Shopping
Malta has been a trading island for millennia and merchants have always played an important role in its economy. Over the centuries, a number of traditional handicrafts have developed that now form the basis of the typical souvenirs you may want to take home with you.
There are plenty of places to swim or snorkel along the coast
Sylvaine Poitau/Apa Publications
Where to Shop
Malta is a great place for browsers. There are few major shopping malls and only a small number of shopping complexes (mostly located in Sliema, St Julian’s and Valletta) where many major brands or chains, including Marks & Spencer and Benetton, have local branches. In contrast, the narrow streets of Valletta, Rabat and Victoria have a wealth of smaller shops.
The Point
The Point Shopping Complex (www.thepointmalta.com; Mon–Sat 9.30am–7.30pm) is Malta’s most modern and biggest shopping complex. It has an array of stores that include both high-street as well as designer brands, cafés, restaurants, and a kids’ play area.
Markets are also very popular and there is a regular timetable for every town. The major markets in Valletta are the clothing market on Merchants Street and the huge Sunday morning flea market at St James’ Ditch. Most markets sell everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to collectibles, and even pets. Markets take place in the mornings; often the stallholders will have packed away by noon.
There are also two craft centres to explore. Here you can not only buy goods, but also see the craftspeople at work. Ta’ Qali Village on Malta is situated near Mdina, and on Gozo you will find the craft centre at Ta’ Dbiegi, outside the village of San Lawrenz, on the road to the Azure Window.
What to Buy
Lace. It was once commonplace to see the women of every village sitting out on their doorsteps making lace. Today, this remarkable handicraft is becoming rare – with few young women interested in learning the skill and cheap machine-produced lace flooding the market. On Gozo you will have a greater chance of finding women lace-making, but you will be able to buy items on Malta. The prices for fine hand-produced lace are reasonable and the quality is superb.
Maltese lace is renowned but only a few women, mostly in Gozo, still practise the art
Viewing Malta
Sweaters and rugs. Knitted, woven and crocheted goods are abundant and offer good value for money. Women often sit out on summer evenings with knitting needles or crochet hooks working on items. Sweaters are popular and come in sizes to fit everyone from the smallest baby to the largest man. Woven rugs are another good practical buy. Made of wool or cotton, they are machine washable, easy to pack, and you will find numerous examples in Maltese family homes.
Colourful glassware
Viewing Malta
Silver and gold. Maltese artisans have been creating silver items for generations. You can find picture frames, spoons and christening mugs. The Maltese Cross is, of course, very popular, as a brooch or on a chain, and is an appropriate souvenir of your time here. Gold is also popular, as can be seen in the shops on St Lucia Street in Valletta.
Glass. You’ll find handmade glass on both Malta and Gozo. The distinctive bright colours that swirl within each piece are introduced by adding powdered pigments when the glass is in its molten state. The range of items on offer includes vases, bowls and perfume bottles. The colours of the glass reflect the dominant hues of the islands: the blues and aquas of the sea, verdant greens of the spring landscape, and the beige of the sand and rocks in the summer sun. Mdina Glass can be found at the Ta’ Qali Craft Centre, Malta. On Gozo, Gozo Glass has its studio at the Ta’ Dbiegi Craft Village near Dwejra.
Pottery. Artefacts in the archaeological museums of each island bear witness to the longevity of pottery production here. Many items date from thousands of years BC, from Megalithic statuary to Roman amphora. Modern potters use both traditional and modern designs and you can buy pieces with a range of glazes.
Edibles. One theory about the origin of Malta’s name is that it came from melita, the Greek word for honey. This indicates how important it was to the islands in ancient times. Today honey is used to sweeten a range of Maltese dishes and you can buy pots of it to take home.
Cheese is one of the major products, particularly on Gozo, where it is still hand-produced on small farms. The small rounds of sheep’s milk cheese called ġbejniet (‘j-bay-niet’) are excellent and are served fresh, covered in herbs or pepper, or preserved in olive oil with sun-dried tomatoes.
Malta also produces oil and an unusual alcoholic liqueur. Bajtra is made from the juice of the prickly pear, which imparts a purple hue to the liquid, which is flavoured with herbs and honey.
