Travel to Malta For Seven DaysAny new or experienced travel planner should consider travel to Malta. This nation is a mix of the exotic and the familiar. Malta has a rich, colorful history but the country is not well-known to most North Americans. Anyone who holidays in Malta will feel quite at home mingling with the population. A large percentage of the population speaks English as its second language after the Arabic Maltese; their culture has a European focus and the population is largely Roman Catholic. Malta is a five island archipelago approximately 56 miles south of Sicily. The two largest islands are named Malta and Gozo. Follow the outline below and visit both. When you travel to Malta, use Valletta, the capital, as your base and follow the outline below. You may need to adjust the order of your sightseeing activities as flexibility is limited for some of the sites and activities.
Travel to Malta should always include the must-see sites below. You should have enough time left after to add other sites/activities of interest to you. Pass Day 1 of your Malta holiday in Valletta and visit the National Museum of Archaeology, the State Rooms in the Grandmaster’s Palace, St. John’s Co-Cathedral and The Malta Experience (a 40 minute film). Spend some time walking around the city. The walk along the ramparts beginning at Siege Bell Monument is spectacular. Before beginning the activities outlined above, visit the tourist information office just inside the city's main gate. Ask for tour maps of Valletta and the other cities below. Also ask for a list of Maltese restaurants serving traditional Maltese food. The City Gate bus terminal is just outside the main gate of Valletta. Pick up a free bus map here. Pass Day 2 in Paola and visit two ancient sites: The Tarxien Temple and the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. Hypogeum tickets and times are limited and should be reserved weeks in advance. If you have time, visit the nearby classical Chinese garden – the Garden of Serenity. Travel to Paola from Valletta on buses #1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 and get off at the main square (Pjazza Paola). On Day 3 visit another two temples in the morning. Take bus 38 to Hagar Qim and Mnajdra. These two temples are approximately 500 meters apart. Return to Valletta and then take bus 1, 4 or 6 to Vittoriosa. Visit the Inquisitor’s Palace and the Siege of 1565. Use any remaining time to walk around the old neighborhood. Look out over the water - the view is stunning. Day 4 (this must be a Sunday) is a visit to the town of Marsaxlokk for the outdoor market along the water front. This not a haggling market. As you walk along the waterfront, don’t become alarmed by the fact that all of the boats are seemingly watching you. Many of the boats have two eyes on the bow for good luck. Visit one of the waterfront cafes nearby for a light lunch. Marsaxlokk is accessible by using bus 27, 28, 29 or 30 from Valletta. Spend Day 5 in Mdina (“the Silent City”). Take bus 80 or 81 from Valletta. From a distance, as you approach the city, Mdina looks like something out of the Arabian Nights. The top sights are St. Paul’s catacombs, the Domus Romana and St.Paul’s Cathedral. Combination passes are available for several of the sites. The Mdina Dungeon is only worth visiting if you will not visit Vittoriosa on Day 3. Spend some time walking around the city; there is seemingly a surprise around every corner. Check out the souvenir shops near the Domus Romana – prices appear to be cheaper here. Use any remaining time to visit the Craft Village which is approximately one mile below the city. Use bus 65 to get there. Visit the island of Gozo on Day 6 – until now you toured the island of Malta. Now you will travel to the neighboring island of Gozo. Take bus #645 from Valletta to the ferry for a 30 minute ride to Gozo. From the dock, take bus #25 to Victoria. Then take bus #64 or 65 to the town of Xaghra and visit the oldest freestanding man-made structure in the world – the Temple of Ggantija. Return to Victoria and tour the Citadel, the Cathedral of the Assumption and the Museum of Archaeology. Victoria is also a good place to purchase reasonably priced souvenirs. On Day 7, visit any of the above sites that you missed above. After, spend some time at the beach. Take bus #645 to Mellieha, where a fine sandy beach awaits just west of town.
Follow these tips when you travel to Malta: 1) For information about many of the sites above and combination tickets. Go to “Visiting” for current prices; and “Heritage Sites” for descriptions of many of the sites. 2) Visit The Budget Travel Store for the best deals on airfares and accomodation. 3) Maltese currency is the Lira (Lm). The Lira is difficult to trade outside the country. Furthermore, you are only allowed to bring Lm50 into the country and take Lm25 out of the country. Use the ATM at the airport when you arrive to get your Lira. Remember to spend everything before you leave the country. 4) It is safe to drink the water when you travel to Malta. Furthermore, no vaccinations are required. 5) Do not rent a car in Malta. Use the public bus system. You can even travel between the airport and Valletta by bus #8 if necessary. Consider purchasing a 7-day bus pass for the time you spend there. Also note that bus passes for the island of Malta are not valid on Gozo and vice versa. 6) Electricity is 240 volts. 7) Shops are not open on Sundays and public holidays. 8) Tourist sites close daily at 5 pm. 9) The prickly pear cactus grows wild on Malta. It is used to make Bajtra Liqueur. Visit the Maltese Falcon Souvenir Shop 27 Villgaignon St., Mdina or the M and M Shop in the Craft Village near Mdina for a free taste. If you wish to purchase a bottle of this liqueur, the cheapest place for Non-European Union residents is in the Duty Free Shop at the airport. European Union residents should compare prices in some of the local shops to locate the best deal.
Return from Travel to Malta for Seven Days to Suggested Vacation Destinations
|
