Valletta

TRAVEL TIPS

Malta-is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast. It’s a nation known for historic sites related to a succession of rulers including the Romans, Moors, Knights of Saint John, French and British. It has numerous fortresses, megalithic temples and the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a subterranean complex of halls and burial chambers dating to circa 4000 B.C.

Trip Planning: The planning stage of your trip can be instrumental in its success and an enjoyable part of the experience itself. You have a world of options…and plenty to consider.

Entry and Exit formalities: Visitors must hold a passport valid for at least six months & beyond at the time of entering the country. Some nationalities can obtain visa on arrival and for nationalities who requires visa please refer to the Hungarian consulate website: https://www.vfsglobal.com/malta/gcc/uae/. Malta is part of the 26 Schengen State Countries.

Transportation: Figuring out how to get around is one of your biggest pre-trip decisions. Get our holiday expert best advice on deciding between your options. Based on your trip itinerary, our experts will help you choose wisely. You’ll also find a wealth of practical travel tips.

Money: Use your money wisely. Know the best time to use cash or card — and how to avoid unnecessary fees either way — as well as tipping etiquette, and how shoppers can take advantage of VAT refunds.

Phones and Technology: Phones and other smart devices can be huge time-savers…or expensive distractions. Get our tips for making the best use of technology during your trip, and for calling home with or without your own phone.

Packing Light: On your trip you’ll meet two kinds of travelers: those who pack light and those who wish they had.

Sleeping and Eating: Your hotel and restaurant choices can be a matter-of-face chore…or they can provide rich opportunities to connect with locals and their culture.

Health & Hygiene: Take comfort: Doctors, hospitals, launderettes, and bathrooms aren’t that different. Dealing with them can even be part of the fun of travel.

Sightseeing & Activities: Once you’re on the ground, the real fun begins…but it pays to have a thoughtful plan. Our experts will help you get oriented to your surroundings, use your sightseeing hours wisely, and find your way off the beaten path.

Things do & see:

The Maltese Islands– have been described as one big open-air museum. What makes them unique is that so much of their past is visible today. Delve into the Islands’ mysterious prehistory, retrace the footsteps of St. Paul or see where the Knights of St. John defended Christendom.

For a tempo and scene change from Malta itself, hop to the sister islands of Gozo and Comino.

Valletta-(or Il-Belt) is the tiny capital of the Mediterranean island nation of Malta. The walled city was established in the 1500s on a peninsula by the Knights of St. John, a Roman Catholic order. It’s known for museums, palaces and grand churches. Baroque landmarks include St. John’s Co-Cathedral, whose opulent interior is home to the Caravaggio masterpiece “The Beheading of Saint John.”

Gozo- an island in the Mediterranean Sea, one of 21 that make up the Maltese archipelago. Inhabited for thousands of years, it shows evidence of historic immigration and rule by the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Sicilians, French and British, among others. It’s known for its Neolithic Ġgantija Temple ruins, rural hiking paths, beaches and scuba-diving.

Comino-formerly called Ephaestia is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring 3.5 square kilometres in area.

Cospicua-the largest of the three cities and the newest. Among its main attractions are the impressive bastions built by the Knights of the Order of Malta as well as the Immaculate Conception Church, one of the most important churches in Malta, erected in honor of the country’s patron saint.

Mdina- also known by its titles Città Vecchia or Città Notabile, is a fortified city in the Northern Region of Malta which served as the island’s capital from antiquity to the medieval period.

Birgu, also known by its title Città Vittoriosa- is an old fortified city on the south side of the Grand Harbour in the South Eastern Region of Malta. The city occupies a promontory of land with Fort Saint Angelo at its head and the city of Cospicua at its base.

Victoria (also known as Rabat)– is the capital of Gozo Island, in Malta. It’s known for its medieval Citadel, with fortified walls. Within the Citadel, the Gran Castello Historic House is a folklore museum. Gozo Museum of Archaeology has prehistoric stone sculptures. Gozo Cathedral, with a richly painted ceiling, dates to the baroque era. Walls at the 16th-century Old Prison are covered in etchings by former inmates.