Casinos
Malta has four casinos, offering a range of gambling opportunities. There’s the newest Casino Malta in St. Julian’s, which is open 24 hours a day; Dragonara Casino alongside the Westin Dragona hotel in St Julian’s, set in a huge Greek Revival-style structure, built at the beginning of the 20th century as the summer residence of a local marquis; the Portomaso Casino adjacent to the Hilton Hotel; and the Oracle Casino at the New Dolmen Hotel in Qawra. To enter the casinos foreign nationals must be over 18 (take ID). The dress code is smart casual.
Entertainment
Pubs and Clubs
Malta has quite a sophisticated range of nightlife for such a small island. This centres on the resort areas of St Julian’s, Paceville and Buġibba, where the large hotels and self-catering apartment blocks have been built. There are numerous bars and English-style pubs, such as Fat Harry’s (Pjazza Walkway, St Paul’s Bay, www.fatharryspub.com) and the Dubliner (Spinola Bay, St Julian’s, www.irishpubmalta.com) along with an increasing number of wine bars like the luxurious Tiffany Champagne and Cigar Bar (Portomaso, St Julian’s, tel: 9961 0163; www.tiffanymalta.com). Many of these have live music or, at the very least, are equipped with superior sound systems.
Later in the evening you can head out to a club – there are many to choose from, including the Paceville stalwart Havana (St George’s Road, Paceville, tel: 9964 8427), which has entertained generations of clubbers, to the more upmarket Level 22 (Portomaso Tower, St Julian’s, tel: 2138 6802; http://22.com.mt), which has stunning views across most of the island.
Most of the large hotels also have a schedule of entertainment, from dinner-dances to folklore programmes.
Manoel Theatre
Viewing Malta
Theatre and Music
Malta enjoys a healthy amount of theatre, ballet and concert recitals, particularly in the winter months. These are centred on venues in Valletta, such as the Manoel Theatre (www.teatrumanoel.com.mt) and the St James Cavalier Centre of Creativity (www.kreattivita.org), and take place at lunchtime as well as in the evening. The website of the Malta Tourist Authority, www.visitmalta.com, has a full list of activities taking place each month.
Outdoor Pursuits
There are only a few sandy beaches on the Maltese islands, whose coastlines are characterised by rocky stretches and narrow inlets. However, Malta is still popular with those who want to relax by spending time in the sun. Lido pools with sunbathing areas are cut into the rocks, providing seawater swimming pools in summer. Should you want to join the smart set, the Reef Club, St Julian’s, near the Dragonara Casino, is considered the most fashionable and best-appointed lido. There is also The Lido near Tigne Point in Sliema, where many young locals and foreigners go to swim and mingle at all hours of the day and night.
The number of sandy beaches may be limited but there are endless numbers of places where you can swim or snorkel off the smooth rock coastline. A point to remember is that if you see a Maltese or Gozitan family picnicking and swimming along the shore, then that is a good place to swim.
Best Beaches
The largest beaches on Malta are Mellieħa Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa, Golden Bay, Għadira and Ġnejna, but just as much fun are the smaller places such as Paradise Bay, Armier and Little Armier. In Gozo try Ramla and San Blas. For swimming from the rocks, the best spots are around Sliema, St Julian’s, Paceville and St Thomas Bay; and Delimara and Peter’s Pool in the south. In Gozo the best swimming is around Marsalforn and Xlendi or in tiny coves like Mġarr ix-Xini.
Topless tip
Although topless sunbathing is not permitted on the islands’ public beaches, it may be acceptable on the private hotel beaches.
Snorkelling and Diving
With so many rocky inlets, it is not surprising that the Maltese islands are a snorkeller’s heaven. The sea is clear and the fish plentiful, along with rock-dwelling creatures such as urchins and octopi.
The waters around the islands are some of the clearest in the Mediterranean with visibility between 40–50 metres (130–65ft). This, along with numerous natural features and wrecks to explore, make the islands popular destinations both with divers and snorkellers. Among the wartime wrecks are Royal Navy ships and aircraft.
Maltese law requires all divers to be over 14 years of age and have a medical certificate of fitness. Those who have less than a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) advanced certificate or equivalent must dive with a certified instructor. Those who wish to dive independently will need a local dive permit. These are issued by the Malta Department of Health, through a local dive centre on Malta or Gozo.
