Why Malta?

General Information

We have compiled some basic information that you may find useful for your holiday with us in Malta

Electricity

The electrical supply is 240 volts, 50 hertz. The three-pin rectangular plug system is used, as in Britain. Adapters are very easy to find.

Currency, Credit Cards & Banks

Malta adopted the Euro in Jan 2008

Banks are normally open between 08.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and up to 11.30 a.m. on Saturday. Some banks work longer hours. Summer and winter opening hours may differ.
Exchange bureaux at Malta International Airport are open 24 hours a day. International bank cards are accepted and foreign currency is easily exchanged. Banks, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and exchange bureaux can be found all over the Islands.

Many hotels and larger shops and restaurants accept foreign currency. Exchange rates offered by hotels, restaurants and shops may not be as competitive as those available at banks.

Most hotels and restaurants, as well as many shops, accept Access, Carte Blanche, Diners Club International, Mastercard and Visa.

Health

Malta has an excellent health service. Hospitals are modern and supported by a regional network of health centres. Travellers do not normally require certificates of vaccination or insulation to enter the Maltese Islands. It is advisable to take out a personal medical insurance policy. Malta has reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom. Nationals of these countries, visiting the Islands for no longer than one month, are entitled to free medical and hospital care in both Malta and Gozo. Tap water is safe to drink.

Sun Bathing

The Maltese Archipelago lies virtually at the centre of the Mediterranean and has latitude more southerly than that of Northern Tunisia. You are therefore advised to take precautions to ensure you avoid over exposure to the sun. Even in winter it is advisable to wear a suitable factor sunscreen for your skin type. This is important if you are out walking or taking part in water sports.

Swimming

The Maltese coastal waters are generally clean and safe for swimming as there are no tides. Some bays are exposed to north and north-easterly winds from time to time which do produce some strong undercurrents at times.

Time Zone
Malta is on Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT in winter and 2 hours ahead between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October. Malta is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) in winter and 7 hours ahead between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October.
www.visitmalta.com

“Sandra’s & Dave’s Malta“

Neither of us are professional tour guides, and even with a combined 15 years of experience holidaying and working in Malta we certainly still don’t know everything. However, we’ve had a go here at composing a kind of “mini-guide” of what we consider some of Malta’s highlights – and it thus claims neither to be complete nor to be objective, and you may notice there are a lot of recommendations regarding where to have nice coffee breaks… J We have added a number of links to websites about the major sites and attractions, and further information (e.g. bus routes). We hope you’ll enjoy reading and surfing!

Valletta:

The historic city centre of Valletta, the Maltese capital, has certainly enough attractions for a multi-day trip. However, it is perhaps not everybody’s thing to visit everypalace and every museum – apart from the required time to undertake such attempt. Therefore, we have just listed a few points of interest that we consider the most outstanding. We also believe that one may learn perhaps more about this old city if you take the time to stroll in a “aimless” manner through the streets – there are more than enough little cafes, and you also cannot really get lost: Valletta is confined on three sides by the sea (the harbour), and on the forth side there is a rather thick medieval city wall… So getting lost will end in either a splash or a thump depending on direction…

St. John’s Co-Cathedral: directly on the main shopping street that crosses Valletta (Republic Street / corner St John’s Square); all around it are large street cafes and many shops.
St. Pauls’s Shipwreck Church: the entrance is a bit hidden within the house front in St. Lucia Street and from the outside not easily recognizable as a church.
Upper & Lower Barracca Gardens: these small parks are located on the upper and the lower “end“ of Valletta, and they do not only offer very pretty views over the Grand Harbour and the old city quarters on the other side, but they are also the perfect starting (and ending) point for the aforementioned “planless strolls“ across Valletta.
Archeological Museum (also directly on Republic Street): Very interesting for the understanding of Malta’s early history – not only for museum enthusiasts and days of bad weather! Opening hours: Mon-Sun 9:00-19:00; Entrance fee: EUR 5,- / 3,50 for students and senior citizens).
Harbour Cruise: Although we haven’t done it ourselves, the harbour cruise around the Grand harbour and other inlets has been recommended by various people. Tours start from various locations and tickets are available from most hotels. For various different excursions around the islands,http://www.captainmorgan.com.mt/cruises.htm seems to have a good reputation.

Mdina:

In a way, for Mdina applies the same as for Valletta: one can visit every palazzo and church, one can just stroll across the narrow streets of this ancient “silent city“ – or one con do a bit of both... And one shouldn’t forget that the “living” part of the city, Rabat, which lies outside the city walls, does also have something interesting to offer. Besides a good hour’s city stroll and a visit of Mdina’s baroque cathedral, we can e.g. recommend a coffee (and cake, admit it Sandra!) break at the Café Fontanella which is located directly on and beneath the city walls, and a visit to the St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 9:00-17:00; Entrance fee: EUR 5,- / 3,50 for students and senior citizens).

Hagar Qim & Mnajdra:

For these app. 5,000 years’ old temple complexes located in Malta’s south, it was recommended in the past to visit them either in the morning hours or late afternoon in order to avoid the greatest heat around noon time in this very open and unprotected area. However, since last year (2009) both temple complexes are covered by large, “futuristic”-looking sun sails which protect not only the archaeological remains, but also its visitors... Therefore, you can now take your time to visit the place without “roasting” – only the app. 10-15 min long path connecting the two sites is exposed, and we would recommend a bottle of water, and, some sun protection, particularly for sensitive skins and small children (Note: this site is a bit of a difficult terrain for baby prams except some “robust” NASA Approved ‘off road’ buggies:). Opening hours: Mon-Sun 9:00-17:00; Entrance fee: Eur9,- / 6,50 for students and senior citizens.