INFO GUIDE
Malta
CONTENTS HISTORY
4
USEFUL INFORAMTION PUBLIC TRANSPORT
8
FERRYBOATS APPS USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS
A detailed map of the Public Transport itineraries is included as a fold out in the middle
HISTORY T
he history of Malta is a long and colourful one dating back to the dawn of civilisation.
The Maltese Islands went through a golden Neolithic period, the remains of which are the mysterious temples dedicated to the goddess of fertility. Later on, the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Romans and the Byzantines, all left their traces on the Islands. In 60 A.D. St. Paul was shipwrecked on the island while on his way to Rome and brought Christianity to Malta. The Arabs conquered the islands in 870 A.D. and left an important mark on the language of the Maltese. Until 1530 Malta was an extension of Sicily: The Normans, the Aragonese and other conquerors who ruled over Sicily also governed the Maltese Islands. It was Charles V who bequeathed Malta to the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem who ruled over Malta from 1530 to 1798. The Knights took Malta through a new golden age, making it a key player in the cultural scene of 17th and 18th century Europe. The artistic and cultural lives of the Maltese Islands were injected with the presence of artists such as Caravaggio, Mattia Preti and Favray who were commissioned by the Knights to embellish churches, palaces and auberges.
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In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte took over Malta from the Knights on his way to Egypt. The French presence on the islands was short lived, as the English, who were requested by the Maltese to help them against the French, blockaded the islands in 1800. British rule in Malta lasted until 1964 when Malta became independent. The Maltese adapted the British system of administration, education and legislation. Modern Malta became a Republic in 1974 and joined the European Union in May 2004.
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USEFUL INFORMATION D
o I need a visa to visit Malta? Is driving in Malta on the left or on the right? Answers to these and many other questions can be found in this section, together with useful tips, currency and bank information and much more. All those little details that put your mind at rest before you travel, as well as information you may need while you’re here.
CURRENCY
EURO
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POPULATION OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
445,426
ENGLISH & MALTESE
CAPITAL
AREA
VALETTA
316 KM2
CLIMATE
Summers are hot, dry and very sunny. Day-time temperatures in summer are often mitigated by cooling sea breezes. Spring and autumn are cooler, except when the occasional Scirocco wind from Africa brings unseasonally high temperatures and humidity. Winters are mild, with the occasional short cold spells brought about by the north and north-easterly winds from central Europe.
DRIVING
In Malta and Gozo, driving is on the left. There are speed limits of 80 km/h on the open road and 50 km/h in built-up areas, unless otherwise indicated on relevant road signs. If you intend to rent a car or drive in Malta, it is advisable to take out comprehensive insurance.
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.
LANGUAGE The official languages of Malta are Maltese and English. Maltese, a language of Semitic origin written in the Latin script, is the national language of Malta. Over the centuries, it has incorporated many words derived from English, Italian and French.
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PUBLIC TRANSPORT M
alta Public Transport is the company set up in 2014 to operate the bus services in Malta and Gozo. Bus services on the Maltese islands generally operate daily between 5:30 and 23:00hrs.
There are a total of 80 different routes that link the different localities in Malta to either major hubs such as Valletta, Mater Dei Hospital and the Airport or to other destinations. Meanwhile 15 different routes operate in Gozo primarily from the central hub of Victoria Bus Station to various localities on the island. Generally, one or two digit routes (Eg. 1, 2, 3, ... 12... 34... 94) denote mainline routes that operate to and from Valletta from various localities. Express routes are designated with an “X�. These routes have limited stops and operate to and from the Airport from different localities. Three digit routes link different localities together. In most cases these routes do not serve Valletta, but might serve other interchanges such as University and Mater Dei Hospital. Each bus has specifically designated seating for persons with mobility impairments, pregnant women, the elderly and persons carrying young children. Besides being accessible, buses are fully air conditioned, are equipped with audio announcements and electronic information panels highlighting the next bus stop.
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BUS CARDS AND TICKETS
€1.50 €2.00 €3.00 9
Explore (Adult €21 / Child €15) Unlimited travel for 7 days
With unlimited travel, the 7-Day Explore Card offers the best value for anyone wanting to explore our islands. You can go to all of Malta’s sites of interest, in any part of Malta and Gozo. You can hop on or off anytime, as many times as you want, and at any time. This card is valid for travel on day services and night services; So whether you are hitting the beach, visiting Ħaġar Qim, or going to a village festa, the card will offer you unlimited travel, any time of the day. The card is valid for seven days of unlimited travel starting from the first day and time that the card is validated on the bus. There is a card for adults, and another for children (up to 10 years old). The card may not be shared with other persons.Our cards are available for purchase at all our Sales and Information Offices and other leading outlets, and can be used immediately.
Where To Buy Explore Card Our Explore cards can be found at any of our Sales and Information Offices, as well as a number of third party outlets. While our Sales and Information points are always stocked with these cards, we cannot guarantee that third party outlets will always be stocked with our cards.
12 Single Day Journeys (â‚Ź15)
Our 12 Journey card is another easy and cost-effective way of getting around Malta and Gozo. Perfect for those using the bus every now and then, this card can be shared and is valid for one year. Planning a day out to the beach for the family? Purchase our 12 Single Day Journeys card, and you are given 12 Journeys to be used by all the family. Do you need to travel around between meetings, or for a meeting? This is the product you need. Keep it at hand, and just hop onto a bus. You can also use this card on Night Services. You can use it for 12 Single Journey Tickets on Day Services or 6 Single Journey Tickets on Night Services, or a combination of both.Our cards are available for purchase at all our Sales and Information Offices and other leading outlets, and can be used immediately.
