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Malta Weddings
Malta weddings take advantage of one of the most romantic destinations in the Mediterranean, and this little archipelago is becoming more and more popular as a venue both for Malta honeymoons as well as the ceremony itself. Couples have been tying the knot on idyllic Mediterranean islands for many decades—especially the famous Greek Islands like Crete and Rhodes. More than 7,000 years of history, hundreds of beautiful cathedrals and churches, and the entire medieval city of Valletta that is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site means that if you plan on getting married in Malta, you will have one of the most magnificent backdrops for your big day.
Malta weddings offer two other advantages over the more famous Mediterranean venues. They are generally less expensive and there are fewer restrictions. Because the islands are relative newcomers as destinations for vacations, prices for almost everything are low, including getting married in Malta and the cost for accommodation for wedding parties and Malta honeymoons. Additionally, you can choose to have your ceremony performed virtually anywhere, including with the backdrop of one of the megalithic temples that comprise another UNESCO World Heritage Site and are the oldest structures in the world.
Finally, Malta weddings are legally recognized by many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Great Britain, and all other countries that are part of the European Union. Marriage requirements here are relatively open, and the documentation (primarily proving you unmarried status) required is fairly simple. This documentation needs to be forwarded to the country’s Marriage Registry within six weeks of the ceremony, which you can do yourself. There are also numerous wedding planners on the islands who will handle all the details from wedding receptions on luxury sailing yachts and the bride’s make-up to the “going away” ceremony in a traditional horse-drawn karrozzin (carriage). There are also specialist travel companies throughout the world that offer wedding vacation packages and who can assist with all the details before you leave home.
Unlike many other countries, it is possible to have only a religious ceremony either in a Roman Catholic or Anglican church; you do not additionally need a civil document for the marriage to be internationally recognized. And you certainly have your choice of churches—hundreds of them. Churches and cathedrals are everywhere on both Malta Island and Gozo Island. Even tiny little Comino Island, with a population of fewer than a dozen people, has a lovely Parish church. Getting married in Malta is also possible as a purely civil ceremony in a Registry office or in one of the many wedding halls.
Some of the wedding halls are magnificently opulent palaces. The Palazzo Parisio was built in 1733, and is still occupied by the aristocratic family that has owned it since 1898. It is called a miniature Versailles, with a grand hall and beautifully landscaped gardens that provide the perfect wedding venue. It is located in the little village of Naxxar less than a mile outside of St Julians. This is not a hotel, but there are many accommodation possibilities for wedding parties and Malta honeymoons in nearby Valletta, St Julians, and Sliema. If you want a palace that can provide rooms as well as a wedding venue, you might try the luxurious Xara Palace in the medieval walled city of Mdina.
A beach wedding in Malta might be the first thing you think of when you think Mediterranean island, and there are a number of wonderful beaches available for your ceremony. Most of the best sandy beaches are on the eastern coast of all three islands. Choose the western coasts if you want dramatic rugged cliffs. Malta is also an excellent scuba diving destination, and there have even been wedding ceremonies performed underwater. You have many other choices for a wedding location. Virtually all hotels, especially the resorts and five star luxury hotels, are equipped to handle all the arrangements with large wedding halls and intimate chapels.
Malta Villas
Malta villas date to well before the advent of the tourism industry. The Golden Age of Malta history dates to the medieval era of the Knights of Malta (also known as the Knights Hospitaller), who ruled supreme here from 1530 until 1789, when they and many other similar feudal orders were abolished by the King of France.
The Knights built magnificent cathedrals and opulent palaces. When they discovered the rewards of seaside vacations to escape the summer heat in their capital city of Valletta, they began building summer mansions and cottages in places like Sliema. They also escaped the city to summer residences in the countryside near towns like Mdina and Marsaxlokk. In 1798, Admiral Lord Nelson sailed into Valletta’s Grand Harbour to help the Maltese oust the French, and Malta became a British colony from 1802 to 1974. It was under British rule that villa holidays in Malta became popular with the English ex patriot community. After independence in 1974, the British continued to visit the islands and Malta villa rentals provided their accommodation of choice.
