Brief information
When to Malta in the 9th century BC. the Phoenicians arrived, they were interested in the advantageous location of this island, which was useful for trade. Now in Malta, only scientists and museum staff remember the Phoenicians – tourists in the Maltese archipelago are primarily interested in excellent beaches – Golden Bay, Blue Lagoon, St. Peter’s Pool…
Geography of Malta
Malta is located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, halfway between continental Europe and North Africa. The Maltese archipelago consists of 6 islands, which are washed by the Mediterranean Sea. The largest of them are Malta (about 370 thousand inhabitants) and Gozo (about 30 thousand inhabitants). Only a few people live on Comino Island. But the islands of Cominotto, Filfla and St. Paul are generally uninhabited. The total area of Malta is 316 sq. km.
Capital
According to itypejob.com, the capital of Malta is Valletta, which is now home to about 7 thousand people. Valletta was founded by the Knights of Malta in 1566. However, there is archaeological evidence that in the territory of modern Valletta in the 9th century BC. there was a settlement of the Phoenicians.
Official language
Malta has two official languages - Maltese and English. In addition, Italian is widely spoken in Malta.
Religion
About 98% of the population of Malta are Catholics belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. There is one church for every 1,000 inhabitants of Malta.
State structure
According to computerminus.com, Malta is a parliamentary republic in which the head of state, according to the Constitution, is the President.
The President of Malta is elected by the House of Representatives (local unicameral Parliament), consisting of 69 people.
Climate and weather
The climate in Malta is typically Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and mild, not very cold winters.
In the coldest month – January – the air temperature in Malta ranges from +12 to +20C during the day and from +7 to +12C at night. In the warmest month – August – the air temperature ranges from +28 to +34C during the day and from +19 to +24C at night.
Sea
Malta is bordered on all sides by the Mediterranean Sea.
Average sea temperature in Malta:
- January – +17C
- February – +16C
- March – +16C
- April – +17С
- May – +19С
- June – +22С
- July – +26С
- August – +27С
- september – +26C
- october – +24C
- November – +22С
- december – +19C
Rivers and lakes
There are no rivers and no lakes in Malta. This is the only European country that does not have rivers and lakes.
History of Malta
In Malta, people appeared in the Neolithic era. In the 9th century BC. The Phoenicians sailed to Malta, who actively conducted maritime trade. Around 700 B.C. the ancient Greeks settled here.
In 400 B.C. Malta was captured by Carthage. In 264 BC. During the First Punic War, an uprising broke out in Malta against Carthage. As a result, Malta fell under the influence of Ancient Rome, and became an integral part of this empire.
It is believed that Christianity was brought to Malta by the Apostle Paul, who suffered in 60 AD. e. shipwreck near the Maltese archipelago.
In 395 AD Malta, after the collapse of the Roman Empire, came under the rule of the Eastern Roman Empire. In 870 AD Malta was captured by the Arabs, however, in the end, the Christians knocked them out of there, but this happened after a couple of hundred years.
In 1560 Emperor Charles V bequeathed Malta to the Military Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, known to historians as the Order of Malta. The rule of the Order of Malta in Malta continued until 1798, until the French troops of Napoleon Bonaparte landed there.
After the defeat of Napoleon, and this happened in 1815, Malta fell under the rule of Great Britain. Only in 1964 Malta gained independence. In 1974 a constitution was adopted and Malta became a republic. In May 2004, Malta joined the European Union.
Culture
Every year in Malta (in Valletta) at the end of the second week of May, a carnival is held, which is dedicated to the victory of the Knights of Malta in 1565 over the troops of the Ottoman Empire.
Malta also hosts a large number of folk music and dance festivals every year.
Cuisine of Malta
Maltese cuisine was formed under the influence of several peoples (Arabs, British, Italians and Turks). The main daily products are vegetables, cheese, fish, meat, rice, pasta. By the way, in Maltese families the main daily dish is pasta (the influence of neighboring Sicily is felt).
Be sure to try the following dishes in Malta:
- Lampuki Pie – fish pie;
- Rabbit Stew – rabbit stew;
- Bigilla – broad bean pate with garlic;
- Kapunata – vegetable stew;
- Bragioli – meatloaf;
- Hobz biz-zejt – bread with onions, fish, garlic and tomatoes;
- Aljotta – fish soup;
- Pastizzi – puff pastries;
- Kannoli is a sweet roll with cottage cheese.
