Jan's Guidebook

Something that makes Malta unique is the concentration of historical sites within the mere 316 sqkm of land, all covered with traces of Malta’s rich history. Over the centuries the islands have been ruled by various influences from across Europe, with the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Crusaders, the French and finally the British leaving traces of their presence and influence in Malta and its population. A little-known fact is that the Megalithic temples found spread across the island are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world and are inscribed with UNESCO.

Although cheap lunches and dinners that are of good quality can be found (mostly in villages away from the popular tourist destinations) prices are reasonable.

Even in tourist hotspots, its not common to be billed for cover charges. If you do encounter such restaurants, obviously dont feel obliged to tip. Tipping is common and usually a tip of 10% is just fine.

Some restaurants are busier than others, so you are best off calling in advance to take a reservation. Ignore email addresses. Few restaurants take online bookings, let alone via email. Your best bet is a phone call or in some cases a message through their facebook page. Most restaurants open for dinner at 6 or7 pm and will rarely take calls for reservations during the day. Either try your luck if it is normal weekday or call the evening before.

Consider getting one of the sightseeing passes offered by iSeeMalta. With their hop-on/hop-off buses and ferries, you can get to most of the best places to visit in Malta and Gozo at a low cost and with a lot of flexibility. You can opt to either go for the transport or go for one of their Combo passes with which you get access to a large number of sites and museums.

The only type of public transport in Malta is a system of route buses. The bus routes can get you anywhere you want to go in Malta and Gozo between 5:30am and 11pm. A night service runs on Friday and Saturday nights and on public holidays. Getting around Malta by bus might not be the fastest way, but other than walking or cycling (not recommended) it is surely the most economical. So if you have a little patience and are not in a hurry, consider using this service. Busses are fairly efficient, with some occasional hiccups, serving the major tourist areas and places of interest.

You can plan your bus trips using the website of Malta Public Transport. Just specify your point of departure and destination you have in mind and you get all route options available to you. TIP: The journey planner of Malta Public Transport is okay, but you get better results by looking up the bus stop names through Google Maps and entering departure/arrival points instead of place names. Another tip is to install the Malta Public Transport app on your smartphone. In winter a bus ticket costs 1.50Euro while in Summer it costs 2Euro. The night rate is 3Euro all year round.

Getting around in Malta with a water taxi is a faster way to travel between the cities around the Grand Harbour. They are often gondola-styled little boats. It is also a nice and peaceful way to experience the historic harbour than by bus. Water taxis are also a fun way of getting around especially when travelling with children. Water taxis are also used by locals to get across between Sliema and Valletta, a trip takes less than 10 minutes -apart from being quick it is also cheap at 1Euro one way. A boat leaves every 15 minutes.

If you decide to visit one of Malta’s beautiful churches, make sure you have dressed appropriately as a sign of respect. Shorts and t-shirts are fine for men, but women are expected to wear at least a short-sleeved top (rather than a sleeveless singlet). Also, please be quiet inside churches.