular tourist bus routes 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. The ISeeMalta buses are not well reviewed on TripAdvisor, but you may have a better experience.

There are a number of great annual festivals worth attending.

Valletta Carnival - February/March

Malta Carnival national activities will be held in Valletta and Floriana. Dance and costume competitions will take place in the capital and Floriana followed by defiles which include triumphal floats, bands, grotesque masks and lots of dance. Malta Carnival is an unforgettable experience of fun, colour, art and merriment.

Village Feasts - If you visit Malta in summer, be sure you visit one of the town/village feast. Every town or village has at least one feast dedicated to a saint. The feast usually lasts for one week (in most cases from Monday to Sunday), with its peak being usually on Saturday. During this week, the village or town will be decorated with several ornaments and works of art such as statues, lights and paintings on tapestry. In most cases, the feast would also be furnished with fireworks, both air and ground (which are quite spectacular and rather unique to Malta). In most cases, the ground fireworks are presented the day before the actual feast day late at night. There are differences between one village feast and another, and some are more attractive and more famous than others. Some of the most famous feasts are those of Our Lady of the Lily in Mqabba (third Sunday of June), Saint Philip in Zebbug (second Sunday of June), Mount Carmel in Zurrieq (Sunday before the last of July), Saint Mary of Imqabba, Qrendi, and Ghaxaq (on the 15 August), Saint Catherine of Żurrieq (first Sunday of September) and the Nativity of Our Lady in Naxxar (on the 8 September).

During the month of April, a fireworks contest occurs in the Valletta/Floriana area, where different fireworks factories compete with each other exhibiting their finest works both ground fireworks and air fireworks. It is spectacular and above all it's free to attend to.

Wine Festivals - Quite a few wine festivals are organised during summer, two of which are organised in Valletta and one in Qormi. It is a great experience to taste several Maltese wines at very cheap prices. (In the Qormi festival (September) and Delicata wine festival (August), you buy a €10 cup, and you can drink as much as you like; in the Marsovine wine festival (July), you buy a cup and 14 tokens for €10). A beer festival (July–August) is also organised in Ta' Qali.

Malta Folk Festival - (Next event planned for 27-29 Sept 2024) is a 3-day event of Maltese and international folk music, including Maltese folksongs (għana), Maltese songwriters and folk ensembles, together with guest folk musicians from neighbouring Mediterranean countries. Għanafest also hosts a series of workshops on traditional instruments and a special programme for children, and is complemented by traditional Maltese food and the marvelous surroundings of the Argotti Botanical Gardens in Floriana.

Malta Jazz Festival - July

The Malta Jazz Festival has a special place in Malta’s cultural calendar, attracting great stars of the international jazz scene to Malta. It has become a hub for the exchange of musical experience – an encounter between musicians of international fame and gifted local artists. The magnificent setting of the historic Ta’ Liesse wharf in Valletta’s Grand Harbour makes the Malta Jazz Festival a uniquely memorable experience.

Malta Arts Festival - July

The Malta Arts Festival is the highlight of Malta’s cultural calendar – a showcase of diverse top quality theatre, music and dance performances, and offers something from almost all artistic forms, including collaborations between Maltese and foreign artists.

The festival events are held in various venues in and around Valletta, mostly open-air, taking advantage of Malta’s cool summer evenings. The festival’s joint performances and workshops, together with its specially commissioned works, enhance local artistic development and provide impetus for cultural innovation.

Notte Bianca - September/October

Notte Bianca is held annually in Valletta and is a spectacular, night-long celebration of culture and the arts. State palaces, historic buildings and museums open their doors almost all night, playing host to visual art exhibitions and music, dance and theatre performances. Streets and squares become platforms for open-air activities, and many cafes and restaurants extend their hours and run pavement stalls. All areas of the capital city, from the entrance gate to the far end of the peninsula are involved and all events are free of charge.

Isle of MTV Malta Festival - Held annually in June or July at the Fosos square in Floriana, it is the largest open-air free concert in Europe. Worldwide acclaimed artists take the stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 50,000 people.

Christmas in Malta

Christmas is a largely religious affair on the Maltese islands. This is because most Maltese people are Roman Catholics. During the festive season, various Christmas cribs, or Presepji, as they're called in Maltese, can be seen on display in or around 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 country-specific design on the obverse. The €2 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. The Lombard Bank doesn't charge any ATM withdrawal fee.

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 family-owned businesses in Malta. You might experience lack of servicemindedness by the children of these business owners, since traditionally the children must help out their parents whether they like it or not.

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

Simonds Farsons Ċisk (Farsons) are the main brewery in Malta and are based in Ħamrun. Malta is mainly known for Ċisk:

Ċisk (pronounced "chisk"). The main local beer, a premium lager (4.2% by volume), 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 Ċisk 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.

Farsons also produces Kinnie which is the signature soft drink of Malta. They also produce several soft drinks under licence including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Fanta and many others.

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 licence as well. (updated Dec 2023)

The main Maltese nightlife district is Paceville (pronounced "pach-e-vil"), just north of St. Julian's. Maltese youths (as young as high school-age) come from all over the island to let their hair down, hence it gets very busy and hectic 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.