The traditional Kinni lemonade is very popular in Malta among locals and tourists.
As for alcoholic beverages in Malta, the inhabitants of this republic make good wine.
Attractions
Phoenicians, ancient Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Knights of Malta, French and English lived in Malta. All of them left a large number of historical monuments of their existence there. Therefore, we advise tourists in Malta not only to relax on the beaches, but also to attend excursions. The top ten attractions in Malta, in our opinion, include the following:
- Palace of the Grand Master in Valletta
- Cathedral of St. John in Valletta
- Grand Harbor Harbor
- Fort St. Elma
- Palace of Auberge de Castille
- National Archaeological Museum
- National Museum of Fine Arts
- Manoel Theater in Valletta
- Palace of Casa Rossa Piccola
- Prehistoric underground temple Hypogeum
Cities and resorts
Cities in Malta are called even very small settlements. So, about 300 people now live in Mdina, and about 7 thousand people live in Valletta. By the way, Mdina is considered the most ancient Maltese city. Archaeologists say that the settlement of people on the territory of modern Mdina appeared almost 4 thousand years ago.
The most populous city in Malta is Birkirkara on the island of Malta. At the moment, its population is more than 25 thousand people.
Almost every Maltese city is a wonderful beach resort. However, beach resorts such as St. Julian’s, Sliema and Golden Bay should be highlighted. In Malta, one beach is better than another. Do not forget, when relaxing in Malta, to visit the following 10 best local beaches:
- Golden Bay – northwest coast of Malta
- Blue Lagoon on Comino Island
- St. Peter’s Pool – in the southeast of the island of Malta
- Ghajn Tuffieha – in the west of the island of Malta
- Mellieha Bay – in the north of the island of Malta
- Ramla l-Hamra – the island of Gozo
- Mgarr ix-Xini – the island of Gozo
- Paradise Bay – in the north of the island of Malta
- Hondoq ir-Rummien – island of Gozo
- San Blas Bay – Gozo Island
Souvenirs/Shopping
As souvenirs from Malta, we advise you to bring various lace products, dishes, art glass, towels, silver jewelry, miniature ships and boats, fresh white sheep cheese (but it does not keep very long), and, of course, the local Kinni lemonade “.
Office Hours
Banks are open:
Mon-Fri: 08:30-12:30 Some banks are also open on Saturdays.
Shop opening hours:
Mon-Sat: from 09:30 to 12.30 and from 16:30 to 19:00.
Visa
Ukrainians need to obtain a visa to enter Malta.
Currency of Malta
Malta has been a member of the European Union since 2004, which means that the euro is used as currency in this country.
MasterCard, Visa cards are accepted (to a lesser extent – American Express). Smaller Maltese shops generally do not accept cards.
Customs restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import and export of currency in Malta, but it must be included in the declaration. Customs regulations are identical to other EU countries.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
The interests of Malta in Ukraine are represented by the Malta Tourism Authority in Russia:
Address: Moscow, st. Cow shaft, 7, of. 178
Phone: (095) 980-71-80
Fax: (095) 232-64-31
E-mail: [email protected]
The interests of Ukraine in Malta are represented by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Italian Republic:
Address: 00198 Via Guido D’Arezzo 9, 00198 Rome Italia
Phone: (10-3906) 841-2630
Fax: (10-3906) 854-7539
E-mail: emb_it@ mfa.gov.ua
Emergency numbers
Police, ambulance and fire department telephone – 112
Time
The difference with time in Kyiv in the summer is -1 hour. Those. if in Valletta, for example, in the summer it is 9:00 am, then in Kyiv it is 10:00 am.
Tips
In restaurants in Malta, tips are usually 10% (unless, of course, they are already included in the bill). Taxi drivers don’t usually expect tips, but passengers often tip 10% of their bill. A hotel maid is usually given 1 euro.
The medicine
No special vaccinations are required to visit Malta, but health insurance is required.
Security
Crimes against foreign tourists are rare in Malta, but pickpocketing and theft of bags or luggage do occasionally occur. In addition, sometimes foreigners in Malta become victims of electronic fraud. Therefore, it is better to leave the main valuable items and documents in the safe of your hotel.
