maltese islands tourist guide

8/9/2019 Maltese Islands Tourist Guide

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T H E M A LT E S E I S L A N D S

Tourist Guide

The Mediterraneans best kept secretM A L T A G O Z O C O M I N O


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Mdina: Bus N 80, 81, 84Maltas old capital, characterisedby mediaeval, as well as baroquearchitecture. Mdina Cathedraldominates the main square andcharacterizes the town with itsunique skyline. From the citysbastions one can absorb the pano-ramic view of Maltas north andeastern landscape.

San Anton Garden: Attard BusN 40, 80, 81, 84A historic garden that originatedas part of a summer residenceof one of the Knights of St. John.The building behind the gardensinner gate also served as theresidence of the British Governorand is presently the ofcial resi-dence of the President of Malta.The main garden, with its exoticplants, was opened to the publicin 1882.

Buskett: a 20-minute walk fromRabat, or from Dingli.Buskett is the largest tree grovein the Maltese Islands. It sur-rounds the historic VerdalaCastle built by Grand Master Ver-dalle in 1588. The Palace serves as

the ofcial summer residence ofthe President of Malta.

Heritage:

Rabat: Bus N 80, 81St Pauls Catacombs: Triq Sant

AgataSt Agathas Catacombs:

Triq Sant Agata.St Pauls Grotto: Pjazza Ta San

Pawl. A small undergroundshrine and catacombs situatedunderneath the parish churchof Rabat with a long standingtradition to St. Paul.

Roman Domus:Il-Wesgatal-Muew, Rabat. A museumhousing the remains of a Ro-man town house from the 1stcentury BC 1st century AD.

Wignacourt Museum: Triqil-Kulle. An ecclesiasticalmuseum related mostly toobjets dart from the Rabatparish church.

Casa Bernard: Triq San Pawl.An old house with interestingantique furniture. Visits by ap-pointment on tel. 21451888.

Mdina: Bus N 80, 81Natural History Museum:

Pjazza San Pubbliju.Geological, fossil, insect andanimal exhibits housed withinthe magnicent and historicVilhena Palace.

Palazzo Falson: Triq Villegai-gnon. A 14th century mediaevalhouse exhibiting ne antiquefurniture and decorations.

Cathedral Museum: Pjazzatal-Arcisqof. Originally builtas a seminary, the CathedralMuseum houses ecclesiasticalobjets dart from the Cathe-dral while incorporating an

extensive numismatic collection.Mdina Eperience: a multi-visu-al show recounting the historyof Mdina.

Mdina Dungeons: a dioramaexhibition of prisons throughhistory.

Knights of Malta: a dioramaexhibition on the Knights of StJohn.

BuskettCart ruts: Clapham Junction.

Tracks presumably carved outin pre-history for transportationpurposes.

Malta - Rabat & Mdina

Adventure sports: includingrock climbing, cycling, trekkingavailable from various clubs. Bestto enquire at Tourist InformationCentres or at hotel reception.

Car Hire: When driving a hiredcar please ensure that you ad-here to the driving and parkingregulations of the country. Enter-ing Valletta there is an automaticCVA operated metre charging bythe hour.

Country walks: There are beauti-ful countryside walks to follow,but do ensure that you keepout of private property oftenevident by rustic boundary walls.Country-side walk booklets areavailable in bookstores.

Diving: There are numerous div-ing schools in Malta and Gozo.Some of these are based in 4 or 5star hotels located near beaches.

Dress code: When visitingtowns and especially churchesdo ensure that you are prop-erly dressed so as not to offendpublic sentiments. When visitingchurches one is not allowedentry in shorts or sleeveless tops.In towns, bare-chested malesand scantily dressed ladies areregarded as unacceptably at-tired. Topless or nude bathing onbeaches is prohibited.

Driving: Driving in the MalteseIslands is on the left hand side ofthe road. At junctions give way

to the vehicle on your right handside. Right of way is given also tothe vehicle reaching trafc islandrst. As a pedestrian, alwayslook right rst before crossing astreet.

Excursions: When choosing yourexcursion to places of interestyou will nd that some toursmay be cheaper, but do notinclude a licensed guide or mu-seum entry fees. Always checkwhat is included in the price.

Parking attendants: Whenparking at designated spots asmall tip to the parker is appro-priate (the equivalent of Euro0.70 would be sufcient). Someareas in Malta and Gozo have arestricted parking time limit.

Public Transport: When usingpublic transport, whenever pos-sible pay bus driver with exactchange to speed up the process.

Water Sports Centres: are oftenbased at 4 or 5 star hotels lo-cated near beaches.

Shopping:Shopping centres canbe found in all the major towns

and cities but the foremostamongst these are at Vallettain Republic Street and MerchantStreet; Sliema along Tower Roadand the Strand; Paola towncentre; amrun along HighStreet; Mosta around the towncentre; Buibba and St Pauls Bay;Victoria (Rabat) in Gozo. Shopsare normally open from Mondayto Saturday mornings and eve-nings. Opening times of shopsare usually between 9.00 12.00and 16.00 19.00hrs. However,

in tourist areas, shops are openthroughout the day, Mondays toSaturdays from 9.00 till 19.00hrsand even later.

