Malta is a small archipelago in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, with 93km south of Sicily and 288km north of Africa, with about 375,000 inhabitants. Apart from the main island of Malta, there is another inhabited island, with the name of Gozo.
Some 29,000 people live there. In between Malta and Gozo is the small island of Comino, where only one family lives permanently, but the island is much visited by tourists because of the Blue Lagoon, a sheltered bay with crystal clear water. Furthermore there are some uninhabited islands, like St. Paul’s Island in the north and Filfla in the south.
Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island “Malat”, meaning “safe haven”.
The history of these small islands is one of conquest and colonizers. It’s strategic position in the Mediterranean, in between Europe and Africa, half way Gibraltar and the Middle East made it a perfect stronghold for the consecutive colonizers. The Phoenicians, the Romans, the Arabs, the Angevins, the Aragonese, the Knights of Saint John and the British were amongst them – all with just one goal: to control the middle of the Mediterranean.
Traces of these cultures can still be found in Malta. Phoenician tombs are still quite numerous throughout the island. The Roman Villa and early Christian catacombs in Rabat can be visited. The ancient city of Mdina bears traces of its Arab past. The capital city of Valletta is an open history book on the era of the Knights of St. John. In 1800, Malta voluntarily became part of the British Empire. The Maltese gained their independence from the British in 1964 and the country would continue as a sovereign state and republic. This is celebrated as Independence Day.The British influence is obvious as well: left hand driving, British phone booths, it’s all there!
But there is more! Dating back to 3600 BC are the megalithic temples, huge stone structures, built for the veneration of the Goddess of Fertility. These stone structures are considered to be the oldest free standing buildings in the world.. Before the arrival of the British, the language of the educated elite had been Italian, but this was increasingly downgraded by the increased use of English. In 1934, English and Maltese were declared the sole official languages. During the Second World War, being a British colony, situated close to Sicily, Malta was bombarded by the Italian and German air forces. Malta was used by the British to launch attacks on the Italian navy and had a submarine base. Since May 2004, Malta is a member of the European Union and a popular tourist destination for many Europeans.
Malta has a typical Mediterranean climate. The summers are hot, dry, and very sunny whilst the winters are mild and a little rainy. During May to October temperatures average around 32°C with around 10-11 hours of sunshine average per day.
Between November and April temperatures average around 14°C but still with an average of 6.5 hours of sunshine each day. Annual rainfall in Malta is low and during the summer months there can be very long dry spells without a drop of rain.
Swimming is possible all year round with the sea temperature rarely dropping below 15°C and reaching as high as 28°C. For more information about the weather in Malta has to, please follow this link.
Typical of the Mediterranean lifestyle, the Islanders’ approach to life is to enjoy and celebrate it as much as possible. Nightlife on the Islands is always bustling – even if the vibrant calendar of events is lean during some periods, there are always scores of clubs to visit, excellent wine bars and first-rate restaurants to try. The Islands have an effervescent calendar of cultural events to see, such as the Summer Malta Arts Festival, the Valletta Baroque Festival, the Opera Festival, the Choir Festival and the International Jazz Festival held in July. Over the years, Malta has become an attractive destination for a number of reasons. Apart from the wonderful climate and Mediterranean life, a small island that offers all kinds of activities to suit all interests.
Built in 1732, the Teatru Manoel in Valletta is not only Malta’s oldest theatre, but one of the oldest in Europe. Embellished over the centuries, this theatre is a true architectural gem. Today, the theatre is one of Malta’s foremost performing spaces, offering a wide range of productions including opera, ballet, contemporary dance, music, children’s performances and drama.
You will find that a number of hotels provide their own tennis and squash facilities. However, if you are interested in a sports club, then you can organize to play tennis or squash. If you want to improve your golfing skills or merely squeezing in a lesson or two during your stay - the Marsa Sport Club provides lessons and courses for those interested.
The only place on the island that offers a fun packed day for kids. With water slides, shoots and a dinosaur park, this is a great day out for the family. Situated on the sea shore it offers a large pool area for relaxing along with a snack bar, there is also ample parking space offered.
The old classic movie from 1980 with Robin Williams of Popeye was filmed in Malta. The whole village was built purposely for the movie and still remains there today. One can visit Popeye’s village and get a feel for what it was like to be in the movie. There's a bar and restaurant, a souvenir shop and even a kid's amusement park. There's animation, an audio visual show and even a boat trip!
This is fun for the entire family, with petrol powered karts and offering 17 different tracks, it would be impossible to say no to an afternoon of go karting. Various events are organized including a Grand Prix with trophies.
Whether you are an experienced rider or would like to experience riding a horse for the first time, lessons are available to all.