Malta - The Mediterranean Paradise

Introduction - Malta is a small but strategically important group of islands located in the central Mediterranean Sea. Maltese society has been molded by centuries of foreign rule by various powers, including the Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, Swabians, Aragonese, Hospitallers, French, and British.

The Maltese are renowned for their warmth, hospitality, and generosity to strangers, a trait that was noted in the Acts of the Apostles, concerning the experience of St. Paul, the Apostle, who was said to have been shipwrecked off Malta in 60 CE.

The country comprises five islands—Malta (the largest), Gozo, Comino, and the uninhabited islets of Kemmunett (Comminotto) and Filfla—lying some 58 miles (93 km) south of Sicily, 180 miles (290 km) north of Libya, and about 180 miles (290 km) east of Tunisia, at the eastern end of the constricted portion of the Mediterranean Sea separating Italy from the African coast.

Climate - The climate of Malta is typically the Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers, warm and sporadically wet autumns, and short, cool winters with adequate rainfall. More than three-fourths of the total annual rainfall of about 22 inches (550 mm) falls between October and March; June, July, and August are normally quite dry.

The temperature is very stable, with the annual mean in the mid-60s F (about 19 °C) and monthly averages ranging from the mid-50s F (about 12 °C) to the mid-80s F (about 29 °C). Winds can be strong and frequent; the most prevalent are the cool northwesterly (the majjistral), the dry northeasterly (the grigal), and the hot and humid southeasterly (the xlokk, or sirocco). The relative humidity rarely falls below 40 percent.

Ethnicity, Language & Culture - Malta’s population is composed almost entirely of ethnic Maltese, the descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians as well as of Italians and other Mediterranean peoples. Attempts to form a unifying and homogenizing Maltese ethnicity can be traced back to the late 13th century; these efforts were consolidated in the nationalistic discourses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Aside from the Maltese population, there are small communities of British nationals, Sindhis, Palestinians, and Greeks on the islands. Since the 1990s, influxes of more transient but no less significant groups have arrived from North Africa and the Balkans and, in the early 2000s, from countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Maltese and English are the official languages of Malta as well as official languages of the EU. Maltese resulted from the fusion of North African Arabic and a Sicilian dialect of Italian. It is the only Semitic language officially written in Latin script. English is a medium of instruction in schools. Italian was the language of church and government until 1934 and is still understood by a sizable portion of the population.

Religion - Roman Catholicism is the official religion of Malta, but there is full freedom of religious belief. More than nine-tenths of Maltese are Roman Catholic; however, only about three-fifths of these practice their faith. The islands are an independent province of the church, with an archdiocese in Malta and a diocese in Gozo. Very small numbers of Maltese are adherents of other Christian denominations or of Islam. There are Roman Catholic cathedrals at Mdina and Valletta, an Anglican cathedral at Valletta, and a mosque at Corradino Heights.

Tourism is a major source of income and follows a seasonal pattern, with June through October being the peak season. Some notable tourist sites include the ancient megalithic temple Ġgantija on Gozo and the temples of Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, and Tarxien on Malta; this group of temples was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980. Also on Malta are spectacular medieval castles and cathedrals, as well as the ancient inland capital of Mdina. Tourism has had a major impact on the natural environment of the Maltese islands, and the government has attempted to promote ecotourism.

Getting There

While most European carriers operate seasonal flights, there aren’t many airlines that fly to Malta year-round. Ryanair, Air Malta, Easyjet, and Lufthansa are the biggest carriers that service the island year-round. One-way flights from the mainland cost 50-100 EUR ($53-106 USD), especially if you book in advance. You can also take the ferry to/from Sicily; it’s 2.5 hours and costs 61-127 EUR ($65-135 USD) each way (depending on the season).

Typical Costs

 Here is a list of typical costs in the country:

• Ferry to Valletta from Sliema: Single: 1.50 EUR ($1.60 USD), Return: 2.80 EUR ($2.95 USD)
• Ferry from Malta to Gozo: Pedestrian: 4.65 EUR ($5 USD), Car and Driver: 15 EUR ($16 USD)
• Pastizzi (cheap snack): 1-2 EUR ($1-2.10 USD)
• Breakfast sandwich: 3-4 EUR ($3.15-4.25 USD)
• Full breakfast: 8-9 EUR ($8.50-9.50 USD)
• Lunch at a café: 8-10 EUR ($8.50-10.50 USD)
• McDonald’s value meal: 5-6 EUR ($5.25-6.50 USD)
• Sandwich: 6 EUR ($6.50 USD)
• Nice dinner at a sit-down restaurant with wine: 25 EUR ($27 USD)
• Main meals: 10-14 EUR ($11-15 USD)
• Pizza: 6-9 EUR ($6.50-9.50 USD)
• Bottle of water: 1 EUR ($1 USD)
• Bottle of wine: 8-10 EUR ($8.50-10.50 USD)
• Beer: 3 EUR ($3.15 USD)
• Museum entrance: 6 EUR ($6.50 USD)
• Car rental: 38-48 EUR ($40-50 USD)
• Taxi prices: 10-20 EUR ($10.50-21 USD)
• Public bus ticket: 2 EUR ($2.10 USD)

There are a couple of hostels on the islands, with dorm prices beginning at 9 EUR ($9.50 USD) per night (though prices double in the peak summertime). Airbnb is ridiculously cheap — I found a whole house for 35 EUR ($37 USD) a night. Most budget hotels cost 40 EUR ($42.50 USD) so I would stick to Airbnb or hostels for accommodation. However, like hostels, the prices for places more than double to around 80 EUR ($84 USD) per night in the summer; budget hotels cost around 40-60 EUR ($42-63 USD) in the summer.

To save money on accommodation, travel off-season and stay in dorms or split Airbnb units with friends. You can use the website to find good B&Bs, as they have a robust listing.