Smoking: Smoking inside publicbuildings is prohibited. It is alegal offence to smoke inside res-taurants, buses, cinemas, airportand other public buildings.

Street salespersons: When ap-proached in the street by sales-persons offering their productsor services, be sure to identifyexactly who they represent. Donot sign or pay for anything thatyou are not entirely sure to havefully understood or appreciated.

Sun screen: It is always wise touse anti-UV cream and wear ahat to protect your skin from therays of the sun. It is best to avoidthe afternoon sun, particularly insummer.

Swim, snorkel and dive safe-ly: Ensure that you are not con-ducting any of these activities inareas exposed to maritime traf-c. Some areas may be danger-ous due to undercurrents. Whenvisiting coastal areas in strongseas or winds, it is wise to keepat a safe distance away fromthe rocky edges. Freak waves dooccur.

Taxis: White taxis have a taximeter. However, when at theAirports arrival lounge or else atthe Floriana Cruise Liner Termi-nal, one can book at the TaxiKiosk prior to boarding a taxi.Elsewhere, it is advisable to askfor an approximate fare before-hand.

Helpful hintsHere are some dos and donts to ensure

that your stay is a pleasant one and free

from unnecessary difcult situations.

INDEx:2:Helpful hints3:Malta: Rabat & Mdina4:Malta: Grand Harbour6:Malta: North West8:Malta: South East10: Gozo and Comino12:A-Z General Information15: Public transport16:Map of the Maltese

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Malta Grand Harbour areaValletta: see bus routes onpage 2;Maltas capital city is adornedwith beautiful baroque build-ings and churches. Being a forti-ed peninsula, Valletta over-looks Marsamxett harbour andthe Grand Harbour on eitherside. From numerous vantagepoints one can enjoy panoramicvistas of various parts of theislands as far as Mdina.

Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cos-picua: Bus N 1,2,3,4,6.Consisting of three citiesenclosed within the Cottonerafortication lines. These arealso known as Birgu, l-Isla andBormla respectively. This isthe oldest urban part of Maltasharbour area. There are variousvantage points from where one

may enjoy views of the GrandHarbour surrounded by some 7kilometres of fortications

Heritage:

Valletta:St Johns Co-Cathedral &

Museum: Originally theconventual church of the Orderof the Knights of St. John. It isfully adorned with a baroqueinterior.

National Museum of Archae-ology: Triq ir-Repubblika.Exhibits prehistoric artefactsand architectural elementsfrom the megalithic sites aswell as other historic locations.

National Museum of FineArts: Triq Nofs in-Nhar.Chronological exhibition of artin Malta (12th 20th centuryart).

National War Museum:FortSt. Elmo. Exhibits militariaand more, from the Britishperiod in Malta especiallyfrom World War II.

Grand Masters Palace: Triq ir-Repubblika. Currently servingas the Ofce of the Presidentof Malta and the House ofParliament. The State Roomsas well as the Armoury areopen to the general public.

Manoel Theatre: Triq it-Teatrul-Antik. Built in 1731 the the-atre offers guided tours in themornings and theatrical per-formances on most evenings.

Casa Rocca Piccola: Triq ir-Repubblika. A 17th centuryprivately owned town house,with antique furniture.

St. Pauls Church: Triq SanPawl. Also accessible from TriqSanta Lucija.

Carmelite Church: Triq it-Teatru l-Antik.

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The Malta Eperience: Triqil-Mediterran. A 45-minutemulti-visual show about thestory of Malta.

The Wartime Eperience:Em-bassy Cinema Complex, TriqSanta Lucija. A 45-minutemovie recounting the story ofMalta in World War II.

Knights Hospitallers:Mediter-ranean Conference Centre.A walk-through diorama exhibi-tion depicting the Knightsmedical role in Malta.

The Great Siege of Malta &the Knights of St John: Triqit-Teorerija. A walk-throughdiorama-style account of theOrder of St John during theGreat Siege of 1565.

Grand Harbour area:The Hypogeum: Triq i-

imiterji, Paola. Bus N 8, 11,27. An underground burial sitedated circa 4,000 2500bc,recognised as a World HeritageSite. Booking in advance atArchaeology Museum, Vallettaand online on www.heritage-

maltashop.com.Tarien Megalithic Temples:Triq it-Tempji Neolitici, Tarxien.Bus N 8, 11, 12. 27. Prehistoricsite dating to c. 4,000-2,500bc.

Inquisitors Palace: Triq il-Mina il-Kbira, Vittoriosa, BusN 1,2,4,6. The ofcial residenceand Court of Law of the Inquisi-tor between 1571-1798.

Maritime Museum: Birgu Ma-rina, Vittoriosa, Bus N 1,2,4,6.Housed inside the old NavalBakery built by the BritishMilitary in the 19th century.

Malta At War Air Raid Shel-ters: Couvre Porte, Vittoriosa.Bus N 1, 2, 4, 6.

Fort Rinella: Ricasoli, limits ofKalkaraBus N 4. A Victorianfort animated by re-enactors.

