Each place has their own traditions, food, language, and culture. I have added some information below that may help if this is your first visit to Malta.
#1 THE CROWDS
It can get crowded when the cruise ships come in, especially in Valletta, but by evening, it gets much quieter. The only place that was really crowded while we were there was the main street in Valletta. The Mdina was a little crowed in the square but we traversed a maze of side streets when no one in site.
#2 THE WHITE TAXI
The White Taxis. You will see them everywhere but I had been told that these taxis are bad news. That they are super expensive and the drivers are rude. Well...we only had the rest of one afternoon to explore the island and a list of places that we wanted to see so....we asked a taxi driver how much he would charge us to take us around to these places. Yes, it was one of the expensive white taxis. He wanted $50. That is super expensive but he said he would carry us everywhere on our list so we paid him the $50. We knew we were being ripped off but when you spend a lot of money to get to a destination, you need to decide if saving the extra money is worth missing what you want to see, even if you are being over charged. To us, the experience was worth a lot more than $50.
The bus system in Malta is cheap and will carry you most places you want to go. We used it a few times and was pleased with the cost and the condition of the buses.
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This was our taxi driver.# 3 DRIVING IN MALTA
I have never driven in Malta but here is information I found on the web. If you plan to drive there, check for updated information.
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#4 BUNNIES ARE FOOD, NOT PETS
Skip this one if you love little bunnies. Malta is known for its rabbit dishes and you will see it at most restaurants.
They not only eat bunnies but also horses......
......and lamb along with all types of seafood.
#5 SERVICE
In many countries in Europe, including Malta, American culture does not apply to restaurants. Unlike America, it is considered rude to bring a check to the table unless requested. If the check is presented before you request it, it is a signal that they want you to leave.
Even after requesting the check, it could be 30 minutes to an hour before it actually appears. If I am in a hurry, I will pick up food from a fast food chain where you pay in advance or a local supermarket.
#6 CHURCHES
Malta has a lot of churches. There are around 359 churches and much of the history of Malta includes the story of Luke the Apostle and Paul of Tarsus were shipwrecked off Malta in 60 AD.
Not only are there a lot of churches, but they are a site to behold.
#7 LANGUAGE
The inhabitants in Malta speak English and Maltese. You may also hear Italian spoken. With almost everyone speaking English, Malta is a great place for American tourist.
#8 POWER PLUGS
Don't think power plugs are the same throughout Europe. In Malta the power plugs and sockets are of type G. When I'm in Barcelona I have to use type C and F.
#9 CURRENCY
The currency in Malta is the Euro. There are plenty of ATM's around the island so you shouldn't have any trouble finding one.
#10 COST OF VISITING MALTA
Compared to many other European countries, Malta was on the cheaper end. A quick search for lodging will give you many choices at reasonable price. You can read about the penthouse we stayed in overlooking the harbor for $48 a night HERE.
Food is also reasonable and you will find a variety of restaurants from high end to McDonald's.
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| View from our balcony. |
#11 THE BEACHES
Don't expect to see beautiful tropical sandy beaches with palm trees. Malta is a rocky island with a lot of cactus. The islands are almost treeless. Vegetation is sparse and stunted, Nonetheless, the beaches are amazing.
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