Some of the Malta villas are historic properties, palaces actually, that date back to the early days of the Maltese aristocracy. Some have been turned into boutique luxury hotels and some are used as venues for weddings and other special occasions. But most Malta villa rentals are more modern, and they run the gamut from luxurious mansions with swimming pools to modest cottages and rustic farmhouses that make villa holidays in Malta affordable for most visitors.
You will find Malta villas all over both Malta Island and Gozo Island. There are none on Comino Island, which has only one hotel and a permanent population of a under a dozen people. Even that hotel offers beachside bungalows suitable for families. Most are located in seaside towns and cities, but there are also many in the countryside. Since both islands are small (one coast or another is never more than three miles away), this still makes them easily accessible to all the attractions.
There are not a large number of sandy beaches, and those that are most accessible are public beaches. But you can still find Malta beach villas in several areas. Some of the more remote will be found on the west coast of Malta Island just south of Gnedjna Bay. Around the most popular beach resorts, you’ll find a number of townhouses and apartments available as vacation rentals. Many of these call themselves beach “villas,” but look carefully at the description if you have your heart set on a real villa that is really set on a beach.
Since villa holidays in Malta have been so popular in England since the nineteenth century, you’ll find many companies there offering vacation packages that include Malta villa rentals as part of the package. But this kind of vacation has become increasingly widespread in the United States as well, and most travel agencies can assist you with one. Packages like this normally include other features, most especially flights. Even though Malta villas offer the advantages of fully equipped kitchens, you really need to have a rental car for transportation with most of them. However, the public bus system is quite extensive, and you can get around quite well using only that.
The Knights built magnificent cathedrals and opulent palaces. When they discovered the rewards of seaside vacations to escape the summer heat in their capital city of Valletta, they began building summer mansions and cottages in places like Sliema. They also escaped the city to summer residences in the countryside near towns like Mdina and Marsaxlokk. In 1798, Admiral Lord Nelson sailed into Valletta’s Grand Harbour to help the Maltese oust the French, and Malta became a British colony from 1802 to 1974. It was under British rule that villa holidays in Malta became popular with the English ex patriot community. After independence in 1974, the British continued to visit the islands and Malta villa rentals provided their accommodation of choice.
Some of the Malta villas are historic properties, palaces actually, that date back to the early days of the Maltese aristocracy. Some have been turned into boutique luxury hotels and some are used as venues for weddings and other special occasions. But most Malta villa rentals are more modern, and they run the gamut from luxurious mansions with swimming pools to modest cottages and rustic farmhouses that make villa holidays in Malta affordable for most visitors.
You will find Malta villas all over both Malta Island and Gozo Island. There are none on Comino Island, which has only one hotel and a permanent population of a under a dozen people. Even that hotel offers beachside bungalows suitable for families. Most are located in seaside towns and cities, but there are also many in the countryside. Since both islands are small (one coast or another is never more than three miles away), this still makes them easily accessible to all the attractions.
There are not a large number of sandy beaches, and those that are most accessible are public beaches. But you can still find Malta beach villas in several areas. Some of the more remote will be found on the west coast of Malta Island just south of Gnedjna Bay. Around the most popular beach resorts, you’ll find a number of townhouses and apartments available as vacation rentals. Many of these call themselves beach “villas,” but look carefully at the description if you have your heart set on a real villa that is really set on a beach.
Since villa holidays in Malta have been so popular in England since the nineteenth century, you’ll find many companies there offering vacation packages that include Malta villa rentals as part of the package. But this kind of vacation has become increasingly widespread in the United States as well, and most travel agencies can assist you with one. Packages like this normally include other features, most especially flights. Even though Malta villas offer the advantages of fully equipped kitchens, you really need to have a rental car for transportation with most of them. However, the public bus system is quite extensive, and you can get around quite well using only that.
Malta Vacation Rentals
Malta vacation rentals allow you to save money on dining out costs and can provide sleeping space for entire families and small groups. With a vacation rental, you can more easily choose the specific part of the islands you would like to stay on, as well as choosing which amenities are most important to you and your group.
