For a unique old-world Mediterranean experience, it could only be Malta. What’s best, you can leave the phrasebook at home, as everyone speaks English.
Text: Pete Wong
Photos: Pete Wong & Malta Tourism Authority
Malta was ruled by Rome and Spain before being ceded to the Knights of St John, who ruled for over 200 years. The country came under the protection of the British from 1802 until the Second World War during which it fought bravely against enemy forces. In recognition of the heroism of the Maltese people, Britain awarded the George Cross to the country in 1942. The country became an independent state within the British Commonwealth in 1964.
Today, when you visit the islands, you will see vestiges of British influence -- from cars which drive on the left to cafes selling fish and chips. During summer, the Brits would arrive in droves to visit their former colony. Malta is the only country in the Mediterranean -- squeezed between Italy (Sicily) to the north and Tunisia to the west – where English is widely spoken. In fact, most Maltese are bi-, if not tri-lingual, the third language being either Italian or Arabic.
The locals may seem reserved but they are friendly and quick to offer help to tourists when approached. Like the Italians, the older Maltese folks speak in an animated manner and very loudly, but that’s just the way they are. The young ladies are mostly slim and beautiful with jet-black hair and from behind, you might mistake them for Asians.
During the summer months, it’s fashionable to hit the sandy beaches to spend time with the family, meet with friends or for swimming and sunbathing. Those who are too lazy to drive to the beaches would just laze around the rocky shores surrounding the island. The popular beaches include Mellieha, Ghadira and Golden Bays. Although public nudity is frowned upon by the authorities, it’s common to see topless sunbathers. Remote beaches like Gnejna Bay are popular with nudists.
TOP FOUR THINGS TO DO
1. Do the Passegiata
On balmy summer evenings, locals like to hang out at the promenade, or passegiata. Families would gather along the seafront for ice cream or pizza while the young will dress to impress. This is not only a good opportunity to mingle and meet with the locals but also to people-watch. Best places to hang out would be The Front at Sliema or the Bugibba Promenade.
2. Join a Festa
The local festa, or village feast, is an important celebration for the Maltese and the most likely chance of catching one is between June to September. Festas used to be a festivity in honour of the village’s patron saint but nowadays it is more an excuse for a village celebration. The main components of a festa include band marches, religious processions and fireworks display. The neighbourhood church will be lighted up, streets will be decorated and vendors will be out in full force selling anything from souvenirs to hot dogs and pizzas. If you are in Malta during the last weekend of July, be sure to catch the feast of the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Balluta, Sliema. Hundreds of revellers will gather along Tower Road, Sliema’s main thoroughfare, to enjoy the celebrations. Another popular event is the feast of Saint Mary the Assumption, celebrated in the town of Mosta on August 15. You can check with the local tour operators for details on when the next festa will be held.
3. Take the Valletta Grand Harbour Tour
The Valletta Grand Harbour Tour provides a good introduction to the lay of the land and is becoming an integral part of the tourist itinerary. A typical boat cruise would take about an hour and you would be seeing Malta from an exceptional vantage point with the fortified city of Valletta and the skyline of baroque churches providing the backdrop. The boat will take you on a leisurely cruise around the docks with the balmy Mediterranean breeze caressing your face and you will get to see the imposing Fort St Angelo, considered to be the jewel in the crown of Malta’s architectural heritage.
4. Visit the Churches
There are two churches you must visit in Malta. One is St John's Co-Cathedral (www.stjohnscocathedral.com) in Valletta which was built by the Knights of Malta between 1573 and 1578. Besides its beautiful ornate interiors, the church is famous as the home of Italian artist Caravaggio’s most famous masterpiece, The Beheading of St John the Baptist. There are no words to describe the enlightening experience of seeing the painting up close.
The other church that is famous in Malta is The Church of the Assumption of Our Lady, or more commonly referred to as The Mosta Dome, located in the town of Mosta, northwest of Valleta. At 40 metres across in diameter, the dome is the third largest unsupported dome in the world, surpassed only by St Peter’s in Rome and St Sophia in Istanbul.
FOR NIGHT OWLS
Nightlife is centred around Paceville (St Julian’s area) where a wide array of clubs, bars and restaurants are located. From R&B, hip hop, rock or salsa, there is bound to be one that suits your taste. Because of the nice and cool evening weather, open-air clubs are popular, especially on Friday and Sunday nights. Malta’s largest cinema, bowling alley, and a number of sports and wine bars are also located here. You can get to Paceville by public bus (the cheapest option) and for late night partying, there are “free phone taxis” which offers grouped taxi rides at reduced rates.
WHERE TO STAY
As a country driven by tourism, there is no shortage of hotels in Malta to suit various budgets. For upscale accommodation, there is the Hilton Malta (www.hilton.com) and The Westin Dragonara Resort Malta (www.westinmalta.com), among others. For budget accommodation, you can try British Hotel (www.britishhotel.com) in Valletta which offers a panoramic view of the Grand Harbour. If you are in Sliema, you can check out the conveniently-located and reasonably-priced Hotel Astra (www.astrahotel.com.mt) where you can get rooms with a seaview. Room rates go up during the summer peak season.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The summer season lasting from May to September is the most popular time to visit. Good weather is almost guaranteed during this period but this is also the peak holiday season for many European tourists, especially the British. The warmest days are in August when temperatures can go up to around 31º C but is still comfortable as humidity is low and the island is cooled by the Mediterranean breeze. Evenings are pleasant and balmy which explains why Maltese like to be outdoors most of the time. During summer, you would get daylight as late as 8pm. If your hotel room is near or facing the sea, you might be tempted to throw open the windows to enjoy the cool air. There is no spring or autumn in Malta and annual rainfall is low, which explains the sun-bleached landscape with hardly any vegetation.
GETTING THERE AND AROUND
About a dozen airlines can connect you between Singapore and Malta, usually with one or two stopovers. For example, Emirates will stopover in Dubai and Lufthansa will stopover in Frankfurt where you will have to catch a connecting flight. Around Malta, taxis are expensive but the old public buses which runs without air-conditioning, are quite a novelty and cheap, too. You can also hop on and off the Malta Sightseeing bus.
FAST FACTS
Malta is a member country of the European Union and the Euro is the local currency. You would be surprised to know that, besides the local Bank of Valletta, Hongkong Bank is quite established in Malta. What’s even lesser known, is the fact that Malta is a tax haven that offers EU permanent residency in return for a small fund invested with the local bank or in properties.
The country is predominantly Roman Catholic, ever since St Paul and St Luke were shipwrecked here in 60AD, and you can find a church in almost every corner of the island.
Malta's water comes from the desalination plants as there are no natural inland lakes on the islands. The drinking water has a slight salty taste and you just have to get used to it.
All rights reserved © Pete Wong
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