Wickman Maritime Col-lection:Xgajra, limits ofabbar. Bus N 21. Visits byappointment tel: 21690254.

TheatresManoel Theatre: VallettaSt James Cavalier:VallettaOld University Theatre

(MITP):VallettaMediterranean Conference

Centre: VallettaCatholic Institute Theatre:

FlorianaTemi Zammit Hall: University of

Malta, Msida

PromenadesThree cities: Vittoriosa and Sen-

glea Marina; Grand HarbourView

Ta xbie: Yacht MarinaValletta Waterfront: Grand

Harbour viewSt Julians to Gira:

sea front

Cinema Multiplex:Valletta:Embassy Cinema Shop-

ping ComplexSt. Julians:Eden Century Cinema

Complex

Childrens Attractions:Valletta: Toy Museum in Republic

Street

CasinosBirgu (Vittoriosa):

Casin di VeneziaSt. Julians:

Dragonara Casino,Portomaso Casino

An id card must be presented.Admittance for 18 years and overonly.

Public GardensUpper and Lower Barrakka

Gardens: provide a panoramicview of the Grand Harbourand the Cottonera area. Fort St.Angelo and the Gardjola Bas-tion spearhead their respectivetowns of Vittoriosa on the left

and Senglea on the right. Atnoon a re-enactors unit dressedin Victorian soldier uniformsre one of the saluting gunssituated beneath the viewinggallery.

Hastings Garden:From this gar-den one gains a panoramic viewof Marsamxett Harbour, TaXbiex Yacht Marina, ManoelIsland and the urban landscapeof Sliema, Floriana and thehinterland.

Argotti Garden:Floriana.Discover the different levels ofthis garden. The garden at streetlevel affords a panoramic viewof the island. The lower levelalso called St. Philips Gardenoffers a serene ambience.

Sa Maison Garden:Floriana.A perched garden nestled inthe outer fortication walls ofValletta and Msida and TaXbiex Yacht Marina. It providesa charming atmosphere remi-niscent of 19th century BritishMalta.


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Melliea: Bus N 43, 44, 45This once rural village hasbecome a busy tourist town. Itsparish church, dedicated to ourLady of Victory, is perched ontop of a hill and commands apanoramic view of Melliea Baybelow, the island of Comino andGozo.

Mieba Bay: Bus N 43, 44,45 (stop outside Melliea atSelmun)

A hidden small sandy beachbest reached by a country lanefrom nearby Selmun Palace. Thearea lies some one kilometreoff the beaten track and is anideal resting place for trekkingenthusiasts.

Anchor Bay: outskirts ofMelliea Bus N 441 fromMelliea Bay or walk for about1 kmA small bay with a tiny sandybeach and home to the Sweet-haven Village set of RobertAltmans Popeye lm (1979). Onemay enjoy both a visit to the lmset as well as a swim in the safeclear waters.

St Pauls Islands: limits of St.Pauls Bay, Bus N 49, 44, 45(stop at Buibba)Two small islets situated offBuibba. A 19th century statuerecalls the traditional beliefof St. Pauls shipwreck on theisland in 60ad. Boat trips tothe islands are available fromBuibba.

Wardija and San MartinRidge: Bus N 49, 44, 45 (stop atBurmarrad)Two hamlets overlooking Bur-marrad and St Pauls Bay, withpanoramic views of the coun-tryside of Wardija Valley below.Accessible by car but best fortrekking enthusiasts.

Golden Bay and Gajn TufeaBay: Bus N 47, 53Two beautiful sandy beaches,which are very popular withswimmers.

Binemma Heights: bestreached from Rabat Bus N 80 orMarr Bus N 47A ridge leading to the VictoriaLines, built by the British in the1890s, which offers a panoramicview of Marr, a small farmingvillage. The Heights are acces-sible on foot or else by car.

nejna Bay: Bus N 47 (limits ofMarr)A sandy beach surrounded byclay slopes and rocky cliffs. Bestreached by car, or on foot 30minutes from Marr.

HeritageMOSTAThe Rotunda Church:Mosta

parish church. Built in between1833 -1860 in an impressiveneo-classical style inspired bythe Pantheon in Rome.

MARRTa arat Megalithic Tem-

ple: Marr, open Tuesdaysonly, 9.3011.00hrs .

Skorba:prehistoric archaeologi-cal site. Open Tuesdays only,11.3013.00hrs.

World War II Air Raid Shel-ters: situated close to parishchurch.

NAxxARPalazzo Parisio: a magnicent

Palazzo with beautiful gar-dens enriched with great styleand opulence. It is open dailyfrom Monday to Saturday(with the exception of PublicHolidays) from 09.00hrs to18.00hrs.

AttractionsClassic Cars Museum: Triq

it-Turisti, Qawra.

Childrens AttractionsSplash and Fun Water Park:

Baar i-agaq. Bus N 70Mediterraneo:dolphinarium

Baar i-agaq, SalinaCoast Road. Bus N 70

Popeyes Village: limits ofMelliea Bay. Bus N 441

CasinosThe Oracle Casino: Qawra. An

ID card must be presented.Admittance for 18 years andover only.