Malta vacation rentals are actually the only way you can stay in certain areas, including the ancient city of Birgu Vittoriosa, which has no hotels. Staying in this elite small town that has only museums and historic palaces and churches is not cheap, but will give you an unequaled taste of the long and rich history of this city. Perhaps the most prestigious address here is the Torre (Tower) de Cavalieri, a beautifully preserved medieval tower with five bedrooms and three full bathrooms. There are stunning rooms with thick sandstone walls, a huge fully equipped kitchen, and magnificent views of the skyline in Valletta across Grand Harbour, one of the largest natural harbors in all of Europe. You can also find a very few Vittoriosa apartments Malta if you search diligently.
If you want your Malta vacations to have even more exclusive style, there is actually a medieval castle available for holidays. It has been beautifully restored inside and out, and boasts a large Romanesque swimming pool in a five acre garden enclosed by the ancient castle walls. Nine bedrooms (three in the castle turrets) sleep as many as fourteen people. It is located in a little village outside of Zurrieq, near the international airport and the Hagar Qim and Mnajdra megalithic temples on the southwest coast of Malta Island. The castle boasts a fully modern kitchen and modern bathrooms.
Since there are virtually no hotels in the countryside and along some of the more remote coastal areas, villas and rental homes in Malta provide the number one option. There are beautiful old farmhouses in the countryside. Some of these are charming little bed and breakfast inns, but some are historic old farmhouses dating to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The largest number of these old farmhouses will be found on Gozo Island.
You can find luxury apartments Malta as well as more basic ones. Many of the luxury apartments are located in the town of Sliema, which has always been the Valetta suburb of choice for the wealthy and aristocracy of the largest island. The most desirable of these are penthouse (or high level) apartments in luxury high-rise buildings that have magnificent views over St Julians Bay.
Malta vacations in Paceville, in the northern part of the town of St Julians, are popular with young people who come here to enjoy the lively nightlife of some of the most famous clubs and discos in Europe. This is where you will find the largest number of apartments Malta in the budget range. Most of these are modest one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments that are fully furnished, provide all the basics you need, and are within walking distance to the beaches and night clubs. Other Malta vacation rentals include villas, bungalows, and cottages, some of which are located on beaches. You can also find a floating vacation rental in the form of sailing and motor yachts that are available for bareboat or crewed charter.
Malta vacation rentals are actually the only way you can stay in certain areas, including the ancient city of Birgu Vittoriosa, which has no hotels. Staying in this elite small town that has only museums and historic palaces and churches is not cheap, but will give you an unequaled taste of the long and rich history of this city. Perhaps the most prestigious address here is the Torre (Tower) de Cavalieri, a beautifully preserved medieval tower with five bedrooms and three full bathrooms. There are stunning rooms with thick sandstone walls, a huge fully equipped kitchen, and magnificent views of the skyline in Valletta across Grand Harbour, one of the largest natural harbors in all of Europe. You can also find a very few Vittoriosa apartments Malta if you search diligently.
If you want your Malta vacations to have even more exclusive style, there is actually a medieval castle available for holidays. It has been beautifully restored inside and out, and boasts a large Romanesque swimming pool in a five acre garden enclosed by the ancient castle walls. Nine bedrooms (three in the castle turrets) sleep as many as fourteen people. It is located in a little village outside of Zurrieq, near the international airport and the Hagar Qim and Mnajdra megalithic temples on the southwest coast of Malta Island. The castle boasts a fully modern kitchen and modern bathrooms.
Since there are virtually no hotels in the countryside and along some of the more remote coastal areas, villas and rental homes in Malta provide the number one option. There are beautiful old farmhouses in the countryside. Some of these are charming little bed and breakfast inns, but some are historic old farmhouses dating to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The largest number of these old farmhouses will be found on Gozo Island.
You can find luxury apartments Malta as well as more basic ones. Many of the luxury apartments are located in the town of Sliema, which has always been the Valetta suburb of choice for the wealthy and aristocracy of the largest island. The most desirable of these are penthouse (or high level) apartments in luxury high-rise buildings that have magnificent views over St Julians Bay.
