For one of the world’s smallest nations, Malta has plenty to offer those keen to pack a little action into their holiday – from trotting races, staged on the island since 1868, to computerised tenpin bowling, to beach volleyball, as well as water sports, marathons, golf and tennis.
The Azure Window, Gozo, formed by the forces of wind and sea.
Sylvaine Poitau/Apa Publications
On the surface
It’s likely that the calm, crystal-clear Mediterranean waters around Malta have played their part in attracting you here – and now you can make the most of them thanks to the huge variety of water sports available. Most beaches – sandy or rocky – offer the facilities you’ll need to sail, parasail, canoe, snorkel, windsurf, jet-ski or water-ski, and help will be at hand to ease you into the process if you are a beginner.
Playing golf on Malta.
Malta Tourism Authority
To dive for
Having been voted one of the top-three diving destinations in the world, Malta provides the perfect opportunity to grab your aqualungs and head below the surface of the sea. The translucent waters that surround the islands give them special year-round appeal, as nowhere in the Mediterranean can you see so far underwater or discover such a large variety of dive sites, both natural and man-made.
More than 40 species of fish can be seen around the islands, including grouper, moray, cuttlefish, octopus, flying gurnard, angler fish, barracuda and eagle ray. Sea anemones add their own splash of colour.
While the Mediterranean’s sea life may not be as colourful as that of the Maldives or the Red Sea, for instance, its underwater topography and the clarity of its waters rate well above most other places in the world. In fact, underwater visibility is generally 6–20 metres (19–65ft), but can extend to 50 metres, up to 30 metres (164ft, up to 98ft) below the surface. Some of the best diving is found off the southern shore of both Malta and Gozo. In the deep water beneath the sheer cliffs, the spectacular rock formations are a diver’s delight – among them are arches, caves, buttresses, drop-offs and tunnels.
Sunday best: trotting for glory at Marsa.
Viewing Malta
Dive schools flourish throughout the islands, with operators offering tuition, arranging accompanied dives and hiring out equipment. And with no tides to worry about, they are rated highly as a “learn to dive” destination. Here newbie divers will usually stay within the 10–25-metre range. Of course, things get more exciting the deeper you go. The islands boast a number of sunken shipwrecks for those divers keen to take on a challenge and explore further. Planning is important, though it’s also vital to remember that wind direction here can change at the drop of a hat and strong underwater currents can create the odd issue. As always with scuba-diving, beginners should never be without an instructor, and even the most experienced divers should constantly be accompanied by a buddy.
Top Dive Sites
Whether you’re a seasoned scuba diver or are still finding your flippers, the Maltese Islands promise a huge variety of dive sites that are bound to entice you into the water. Depending on your abilities, this is our pick of the must-see spots below the surface:
Cirkewwa
Easily the island’s most popular dive site, this whole area is marine-protected. Keep your eyes peeled for barracudas, jacks and tuna.
Um el Faroud
This wreck was sunk following a tragic accident in 1995, and now sits off the southern village of Zurrieq. Only recommended for experienced divers.
Ghar Lapsi
Great for divers of all abilities, immerse yourself among caverns, reefs and caves, and enjoy plenty of typical Mediterranean marine fauna.
Dwejra Point, Gozo
This area’s unique limestone formations make it a must for any diver. The water visibility here is probably the best on the island.
Le Polynésien
Nicknamed Malta’s “Titanic”, this is the wreck of a 19th-century passenger liner that sank at the end of World War I. Not for beginners: only the most experienced deep-sea divers need apply.
Taming the seas
Sailing in Malta was given fresh impetus with the revival of the Middle Sea Race for ocean-going yachts. This 1,000km (600-mile) spectacle, staged each October, starts and ends in Malta’s Marsamxett Creek; it encompasses the island of Sicily and takes from three to six days to complete, depending on weather conditions.
Malta’s oldest yacht marina is in Msida, near Sliema, matched now by the Cottonera Marina in Vittoriosa in the Grand Harbour, which is deep enough for today’s mega-yachts. At St Julian’s is a small marina, part of the Portomaso complex, and new marinas are planned for other parts of the island, including on Manoel Island.
Windsurfing off the coast of Malta.
Malta Tourism Authority
Windsurfing
Windsurfing came to Malta in the late 1970s and is now a year-round sport which attracts enthusiasts from far and wide. For those who have yet to tread a sailboard, Mellieha Bay is an excellent place to learn. The keenest windsurfers set their sights on the daily wind direction and then speed off to different parts of Malta and Gozo.
Sea conditions can vary from flat calm to choppy when the prevailing majjistral sets in from the northwest or the strong grigal blows up from the northeast; races are a real test even for very experienced board sailors.
The open expanse of Mellieha Bay also lends itself to water-skiing, jet-skiing and snorkelling (Comino’s Blue Lagoon is another good spot) and a host of family-orientated activities. Parasailing fans should head for Golden Bay, for a bird’s-eye view of Malta’s fascinating northwestern tip and striking views across to Comino and Gozo.
Trotting treat
Horse racing is Malta’s most popular spectator sport – not the thoroughbred gallops you see on British racecourses, but trotting meetings that regularly pull in crowds of 4,000 to Marsa racetrack and are held all year round. Trotting remained for many years staunchly male-orientated, but now the spectacle provides exciting entertainment for everybody.
