Travelling to Malta

Everything you need to know

HOW TO GET THERE

The Maltese Islands are easily accessible from all over the UK. All flights are direct and approximately three hours long, making it a great destination for both weekend breaks and longer stays.

The national airline Air Malta operates from London Heathrow and Gatwick, together with Manchester and Birmingham (until 30 April 2011).

EasyJet flies from Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool & Belfast.

Ryanair operates from Luton, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Leeds Bradford, Dublin, Birmingham and Bristol airports

BMI baby flies from East Midlands airport.

AIRPORT

Malta International Airport is located between the villages of Luqa and Gudja, 10kms from Valletta. For information on arrivals and departures see www.maltairport.com

CLIMATE

Malta’s climate is strongly influenced by the sea and is typical of the Mediterranean. The Islands have a very sunny climate with a daily average of five to six hours of sunshine in mid-winter to around 12 hours in summer.

Winters are mild, with the occasional short chilly period brought about by the north and north-easterly winds from central Europe. Maximum day-time temperatures in January typically average around 15 degrees Celsius (59F).

Summers are hot, dry and very sunny with temperatures hitting around 32 degrees Celsius (89F) or more. Day-time temperatures in summer are often mitigated by cooling sea breezes, but in spring and autumn a hot wind from Africa, the Sirocco, occasionally brings unseasonal high temperatures and humidity.

Annual rainfall is low, averaging less than 600mm a year, and the dry season in summer is longer than in neighbouring Italy. This generally mild and temperate climate means swimming is possible well in to the ‘winter’ months, and the peak beach season can last until mid- to late October. With sea temperatures never dropping below 13 degrees Celsius, scuba divers can enjoy their sport even off season.

WHERE TO STAY

The Maltese are famous for their warm, friendly and generous hospitality where a guest is welcomed with open arms. This characteristic permeates through the hotel industry where the tourist can rest assured that, whatever the hotel star rating, a first-class welcome is guaranteed.

Hotels are mostly clustered in two main areas. St Julians is home to the majority of the island’s five-star hotels surrounded by a plethora of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, cafes. The trendy residential town of Sliema, just next door to St Julians, has a selection of four- and three-star hotels and is one of the island’s shopping destinations.

Further North, the resort area incorporating St Paul’s Bay, Bugibba and Qawra features a large selection of four- and three-star hotels, aparthotels and holiday apartments. The area is very popular with the locals especially in summer.

The capital city Valletta has two five-star hotels just outside its gates while the medieval walled-city of Mdina has one boutique hotel housed in a 17th century palazzo.

A growing number of hotels are boosting their green credentials by complying with the Malta Tourism Authority’s Eco-certification scheme.For a full list of hotels go to: www.visitmalta.com/hotel_directory

VISA REQUIREMENTS

British passport holders and European Union citizens do not require a visa to enter Malta. For other nationalities/passport holders contact the Malta High Commission in London on Tel: 020 7292 4800.

TIME DIFFERENCE

Malta is one hour ahead of GMT and two hours ahead of GMT in summer

CURRENCY & REGULATIONS

The Unit of currency in Malta is the Euro (€). In line with EU legislation on controls of cash entering or leaving the Community, any person entering or leaving Malta carrying cash or other monetary value over €10,000 or equivalent is obliged to fill in the appropriate declaration form available from the Customs.

All major credit cards are accepted. There are many ATMs and exchange bureaux around the island and the exchange bureau at the airport is open 24 hours.

Banks are open from 08.30 to 12.30 (11.30 on Saturdays) although some stay open longer.

LANGUAGE

The official languages of Malta are Malti (Maltese) and English. Malti is also an official language in the European Union.

DRIVING

In Malta, driving is on the left and all the road signs are in English. There are speed limits of 80 km/h on the open road and 50 km/h in built-up areas. Comprehensive insurance is advisable.

National or international driving licences are accepted. Car hire is competitively priced, even in peak season with daily rates starting from €16.

MEDICAL MATTERS

For emergency services call 112.

Travellers to Malta do not normally require a certificate of vaccination unless arriving from infected areas.

Malta has a reciprocal health agreement with the United Kingdom which entitles British passport holders to receive free or low cost emergency care for stays of up to 30 days or reduced cost for stays longer than 30 days.. Proof of nationality (passport) is required.

What is normally free: Immediate necessary medical and surgical treatment (including investigations) in Goverment hospitals, health centres and district clinics.

What you pay charges for: Consultations and treatments in non-Government hospitals or clinics or at a private doctors surgery. Prescribed medicines.

Pharmacies are open during normal shopping hours. On Sundays, chemists open on a roster basis from 9am to 12.30pm in Malta and from 7.30am to 11am in Gozo.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Malta has 14 public holidays including New Year’s Day, Christmas Day and Good Friday. Other public holidays are either religious feasts or historical commemorations that are celebrated with full pomp and ceremony. All shops are closed on public holidays. For a full list of public holidays go to www.visitmalta.com/public-holidays

SHOPPING

Shops are open from 9am to 1pm and from 4pm to 7pm Mondays to Saturdays although many stay open later (until 10pm) in tourist areas.

ELECTRICITY

The electrical supply is 230 volts +/- 10%. The frequency of the supply is 50 hertz. The three-pin rectangular plug system is used, as in Britain. Adapters are easily available.

RELIGION

The Majority of the Maltese are Roman Catholic, but other religious denominations are also represented. There are small Anglican, Church of Scotland, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Methodists and Muslim communities.