THINGS TO SEE AND DO
The Maltese Islands are a reflection of the Mediterranean in their architecture, people, traditions and their festivities. No matter how many times you return you will never run out of new things to discover.
Prehistory
History lovers will be astounded. The megalithic temples are the oldest freestanding structures in the world and traces of civilisation can be dated back 7000 years.
Dramatic cliffs, patron saints and fortifications
Malta, Gozo and Comino offer a wide variety of landscapes from dramatic cliffs to pretty bays and quaint fishing ports; rural villages dominated by their churches and patron saints; stunning fortifications enclosing the Grand Harbour cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua; the silent city of Mdina characterised by mediaeval and baroque architecture and the capital Valletta, a World Heritage Site, encased in impregnable fortifications built by the Knights of Malta, making it one of the richest artistic cities of Renaissance art. The Knights built splendid palaces, churches, “auberges” and monuments… all waiting for you to discover.
A perfect destination for all seasons
The Islands are at their most beautiful in spring, adorned with a carpet of wild herbs and flowers – perfect for country walks. You will find the turquoise blue Mediterranean just as inviting where you can enjoy an endless variety of water sports all year round. Malta, Gozo and Comino were voted the world’s third best dive destination in 2009. Other activities are plentiful, such as cycling, go-cart racing, golf, horse riding, parasailing, rock climbing, sailing, tennis, etc.
Night life, restaurants and “festas”
Bright lights, casinos, discos, nightclubs, and restaurants offering multi-national cuisine are abundant. During the summer months you can experience the delights of al fresco dinning, art festivals, open air concerts, and at the weekends the traditional village festas with their colourful street banners, illuminations, brass bands, beautifully decorated churches and extraordinary firework displays.
Shopping
Shopping for something truly Maltese you will discover the quality and degree of artisanship in so many of the Maltese products: beautiful metalwork, delicious quality wines and food stuffs, glass, pottery, limestone sculpture, silver filigree jewellery and traditional Maltese lace to name but a few.
Events
The Maltese Islands offer a colourful annual calendar of traditional seasonal events such as carnival and summer festas with nightlife to rival that of many European cities. Every year, an eclectic blend of local and international events, entertainment and exhibitions take place. Choose from classical and jazz to band and folk music, from theatre and opera to dance and baroque festivals. The Islands also play host to a variety of international events, sports championships and tournaments that provide something for everyone.
HOW TO GET HERE
…By Air
You can fly direct to Malta very easily from most European airports because it is strategically located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean. All charter and scheduled flights land at and depart from Malta International Airport in Luqa.
Malta’s national airline, Air Malta and a number of major and budget airlines service the Islands. Please visit the following websites for information about the most popular airlines to Malta:
| Airline | Website |
|---|---|
| Air Berlin | www.airberlin.com |
| Air Malta | www.airmalta.com |
| Alitalia | www.alitalia.com |
| Easyjet | www.easyjet.com |
| Egyptair | www.egyptair.com |
| Emirates | www.emirates.com |
| Lufthansa | www.lufthansa.com |
| Ryanair | www.ryanair.com |
| TUI Airways | www.tui.co.uk/flight/ |
| Vueling Airlines | www.vueling.com |
For a full list, kindly visit: https://www.maltairport.com/passenger/flights-landing/airlines/
…or by Boat
Virtu Ferries runs fast catamaran services from Sicily (Catania and Pozzallo). Trips are comfortable and as short as 1.5 hours from Pozzallo. Car ferry service is also available.
CLIMATE
The climate in Malta is warm and healthy. There are no biting winds, fog, snow or frost. Rain falls for only short periods and averages about 578 mm in a whole year.
Average temperature is 14.1° C in winter (Nov – Apr) and 32° C in summer (May – Oct). The sun shines for an average of 6.46 hours each day in winter and 10.11 hours in summer.
The hottest period is from mid-July to mid-September. The following table gives the monthly averages taken over a 30 year period for hours of bright sunshine, temperatures and rainfall (Source Malta Tourism Authority):
| Month | Sunshine Hrs | Rainfall (mm) | ° C Max | ° C Min | Sea° C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5.46 | 90.1 | 15.1 | 9.5 | 14.5 |
| February | 6.36 | 60.8 | 15.3 | 9.3 | 14.5 |
| March | 7.33 | 44.7 | 16.5 | 10.2 | 14.5 |
| April | 8.46 | 24 | 18.8 | 11.9 | 16.1 |
| May | 9.99 | 8.9 | 23.1 | 15.1 | 18.4 |
| June | 11.23 | 3.8 | 27.4 | 18.6 | 21.1 |
| July | 12.15 | 0.9 | 30.2 | 21.2 | 24.5 |
| August | 11.36 | 8.8 | 30.6 | 21.8 | 25.6 |
| September | 9.00 | 40.4 | 27.8 | 20.4 | 25.0 |
| October | 7.22 | 123.6 | 23.8 | 17.2 | 22.2 |
| November | 6.5 | 76.8 | 20.0 | 13.9 | 19.5 |
| December | 5.2 | 100.2 | 16.6 | 11.1 | 16.7 |