Bird sanctuariesGadira Nature Re-

serve:Melliea. OpenSaturdays and Sundays fromNovember till May.

Simar Nature Reserve: St.Pauls Bay. Open Sundaysonly from November till May.

Cinema multiplexesEmpire Cinema Comple:

Pioneer Road, Buibba

PromenadesBuibba to Qawra seafront

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of shermens colourful boats(luzzu pl. luzzijiet) tied to theirmoorings in Maltas main sh-ing village.

Marsascala: Bus N 19,17, 20A quaint sea side resort withprivately-owned leisure andshing boats bobbing up anddown in the calm waters of thebay. There are numerous restau-rants to try out.

Wied i-urrieq and BlueGrotto: Bus N 38, 138 (also BusN 32, 34 up to the village ofurrieq and walk 20 minutes toWied i-urrieq)Situated right above the BlueGrotto and the sheer cliffs, thisbelvedere provides a pleasantview of Fila Islet, situated some5 kilometres off the southerncoast of Malta.

Gar Lapsi: Bus N 94, (also Busno 89 to Siiewi and walk 30minutes)

A small cove tucked into thecliffs beneath and west ofMnajdra Temples. The area isguarded by an impressive rockyand hilly landscape.

Dingli Cliffs: Bus N 81Dingli Cliffs form part of thedramatic landscape of the south-ern coast of the Maltese Islands.This is the highest area of theMaltese Islands, c. 230 metresabove sea level.

HeritageTa-xarolla Windmill: urrieq,

Bus N 32, 34. An old restoredwindmill situated atop earlyChristian catacombs. OpenSaturdays and Sundays 8am -12 pm only.

aar Qim PrehistoricTemple: limits of Qrendi.Megalithic site. Bus N 38, 138

Mnajdra Prehistoric Temple:A Megalithic site situatedsome 500m away from aarQim, limits of Qrendi. BusN 38, 138

Limestone Heritage:An oldquarry in Siiewi turned intoa diorama museum describingthe quality and use of Maltesegeological resources.

Gar Dalam: Bus N 11, 12, 13Limits of Birebbua. A cavesituated in a valley where bone

remains of animals datingbetween 250,000- 10,000 yearsago were found.

Childrens AttractionsPlaymobil Toy Fun Park:al

Far. Bus N 13

Cinema Multiplexes:Fgura: Tal-Lira Cinema, Gal-

larija Shopping Complex.

PromenadesMarsascala: sea fronturrieq to Blue Grotto: sea

front

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Birebbua: Bus N 11, 13Situated on the southern side ofMarsaxlokk Harbour, this sea-side resort boasts of a beautifulman-made sandy beach (PrettyBay) and a freeport containerterminal zone.

Siiewi: Bus N 89One of the older villages ofMalta dominated by a beauti-ful 19th century parish church.Ideal starting point for country

walks to neighbouring townsand villages.

ejtun: Bus N 29, 30The parish church of ejtun isdedicated to St Catherine. Alsonoteworthy is the much smallerand ancient church known as StGregorys.

Marsaxlokk: Bus N 27 (627 fromSliema Strand)A quaint and popular shing vil-lage offers picturesque scenery


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Marr ix-Xini: limits of XewkijaBus N 50, 51 (25 minutes walkfrom Sannat)A very narrow creek with asmall bay tucked in between therocky cliffs below Ta en areain Sannat.

Xlendi: Bus N 87

A narrow creek which devel-oped from a tiny shing hamletinto a fully-edged seasideresort. The bay is anked by animpressive cliff on one side.

Marsalforn: Bus N 21This summer resort enjoys botha tiny sandy beach as well as aninteresting rocky coastline dot-ted with historic salt pans. Thebay is popular with Gozitans andMaltese for its promenade.

Xwejni Bay: Bus N 21 to Marsal-forn and a 20 minute walkThis creek is one of those hid-den charms of Gozo with coral-line cliffs. It can be reached viaa stretch of salt pans which arestill harvested regularly.

Dwejra Bay: Bus N 91 (Bus N 1and 2 up to San Lawrenz with a20 minute walk)A quaint and curious coastallandscape with various interest-ing geolog ical features such asthe Inland Sea, enclosed by cliffsand connecting to the opensea via a ssure; and the AzureWindow, carved out of the cliffsby the waves over the millen-nia. Jutting out from the sea ata small distance from the rockycoast is Fungus Rock or eblatal-eneral.

Qala Belvedere: Bus N 42, 43A great location on the out-skirts of the village of Qalafrom where one may enjoy apanoramic view of the Gozo-Comino-Malta channel.

San Blas Cove: Bus N 42, 43 toNadur and a 25 minute walkA hidden but charming slopinglandscape that leads onto a tinysandy beach. Best reached onfoot, some 30 minutes distancefrom Nadur.

Heritage:VICTORIACathedral and Museum: The

present cathedral was con-structed between 1697 and 1711.It is dedicated to the Assump-tion of Our Lady. A majorhighlight is the trompe loeildome inside the church.