Where To Buy 12 Journey Card Our 12 Journey cards can be found at any of our Sales and Information Offices, as well as a number of third party outlets. While our Sales and Information points are always stocked with these cards, we cannot guarantee that third party outlets will always be stocked with our cards.
FERRYBOATS COMINO
S
ituated between Malta and Gozo, the smaller island of Comino is a paradise for snorkelers, divers, windsurfers and ramblers. Only 3.5 square kilometers, Comino is car-free and apart from one hotel, is virtually uninhabited. The island’s main attraction is the Blue Lagoon. In summer, this sheltered inlet of shimmering aquamarine water over white sand is very popular with day-trippers. Comino is also worth a visit in winter, and is ideal for walkers and photographers. With no urban areas or cars on the island, one can easily smell the scent of wild thyme and other herbs. Comino was inhabited in the Roman period, but did not have much significance until the Knights arrived. It then had a dual role: hunting grounds and a staging post in the defence of the Maltese Islands against the Ottoman Turks. The island had proved a useful base for pirates operating in the central Mediterranean and, though stark and barren today, it was home to wild boar and hares when the Knights arrived in 1530. After WWII, Comino remained a backwater until its fortunes revived with tourism in the mid-1960s.
EBSON CRUISES departure from CIRKEWWA MALTA
departure from BLUE LAGOON
9.00
9.30
9.30* 10.00
10.30
10.30 11.00
11.30
11.30* 12.00
12.30
12.30* 13.00
13.30
13.30* 14.00
14.30
14.30* 15.00
15.30*
15.30*
16.00
16.30
17.00* 18.00*
Adults Fare - Euro 10 Chlidren 5 - 12 yrs - Euro 5 Under 5yrs - Free
* Available during Main Summer months only
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FERRYBOATS GOZO
G
ozo is known to provide a tranquil haven for a tempo and scene change. The charm of Malta's sister Island is immediately apparent; it's greener, more rural and smaller, with life's rhythms dictated by the seasons, fishing and agriculture.
Steeped in myth, Gozo is thought to be the legendary Calypso's isle of Homer's Odyssey - a peaceful, mystical backwater. Baroque churches and old stone farmhouses dot the countryside. Gozo's rugged landscape and spectacular coastline await exploration with some of the Mediterranean's best dive sites. The island also comes complete with historical sites, forts and amazing panoramas, as well as one of the archipelago's best-preserved prehistoric temples, Ä gantija. Gozo also possesses a nightlife and cultural calendar all of its own, with some great dining out.
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THE GOZO CHANNEL COMPANY departure from MGARR GOZO
departure from CIRKEWWA, MALTA
00.45
12.45
01.20
13.30
02.00
13.30
02.30
14.15
03.30
14.15
04.00
15.00
05.00
15.00
05.45
15.45
06.00
15.45
06.30
16.30
06.30
16.30
07.00
17.15
07.00
17.15
07.30
18.00
07.30
18.00
08.15
18.45
08.15
18.45
09.00
19.30
09.00
19.30
09.45
20.15
09.45
20.15
10.30
21.00
10.30
21.00
11.15
21.45
11.15
21.45
12.00
22.20
12.00
23.15
12.45
23.50
Adults Fare - Euro 4.65 Chlidren 5 - 12 yrs - Euro 1.15 Standard Night Fare - 4.05
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MOBILE APPS
TO HELP YOU GET AROUND HUNGRYINMALTA
Welcome to Malta’s first and only mobile app for ordering takeaway food, wherever you are in Malta or Gozo. And it’s FREE. Whether you’re staying in a hotel or in a self-catering apartment, or maybe even on a yacht, you can now order Indian, Chinese, sushi, pizza, pasta, burgers, baguettes, wraps and so much more.
MALTA WIFI
The first app designed specifically for Maltese citizens and tourists who plan to visit our beautiful island, Malta. An extremely simple way to find Free and Public WiFi Hotspots around Malta.
SNOUT MALTA
Seek, Find and Share Malta with Snout. This smart travel app on iPhone and Android lets you hit the ground running. It offers clever little walking tours of Mdina and Valetta all with fully offline mapping, available through in-app purchases.
MALTAONDMOVE
MaltaonDmove is a revolutionary App which presents to the user a list of ‘things’ closest to the user’s location. It includes restaurants, nightclubs, speed cameras, public restrooms, and many more.
USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS WHEN YOU ARE VISITING THE MALTESE ISLANDS: Ambulance: 112 Consumer Protection: 21250221 Direct Dialling Code (Malta): 356 Directory Enquiries: 1182 Directory Enquiries: (Go Mobile) 1187 Directory Enquiries: (Vodafone) 1189
Emergency: 112 Emergency Rescue by Helicopter: 21244371 Emergency Rescue by Patrol Boat: 21238797 Emergency Vet Services: 50043888 Flight Information: 52302000 (rate per call €1.00) * Government Information Service: 153 Gozo Ferry: 21556114 Hospital - Gozo: 21561600 Hospital - Malta: 25450000 International Code (to make an overseas call): 00 Lost Property: 21224781 Overseas Operator: 1152 Passport Office - Gozo: 21560770 Passport Office - Malta: 21222286 Police: 21224001-7 Time Check: 195 Weather Information (basic): 52302021 (rate per call €1.00) * Weather Information (detailed): 52502002 (rate per call €5.00) * * Flight and Weather information services are also available, free of charge, on www.maltairport.com or the Information Channels on local TV networks.