You can bet on the Tote or with independent on-course bookmakers – the stakes are low and the odds not unreasonable. Make your own way to the racetrack rather than taking an organised excursion, as tour buses have the infuriating habit of leaving halfway through the meeting.
There are 700 registered horses in Malta, most imported from France and Scandinavia; many are stabled close to the 1,000-metre (3,280ft) circuit, which was laid down in 1868 but shortened to meet international standards in 1981. Around 500 races are held each year in meetings staged every Sunday afternoon, on alternate Saturdays and on public holidays. It’s a full afternoon’s entertainment – trotting cards include up to 12 races and can take up to five hours to complete – though you don’t have to stay the distance.
Equestrian sport of a less serious kind altogether takes place during the Mnarja festival of St Peter and St Paul in Rabat on 29 June each year. Its bareback horse and donkey races on Saqqajja Hill date from the time of the Knights, and winners receive banners to be used in church as altar cloths.
If you want to take the reins yourself, you can visit the Golden Bay Horse Riding School (which is signposted just off Golden Bay beach; www.goldenbayhorseriding.com). It caters for all standards of rider and uses a number of panoramic routes around this part of the coast.
Golf on course
Most Mediterranean holiday destinations accept that golf is a big attraction – and Malta is no exception. The island has only the 18-hole Royal Malta Golf Club (http://royalmaltagolfclub.com) course at present, though there are talks of other courses opening in the future.
The Maltese show very little inclination towards playing golf, leaving visitors to pitch in for the best tee-off times. The Royal Malta, retaining British links in its title (though no one recalls when, if ever, royal assent was ever given to the club), is a pleasant 5,091-metre (16,702ft) parkland course that makes few demands on the seasoned club player.
Golf is just one aspect of the Marsa Sports Club complex, Malta’s number-one sporting venue, which has numerous tennis courts, squash courts, mini golf, a cricket ground, a billiards room, a freshwater swimming pool and a fitness centre. Sports-minded visitors can take out a temporary membership while they are on holiday in Malta to make full use of the wide-ranging facilities.
Hiking along the coast, San Blas Bay.
Malta Tourism Authority
The long haul
With its equable winter climate and flat topography, there are two notable long-distance sporting events that attract good international fields to the islands. The Malta Marathon is run each February and attracts high-class athletes, including, in the past, European and Commonwealth champions. The other major endurance trial is the Ironman triathlon challenge, which is also gaining popularity in Malta. This contest combines tough courses of swimming, running and cycling, and is not for the faint of heart.
Ramble Around
Rambling has been popular in Malta for nearly 150 years and today it remains the perfect opportunity really to discover the Maltese countryside, promising stretches of unspoilt land and tranquil spots that feel as though they’ve been unchanged for centuries. It is a joy to chance upon dramatic cliffs plunging into waves, rocky scrubland or hidden, lush valleys. In fact, only around one fifth of Malta is built-up – so it’s great fun to get out there and explore.
Popular routes include around Delimara Point and Marsascala in the south, Buskett Gardens and Bahrija in the centre, Anchor Bay and Paradise Bay in the north, and Dwejra and Hondoq ir-Rummien in Gozo.
Local favourites
Turn to the sports pages of Malta’s newspapers and you will be struck by the amount of space devoted to football – it dominates the sporting scene throughout the year.
The football season only excludes the hottest summer months – July and August. Otherwise, it is a hive of activity and a hot topic of conversation. Malta’s Football Association (MFA) is over 100 years old and one of the oldest in Europe. There are national championships and a national knockout competition (FA Cup), and Malta’s national team is active in FIFA’s World Cup and UEFA’s European Championship, with clubs also taking part in European club competitions. The MFA has a splendid national stadium at Ta’ Qali. It will not take very long to gather that most Maltese (male and female) are football-crazy and are well versed in the various fortunes of international clubs.
The Challenge Marathon takes place in Malta every year over three consecutive days.
Malta Tourism Authority
Meanwhile, relatively new to the scene but fast gaining ground, is the very British game of rugby. Established here in the late 1990s, the Malta Rugby Football Union was formed, and the Maltese team has been present at the Rugby World Cup. It has become a popular sport for spectators, and visitors are always welcome to watch or join one of the clubs.
The Maltese game of bocci, derived from a game played in Ancient Rome and similar to the French boules, but using wooden blocks instead of balls, gets less publicity but is widely popular and is taken seriously by its devotees. Most towns and villages on the island have their own bocci club, which becomes a popular social centre on long summer evenings.
The “Passeggiata”
If you’re exhausted by the mere idea of all these different sports, why not make like the Maltese and take a walk? The well-loved passeggiata is the exercise of choice for many on the island, and the pretty seafront promenades make the perfect place to work your pins in style. It’s actually more of a social activity than a form of exercise, as most islanders will wander up and down the stretch between Sliema and St Julian’s, or other similar promenades, stopping every couple of metres to chat with friends and neighbours. So why not join in the fun? You can also stop en route to indulge in a delicious ice cream from one of the nearby gelaterias.
Tenpin bowling is also a serious pursuit and attracts a young crowd to the 20-lane Eden Super Bowl (with fully computerised scoring) at St George’s Bay.
The success of Maltese player Tony Drago abroad gave snooker a boost on the island and most sports and band clubs have their own full-size snooker table for patrons.
Finally, and somewhat bizarrely for an island known for its Mediterranean climate, ice-skating has become popular locally in recent years. A small rink is sometimes installed close to the entrance of Valletta around Christmas time.