Old Prisons: built by the Knightsof St John and last used by theBritish.

Archaeology Museum: CasaBondi, The Citadel. Themuseum houses archaeo-logical artefacts from Gozo,

amongst which the two famousNeolithic statuettes found atXagra Circle in 1986.

The Natural History Mu-seum: The Citadel. Exhibitsinclude a range of fossils,stones and other geologicalspecimens from Gozo.

Gozos National Folklore

Museum: Domestic and oldindustrial tools exhibited in amediaeval house.

St Georges Basilica: Con-secrated in 1755, the churchsituated in Rabat centre, isimpressively covered in marble,with a bronze and gildedcanopy over the altar.

Gozo 360: a multi-visual showon the history of Gozo.

xAGRAgantija Temples:possibly the

oldest free-standing megalithicstructures in the world, datingto around 4000bc.

Ta Kola Windmill: a restoredold windmill, that once servedalso as a residence and nowexhibiting traditional tools.

Ninus Cave: Triq Jannar.xerris Grotto: Triq l-Gar Ta

Xerri. Both small caves arereplete with stalactites andstalagmites.

Calypsos Cave:Xagra, BusN64, 65. Situated on thecliffs edge on the outskirts ofXagra. According to traditionthis tiny cave was reputedly theplace where Homers Ulysseslived for years with the nymphCalypso. The place serves as abelvedere overlooking Ramlal-amra below, a sandy beachthat takes its name from thereddish colour of the sand.

NADURTa Kelinu Grima Maritime

Collection:Nadur.

GajnsielemGozo Heritage:A walkthrough

diorama experience.

GARB

Ta Pinu Church: limits of Garb.An impressive neo-classicalchurch and Gozos most popu-lar place of pilgrimage.

Garb Folklore Museum: Oldand traditional implementsare exhibited in an old cottage-style house situated in thevillage centre.

Childrens AttractionsPomskizilious Toy Mu-

seum:Xagra, Gozo: BusN 64, 65

Cinema Multiplex:Citadel Cinema: Victoria, Gozo

TheatresAstra Theatre: VictoriaAurora Theatre: Victoria

PromenadesMarsalforn seafront

Comino IslandThis barren island is practicallyuninhabited except for a resorthotel, but is very popular withswimmers and divers. A historicwatch tower built in the early17th century once guarded itscoast.The Blue Lagoon: With its

silver sandy sea bed, thesea gives the illusion of aturquoise-silvery swimmingpool set in a natural ambience.

Gozo & CominoVictoria: (Rabat) Bus N 25 fromMarr HarbourThis is Gozos commercial andcultural capital. It is a referencepoint for anyone who wants toexplore Gozo, whether on footor by car.

The Citadel, Victoria: (Rabat) BusN 25 from Marr HarbourThe Citadel is the fortied anduppermost part of Victoria. Thisenclosed fortied part of thetown boasts of a Cathedral, theGozo Law Courts, the old Bish-

ops Palace and a small numberof museums displaying variousGozo related exhibits. Only ahandful of residents live in theCitadel. From the ramparts onemay enjoy a 360 panoramic viewof the island.

Ta en Cliffs: limits of Sannat

Bus N 50, 51 (25 minutes walkfrom Sannat)A sheer precipice that dropsstraight into the sea below. Adelightful location for birdwatchers.

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Embassies and consu-lates

Numerous embassies andconsular representatives are tobe found in Malta. For furtherinformation please contact theMinistry for Foreign Affairs. Tel:21242853.

HealthVisitors from eu member statesshould ensure they are in posses-sion of a Health Insurance Cardwhen requiring medical careat one of the public hospitalsor clinics. A medical insur-ance policy is to be presentedwhen attending a private clinic.In view of a reciprocal healthagreement between Malta andAustralia, Australian citizens areentitled to free medical care inpublic health care facilities forthe rst six months from theirarrival in Malta.

Hospitals:Mater Dei Hospital: Tal-Qroqq,

Malta. Call on: 25450000.Craig Hospital: Victoria, Gozo.

Call on 21561600.Health Clinics: Paola, Mosta,

Floriana, Gira and Victoria(Rabat) Gozo. There are alsoprivate hospitals and clinics.Ask at hotel reception for as-sistance.

Pharmacies:In general, theseopen during normal shop hours.On Sunday one pharmacy isopen for each of the speci-ed zones between 08:00 and12:00hrs according to anestablished roster. Please checkSunday papers for information.

Important telephonenumbers

Ambulance:196Cruise Liner Terminal, Flori-

ana:25673000Directory enquiries:1182Emergency at Sea:2182 4220,

2123 8797Fire Brigade:199

Go Mobile operator:1187Government Information

services:153Malta International Airport:

21249600 (Freephone)Overseas operator:1152Police:191Sedqa: 151 (addiction related help)Veterinary Services, emergen-

cy:5004 3888 (calls 4.66)Vodaphone operator:1189

Learning English:There are some forty EnglishLanguage schools in Malta andGozo. For more information youmay visit www.feltom.com.