Senglea- also known by its title Città Invicta, is a fortified city in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It is one of the Three Cities in the Grand Harbour area, the other two being Cospicua and Vittoriosa, and has a population of approximately 2,720 people

Sliema– is a resort town on the east coast of the Mediterranean island of Malta. The waterfront features a long promenade and the 18th-century polygonal Fort Tigné in the south. To the north, St. Julian’s Tower is a 17th-century watchtower and battery. The baroque-inspired Stella Maris Church dates from the 1850s. On tiny Manoel Island is the star-shaped Fort Manoel, built by the Knights of St. John. 

Cospicua- also known by its titles Città Cospicua or Civitas Cottonera, is a double-fortified harbour city in the South Eastern Region of Malta. Along with Birgu and Senglea, it is one of the Three Cities, located within the Grand Harbour to the east of the capital city Valletta. 

Marsaxlokk- is a small, traditional fishing village in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It has a harbour, and is a tourist attraction known for its views, fishermen and history. As at March 2014, the village had a population of 3,534

Saint Paul’s Bay– is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, sixteen kilometres northwest of the capital Valletta. Saint Paul’s Bay is the largest town in the Northern Region and the seat of the Northern Regional Committee along with being the most populous town in Malta.

St. Julian’s is a seaside town in Malta. It’s known for beaches like Balluta Bay, a rocky stretch with a promenade and restaurants. Bars and nightclubs line the streets of Paceville, an area south of St. George’s Bay Beach. Spinola Bay has traditional fishing boats, plus Spinola Palace, a baroque mansion with a carved clock centrepiece on its facade. Portomaso Bay is home to a marina and luxury boutiques. 

Mellieħa– is a large village or small town in the Northern Region of Malta. It has a population of 10,087 as of March 2014. Mellieħa is also a tourist resort, popular for its sandy beaches and natural environment

Qawra– is a zone within St. Paul’s Bay in the Northern Region, Malta. It is located close to Buġibba and Salina, and it is a popular tourist resort, containing many hotels and restaurants. In around 1638, the Order of St. John built Qawra Tower at Qawra Point.

Żabbar, also known as Città Hompesch- is a city in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It is the sixth largest city in the country, with a population of 15,404 as of March 2014.

Mosta– is a small but densely populated city in the Northern Region of Malta. The most prominent building in Mosta is the Rotunda, a large basilica built by its parishioners’ volunteer labour.

Tarxien- is a town in the South Eastern Region of Malta. Its population stood at 8583 in March 2014. The town is most notable for the Tarxien Temples, a megalithic temple complex which is among the oldest freestanding structures on Earth. It forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Żebbuġ, also known by its title Città Rohan- is a city in the Southern Region of Malta. It is one of the oldest towns in the country, and its population is 11,903 as of March 2014.

Marsaskala, also spelt Marsascala- is a sea-side town in the South Eastern Region of Malta that has grown around the small harbour at the head of Marsaskala Bay, a long narrow inlet also known as Marsaskala Creek.

The Cittadella, also known as the Castello- is the citadel of Victoria on the island of Gozo, Malta. The area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, and the site now occupied by the Cittadella is believed to have been the acropolis of the Punic-Roman city of Gaulos or Glauconis Civitas.

Floriana- also known by its title Borgo Vilhena, is a fortified town in the South Eastern Region area of Malta, just outside the capital city Valletta. It has a population of 2,205 as of March 2014.

Gżira– is a town in the Central Region of Malta. It is located between Msida and Sliema, also bordering on Ta’ Xbiex. It has a population of 8,029 as of March 2014. The word Gżira means “island” in Maltese, and the town is named after Manoel Island which lies just adjacent to the town.

San Ġwann– is a town in the Central Region of Malta, with a population of 12,523 as of March 2014. Previous to its separate administration the town used to form part of two separate localities being Birkirkara and St. Julian’s.

Birżebbuġa– is a seaside town in the Southern Region of Malta, close to Marsaxlokk. It is approximately 8 miles from the capital Valletta, and it has a population of 9,736 as of March 2014. The town is popular among Maltese holiday makers, and it known for its sandy beach, Pretty Bay.