If you wish to learn to dive, there is an excellent network of dive centres that offer training to professional levels. The centres are affiliated with the major certifying bodies, with PADI being the most common. The basic qualification, the Open Water certificate, takes five days to complete. On completion this will allow you to dive with an instructor to a depth of 18m (60ft), which opens up many dive sites.
For further information, contact the Federation of Underwater Activities (PO Box 29, Gzira GZR 10, Malta, tel: 9905 1306; www.cmas.org) or the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (61/2 Msida Seafront, Msida; www.padi.com).
Diving at the Santa Maria Caves, off Comino Island
iStock
Other Activities
Most major hotels offer a full range of water sports, including jet skiing, windsurfing, sailing and ‘banana rides’. The centres are generally open to non-guests. Many beach lidos have the same facilities.
If you want to take to the water under your own steam, you can hire anything from a kayak to a 10-berth ‘gin-palace’. You will need a skipper’s certificate for anything large – or you can hire a crew as part of the package and leave the hard work to them.
Active Pursuits. The islands offer facilities for a surprising number of sports and the climate is conducive to quite strenuous activities, especially in the spring and autumn months. Malta has an extensive regimen of competitive sporting events throughout the year, including cycle races, marathons, biathlons and triathlons.
Climbing. With its rocky terrain and sheer cliffs, Malta is a climber’s paradise. Sport climbing, bouldering, deep-water soloing and sea-level traversing can all be practiced on all islands. For more information, visit www.climbmalta.com.
Tennis. Most large hotels have tennis courts and these are often floodlit. Tennis is a very popular sport in Malta, with several community court complexes in towns and villages. The Marsa Sports Club (www.marsasportsclub.com) welcomes temporary members for golf, squash and tennis (tel: 2123 3851).
Walking. The southwest areas of the island and along the cliffs at Dingli take you to a rural Malta that you might otherwise not see. Many parts of Gozo have rural tracks where you can walk, and much of the coastline remains unspoilt. For details, see http://greatwalksmalta.com.
Cruises and Tours
Day Cruises. Take a tour of the Grand Harbour or a day cruise around the island with time for swimming and snorkelling. You can choose a state-of-the-art catamaran, a miniature cruise ship, a Turkish gulet, or a gaff-rigged schooner. An organisation called Captain Morgan offers the most comprehensive service, with several sizes of craft. They can even provide an underwater safari boat with Perspex keel, which allows you to enjoy the underwater environment without any risk of getting wet. Contact them at Dolphin Court, Tigne Seafront, Sliema, tel: 2346 3333, www.captainmorgan.com.mt.
Land Cruises. Take a four-wheel-drive safari to remote places. You’ll see vestiges of the Malta of the past and find out just how diverse these islands are. Captain Morgan Cruises (for more information, click here) offers jeep safaris with an experienced leader. Drivers must be over 25. Gozo Jeep Tours (45 St Lucy Street, St Lucia, Kercem, Gozo, tel: 9945 6809, www.gozo.com/jeeptours) offers tailor-made tours of the island, either for specific interests or general sightseeing.
Ramla Beach, Gozo
Viewing Malta
Children
There are many attractions for children, who are made very welcome on the islands. Maltese children are treated with indulgence and will often be out late, especially in summer, wandering along the seafront with parents and grandparents who will stop for a drink at a café or bar.
The summer sun is strong, so always make sure that children have plenty of sunscreen protection at all times, even when they are playing in the water, and cover their heads with a hat.
Boat trips are always fun, whether it be across the Grand Harbour, out to the Blue Lagoon or around Gozo. There is a wealth of sea life to look out for as you go. A short trip into the Blue Grotto (Malta) or to the Inland Sea (Gozo) will fascinate children as they travel deep into the caves and watch the iridescent water shimmering and reflecting on the walls.
Take a karrozin ride around Valletta or Mdina. Children will enjoy being the centre of attention as they trot along, and will appreciate being high above the crowds for a better view. Agree the price before setting off on the ride.
The colourful and lively festas are perfect for children. There is lots of music, and no one seems to mind how much noise they make. Spectacular firework displays are a highlight, but it’s advisable to prepare the little ones for the noise.
Mediterraneo Marine Park (www.mediterraneopark.com), at Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, offers up-close interaction with sea lions and dolphins, with feeding and educational programmes (for more information, click here). Popeye Village (https://popeyemalta.com), near Mellieħa (for more information, click here), is a great place to explore, and has an amusement park.