Passport / Visa Require-ments

European Union citizens requireonly an ID card or a passport toenter Malta. For visa require-ments, if any, please consultwww.mfa.gov.mt or else contact:[email protected].

Public holidays1 January-New Years Day10 February-Feast of St Pauls

Shipwreck19 March-Feast of St. Joseph31 March-Freedom DayMarch-April-Good Friday1 May- Workers Day

7 June- Sette Giugno Commemo-ration

29 June-Feast of St Peter & StPaul - Imnarja

15 August-Feast of Santa Maria(Assumption)

8 September- Victory Day21 September-Independence

Day8 December-Feast of the Im-

maculate Conception13 December- Republic Day25 December- Christmas Day

Religious Feasts (festi)These are spread throughout theyear, but most take place in be-tween June and mid-September.Feasts are more often than notheld over a long weekend.

Religious ServicesChurch of England: St Pauls

Anglican Pro-Cathedral,Independence Square, Valletta);Holy Trinity Church, RudolphStreet, Sliema. For more infor-mation: www.anglicanmalta.org.

Church of Scotland:Methodistand Free Churches. 210 OldBakery Street, Valletta.

Evangelical (Lutheran): Protes-tant Church of Germany

Greek Orthodo: Church of StGeorge, 83 Merchants Street,Valletta.

Mosque:Paola. Tel: 21672163,21697203/5 or www.islam-icnder.org for info regardingtime of prayer.

Synagogue:Tel: 7959 5186Hindu:Maltese-Indian Commu-

nity Centre. Tel: 99493975.More contacts in YellowPages look under Religion Places of Worship in the index.

Catholic Mass (Sundays) in otherlanguages:English: St Patricks Church,

Sliema; St. Pauls Bay ParishChurch; St. Barbara Church,Valletta, St. Anne Church,Marsascala; Sacred HeartSanctuary, Victoria

French: St Barbara Church,Republic Street, Valletta.

German: St Barbara Church,Republic Street, Valletta.

Italian: St. James Church, Mer-chant Street, Valletta

Should your denominationnot be included in the abovelist, kindly contact one of ourTourist Information Centres on21237747.

Open-air markets and eamarketsThere are numerous open-airmarkets which sell anythingfrom plants to fruit, from whitegoods to clothes. All these areopen usually between 08.00hrsand 12.30hrs.VallettaMerchants Street. Open

daily.Victoria Gozo (It-Tokk). Open

daily.Vittoriosa (Birgu) close to bus

terminus. Open on Tuesdays.Qormi near St Sebastian Parish

Church. Open on Saturdays.Valletta St James Ditch. Open

on Sundays.Marsalokk along the water-

front. Open on Sundays.Vittoriosa (Birgu)ea market

at Fortini Football Ground openon Sundays.

Marsascalaea market atRazzett tal-biberija. Open onSundays.

AirportMalta International Airport issituated at Gudja, served by busnumber 8 to and from Valletta.Taxi service and car rental avail-able. Tel: 21249600.

ElectricityThe electricity supply is 240volts, 50 hertz. Three-pin British

Standard plugs are used but, ifrequired, adapters are easy toobtain too.

BanksThese are normally open forbusiness from 8.30am to 12.30pmMondays to Saturdays except onpublic holidays.

BeachesGenerally speaking, Maltascoastline is rocky and steep onthe south side while it is rockyand low lying on the north andeastern side. Most of the sandybeaches are situated either onthe north western side of the is-land or on Gozo. Maltas beachesare small in size, the largest notbigger than 500 metres, yet manyoffer scenic attractions due tothe islands rugged landscape.

BEACHES IN MALTA:Gadira Bay: l/o MellieaGolden Bay: Gajn Tufea,nejna Bay: l/o Marr;Mieba: l/o Melliea;Armier Bay: l/o MellieaParadise Bay: l/o irkewwaPretty Bay: BirebbuaSt Georges Bay: St JuliansPeters Pool: l/o Marsaxlokk

BEACHES IN GOZO:Ramla l-amra: reachable from

both Xagra as well as Nadurxlendi Bay: via FontanaMarsalforn Bay:from RabatMarr i-xini: reachable from

Xewkija

Traditional and Local CraftCentres

Malta:Crafts Village, Ta Qali;Exhibition Centre, St JohnsSquare, Valletta

Gozo:Ta Dbiei, Garb; FontanaCottage Industry - en route toXlendi; Victoria Crafts Centre,Victoria

Communications

POSTAL SERVICES : Post Ofcebranches are found in mosttowns and villages. Openinghours are from 7.30 12.30hrsfrom Monday to Saturday. Somevillages have a sub-post ofceserviced by certain stationeryshops. The Valletta Post Of-ce branch situated at CastilleSquare is open Monday to Friday

8.15 hrs- 15.45 hrs; Saturday:8.15 hrs 12.30 hrs.

TELEPHONE-overseas calls:Local calls require no prexes.Overseas calls from Malta requirethe prex of the country to whichone is phoning. To call overseasone may also nd cheaper ratesby dialing 1021 before the countrycode. Maltas international dial-ling code is +356.

Internet Cafes: To be foundat various localities including:

Valletta Sliema Gozo. Alsoavailable in most 4 & 5 s tar ac-commodations.