Pembroke-is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, and it is considered to be the country’s newest town. To the east is Paceville, the nightlife district of Malta. The coastal town and tourist hub of St. Julian’s lies to the southeast, and the residential area of Swieqi lies to the south. 

Qrendi– is a small village in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 2752 people as of March 2014. It is located close to Mqabba Żurrieq and Siggiewi. Within its boundaries are two well-known Neolithic temples called Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim. In this village two feasts are held annually.

Kalkara– is a village in the South Eastern Region of Malta, with a population of 3,014 as of March 2014. The name is derived from the Latin word for lime, and it is believed that there was a lime kiln present there since Roman times.

Marsalforn- also written as M’Forn for shortcut purposes, is a town on the north coast of Gozo, the second largest island of the Maltese archipelago. The town lies between the hill-top towns of Xagħra and Żebbuġ. Associated with this town there is also the bay of Qbajjar. The town forms part of the locality of Żebbuġ.

Gudja– is a village in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 3,148 as of March 2017. The village is located on high grounds, south of Valletta. It is administered by the Gudja Local Council. A number of schools, clubs, public gardens and recreations places are found around the village.

Rabat– is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 11,497 as of March 2014. It adjoins the ancient capital city of Mdina, and a north-western area formed part of the Roman city of Melite until its medieval retrenchment.

Msida-is a harbour town in the Central Region of Malta with a population of 8,545. The town is located just west of Valletta on the northeast coast of Malta. The town enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry, sunny summers and short, cool winters.

Fgura-is a town in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It has a population of 11,670 as of March 2014. Its northern fringes are bordered by the Cottonera Lines of fortifications while it merges with the towns of Żabbar to the east and Paola and Tarxien to the West.

Paceville- is a district in St Julian’s which is the main nightlife hub in Malta, being heavily populated with nightclubs, bars, stripclubs, pubs and restaurants. Paceville is located between Spinola Point and Dragonara Point, delimiting Spinola Bay and St. George’s Bay respectively.

Vittoriosa-a magical part of Malta. Lose yourself in its cobbled alleys as you take a relaxed stroll in the shade of the historic buildings and churches. Vittoriosa, besides boasting beautiful architecture that takes you back to the past, it is also a picturesque colorful city, full of flowers.

Mosta´s-parish church, The Sanctuary Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady, commonly known as the Rotunda of Mosta or the Mosta Dome, is a Roman Catholic parish church and Minor Basilica in Mosta, Malta, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary.

Ta´Qali- At the crafts village there are also food and beverage shops where you can sit back and relax after shopping.

San Anton-Botanical Garden. Formal gardens surrounding the San Anton Palace featuring walkways, fountains, sculptures & more.

Blue Grotto – a number of sea caverns on the southern coast of Malta, west of the Wied iz-Zurrieq harbour and across the small uninhabited islet of Filfla. The caverns mirror the brilliant phosphorescent colours of the underwater flore; other caverns show a deep dark shade of blue

Marsaxlokk-is a very popular attraction for tourists and locals because fresh fish and seafood caught during the same morning can be bought.

National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta Pinu- which is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine located 700 metres from the village of Gharb.

Crafts Centre-you will see stone works, marble, traditional food and local lace.

Victoria capital of Gozo-the name given in 1897 by the British government on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

Cittadella-also called The Citadel is on Malta’s tentative list of future World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, who describes it as a small fortified town. An old prison is located within the city, as are the Courts of Justice.

Mgarr Port via Qala Belvedere-where breathtaking scenes can be enjoyed.

Village of Qrendi– to visit the most complex and elaborated temples of Hagar Qim, Malta’s foremost prehistoric site, excavated for the first time in 1839. These temples stand on a hilltop offering breathtaking view of the sea and the islet of Filfla.

Wied iz-Zurrieq-where you will have the chance to take a boat trip that will take you to admire the Blue Grotto renowned for its azure sea.

Ghar Dalam – the prehistoric cave of Ghar Dalam, home of the first Maltese inhabitants