Disabled personsRecently built hotels and publicplaces have ramps and otheramenities such as elevators toaccommodate wheelchair-bound persons. One must check

beforehand whether places ofinterest, due to the nature oftheir historic architecture orsurroundings, can accommodatewheelchair bound persons.

Eating and drinkingValletta and all the tourist areasoffer a wide selection of qualityrestaurants to suit the budget-conscious and the gourmandalike. In sh restaurants, themenu may vary according toseason and the catch of the day.It is recommended to ask forfresh sh which may also be ondisplay. To experience tradi-tional Maltese home-cooking,try dining at the more popularfamily restaurants specialising inlocal fare.

Some typical Maltese dishesinclude:Rabbit dishes: stewed or friedBrajoli: Beef Olives lled with a

mash of spiced Maltese sausageand eggs

Timpana:macaroni pieLampuki: coryphene or dorado

shSwordsh: with tomato, olive and

caper sauceTuna: with tomato, olive and caper

sauceA variety of home-made soupsand pasta dishes are popular.

A-Z General Information


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Sports

Football: National Football Sta-dium, Ta Qali limits of Rabat, BusN 80, 81

Golf: Marsa Sports Club Golf

Course, Bus N 1 - 34

Waterpolo: National Swim-ming Pool Complex, UniversityGrounds, Tal-Qroqq

Horse Racing: Marsa, Malta andGajnsielem, Gozo

Tennis: Kordin, limits of Paola;Marsa Sports Club, Marsa.

Tourist InformationCentres

Malta International Air-port:Arrivals Lounge or callon 23696073, 23696074

Valletta: City Gate or call on21237747

Victoria, Gozo: Tirija Palazz orcall on 2156 1419

Freephone:80072230

Time zoneMaltas time is set according toCentral European Time (cet).Summer time starts on the lastSunday of March and ends onthe last Sunday of October.

Transport

Public Bus Transport:Malta: The main bus terminus

in Valletta provides serviceto all towns and villages at

frequent intervals. Directbus services are availablefrom various tourist areas toRabat, Marsaxlokk, irkewwaferry, Qawra and Buibba.There are also buses runningfrom Buibba to Golden Bay.adt bus routes informationbrochures are obtainable fromValletta Bus Terminus or fromTourist Information Centres.

Gozo: One may catch a bus fromMarr Harbour to Victoria(Rabat), where it is possible toreach most outlying villages.Please note that buses in Gozodo not run as frequently as inMalta.

Taxis: White Taxi Service - callon 23696071. White taxi are pri-vately run. Taxis may be found atvarious locations including:Valletta: City Gate; St. Johns co-

cathedral; Palace Square andat Sea Terminal

Airport: terminalSliema: the StrandSt. Julians: Spinola, PacevilleGozo:Marr Harbour; bus termi-

nus, Victoria; Marsalforn Bay

Valletta City Cab: call on

21333321; 79333321. An inner Cityservice using small white electriccabs.

Gozo Channel ferry: Timetableenquiries: 2158 0435 (irkewwa);2156 1622 (Marr)

Seaplane: From Valletta Wa-terfront to Marr Gozo. PhoneHarbourAir on 21228308

Ferry Boats: The Strand, Sliemato Marsamxett jetty, Valletta.Trip duration 4 minutes. Service

is provided according to weatherconditions.

Karozzini: Horse drawn cabsoperating on sight-seeing toursof the following towns:Valletta: stationed at City Gate;

Palace Square; Valletta WaterFront

Sliema: stationed at the StrandSt Julians: stationed at St Julians

BayMdina: stationed at Mdina Gate

Leisure Boat Trips: Dgajsa (pro-nounced dah-i-sah) trips: FromBirgu, Senglea and Cruise-linerTerminal. Call on: 99499219;99893134; 79620034.Leisure boat trips providingvarious alternative routes forsight seeing are provided espe-cially from the Strand Sliemaand Buibba, St. Pauls Bayarea. These provide a variety ofsight seeing and leisure trips.

Sicily TravelSicily is situated 90 kilometresnorth of Malta. One may reachSicily either by air or else by sea.For further details and schedulesplease visit:www.airmalta.comwww.virtuferries.com

BUS ROUTES (BY NUMBERS)1, 2 Vittoriosa (Birgu)

3 Senglea (L-Isla)4 Kalkara6 Vittoriosa (Birgu)8 Airport, Gudja

11, 12, 13 Birebbua15 Santa Lucia17 Marsascala (via onqor

Point)18 abbar

19, 20 Marsascala21 Xgajra27 Marsaxlokk

29, 30 ejtun32, 34 urrieq

35 Qrendi36 Luqa38 Wied I-urrieq40 Attard42 Birkirkara43 Melliea44 Gadira45 irkewwa47 Gajn Tufea49 Buibba52 Marr55 Naxxar56 Gargur57 Mosta (Sta. Margherita)

58, 59 Buibba60 Sliema (Savoy)62 Paceville63 Sliema (Savoy)64 Swieqi

66, 67 St. Julians68 Baar I-agaq71 Birkirkara

73, 74 Balzan75 Hospital- Mater Dei &

University, Tal-Qroqq80 Rabat81 Dingli

84 Mtarfa88 ebbu89 Siiewi91 Qormi98 Valletta ring road, Floriana115 Birebbua127 Marsaxlokk (via Qajjenza)138 Wied I-urrieq

141, 142 Birkirkara145 irkewwa

158, 157 Mosta159 Buibba169 Swatar via Msida198 Valletta ring road

(via waterfront)375 Mqabba

449 Buibba667 St. Andrews671 Swieqi

DESTINATION (ALPHABETICAL)

Airport, Gudja: 8Anchor Bay: 441*Attard: 40Birkirkara: 141, 142Baar I-agaq: 68Balzan: 73, 74, 80, 81Birgu(Vittoriosa): 1, 2, 4, 6Birkirkara: 42, 71, 141, 142Birebbua: 11, 12, 13, 115Blue Grotto, urrieq: 38, 138Bormla (Cospicua): 1, 2, 3, 4Buibba: 159, 449, 49, 58, 59Burmarrad: 49, 44, 45irkewwa: 45, 145

Cospicua (Bormla): 1, 2, 3, 4Dingli: 81Gadira: 44Gajn Tufea (Golden Bay):47, 52

Gargur: 55, 56Gar Lapsi: 94, 89nejna Bay (up to Marr): 47Golden Bay (Gajn Tufea):47, 52Gudja: 8amrun: 71, 88, 89, 91Kalkara: 4Luqa: 36Marsascala: 17, 19,20Marsaxlokk: 27, 127, 627Mdina (up to Rabat): 80, 81, 84Melliea: 43, 44, 45Marr: 47, 52, 54Mosta: 158Mqabba: 35, 38, 138Mtarfa: 84Naxxar: 54Paceville: 62Qormi: 88, 89, 91Qrendi: 35Rabat: 80, 81

Santa Lucia: 15, 115Savoy: 60, 63, 163Senglea: 3Siiewi: 89St Pauls Bay: 49, 44, 45St. Andrews: 66, 67, 68St. Julians: 66, 67Swieqi: 64Valletta ring road: 98, 198Vittoriosa (Birgu): 1, 2, 4, 6ejtun:27, 29, 30abbar: 17, 18, 19, 21ebbu:88, 89urrieq:32, 34Xagjra:21

BUS ROUTES (BY NUMBERS)

1, 2, 91 Garb14 Kerem, Santa Luija21 Marsalforn25 Marr Harbour (Ferry)42 Ramla

42, 43 Gajnsielem, Nadur,Qala, Xewkija

50, 51 awla, Sannat, Munxar64, 65 Xagra

87 Xlendi91 Dwejra91 Gasri91 San Lawrenz91 ebbu

DESTINATION (ALPHABETICAL)

Sannat, Munxar, awla: 50, 51Dwejra: 91Garb: 1, 2, 91Gajnsielem: 42, 43Gasri: 91Kerem: 14Marsalforn: 21MarrHarbour(Ferry): 25Nadur: 42, 43Qala: 42, 43Ramla: 42SanLawrenz: 91SantaLuija: 14Xagra: 64, 65Xewkija: 42, 43Xlendi: 87ebbu: 91

Public Transport

Normal fare:Zone A: 0.47 - Lm0.20Zone B: 0.54 - Lm0.23Zone C: 0.58 - Lm0.25

Day tickets:1 day: 3.49 - Lm1.503 days: 9.32 - Lm4.005 days: 11.65 - Lm5.007 days: 13.98 - Lm6.00

Gozo bus routes:

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL THE TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION ON 21231216 OR VISIT ITS WEBSITE AT: WWW.ATP.COM.MT

* SUMMER ONLY

Useful websites:Bus transport: www.atp.com.mtCultural events: www.maltaculture.com, www.heritagemalta.org,

www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, www.sjcav.orgEnglish Language: www.feltom.comAir travel: www.airmalta.com, www.maltairport.comGozo: www.gozo.com, www.gozochannel.comMalta: www.visitmalta.com, www.gov.mtWeather: www.maltairport.com, www.maltaweather.com


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PLEASE NOTE: WHILST EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO PROVIDE TIMELY AND ACCURATE INFORMATION, THE PURPOSE OF THISBOOKLET IS TO ENCOURAGE TOURISTS TO ENQUIRE FURTHER AT TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES OR OTHER AUTHORITIES.

SOME STATISTICS:Population:

404,000Archipelago:

Malta; Gozo; Comino & Cominotto;St. Pauls Islands and Fila

Area:315 square kilometres

Status:Republic (member of the EuropeanUnion since 2004)

Religion:Predominantly Roman Catholic

Ofcial languages:Maltese and English

Currency:Euro

Time zone:Central European Time - CET

[email protected]: 80072230

High Low

WINTER 16-18 10-12

SPRING 18-25 13-20

SUMMER 25-33 22-23

AUTUMN 22-30 12-19Climate temperature averagesaccording to months in Celsius

maltese islands tourist guide

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