Malta vacations in Paceville, in the northern part of the town of St Julians, are popular with young people who come here to enjoy the lively nightlife of some of the most famous clubs and discos in Europe. This is where you will find the largest number of apartments Malta in the budget range. Most of these are modest one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments that are fully furnished, provide all the basics you need, and are within walking distance to the beaches and night clubs. Other Malta vacation rentals include villas, bungalows, and cottages, some of which are located on beaches. You can also find a floating vacation rental in the form of sailing and motor yachts that are available for bareboat or crewed charter.
Malta Vacation Packages
Malta vacation packages of all sorts are available to suit just about every taste and budget. Sometimes these are offered by local hotels during shoulder seasons and special holidays. These generally include the cost of hotel accommodations and perhaps some meals and airport transfers. Sometimes they might include some tours or admission tickets to museums and other attractions. These kinds of Malta vacations usually offer good discounts on lodging if you’re willing to travel during off or shoulder season or stay a minimum number of nights.
A number of the larger hotels and resorts offer good deals on a beach vacation to Malta throughout the year. However, if you want to hit the beaches during the best summer weather, these kinds of Malta travel deals need to be booked as far in advance as possible because space is limited. Taking a beach vacation to Malta has been popular with British tourists since colonial days, and northern Europeans also come here in large numbers. You will find companies that offer discount Malta vacation packages in most of the capitals of Europe and all over Great Britain. These holidays generally include international round trip flights on one of Europe’s discount airlines, transfers, and meals.
Malta vacations have been discovered by Americans only since about the 1980s, and today there are a number of operators in the United States who offer virtually all inclusive Malta vacation packages that last seven to ten days. These might stay in more than one place, and include all international and internal transportation, most meals, and guided tours every day. However, most of these Malta vacations are part of a larger itinerary that includes other countries in the region, like Italy (Sicily is only about 65 miles away) and Greece. Adventure tours that often include hiking in North Africa and Malta are also available.
Other special interest Malta vacation packages include scuba diving and sailing trips, archaeological tours of the megalithic temples, and weddings. This is an extremely popular wedding and honeymoon destination, and there are many specialist agencies that can arrange everything from a wedding dinner cruise to the going away ritual in a traditional karozzin (horse drawn carriage). Putting your own Malta getaway together is also possible. Rental cars are readily available, and the islands are so small that it’s just about impossible to get lost. If you are traveling during the peak summer season, you need to put the pieces together fairly far in advance as there are few options for accommodation outside of the towns and cities. But you are fairly safe setting out on the open road with few plans if you’re traveling during the off season.
It is a beach vacation to Malta that the vast majority of visitors are seeking. Even though these islands do not have the incredible beaches that are famous in places like Greece and the Riviera in southern France, there are lovely beaches including some that are quite remote and secluded. In fact, it is the remote, unexplored, and relatively undeveloped nature of these islands that draw so many visitors who are beginning to discover its unique charms, fascinating history, and wonderful weather provided by the proximity to Africa.
A number of the larger hotels and resorts offer good deals on a beach vacation to Malta throughout the year. However, if you want to hit the beaches during the best summer weather, these kinds of Malta travel deals need to be booked as far in advance as possible because space is limited. Taking a beach vacation to Malta has been popular with British tourists since colonial days, and northern Europeans also come here in large numbers. You will find companies that offer discount Malta vacation packages in most of the capitals of Europe and all over Great Britain. These holidays generally include international round trip flights on one of Europe’s discount airlines, transfers, and meals.
Malta vacations have been discovered by Americans only since about the 1980s, and today there are a number of operators in the United States who offer virtually all inclusive Malta vacation packages that last seven to ten days. These might stay in more than one place, and include all international and internal transportation, most meals, and guided tours every day. However, most of these Malta vacations are part of a larger itinerary that includes other countries in the region, like Italy (Sicily is only about 65 miles away) and Greece. Adventure tours that often include hiking in North Africa and Malta are also available.
Other special interest Malta vacation packages include scuba diving and sailing trips, archaeological tours of the megalithic temples, and weddings. This is an extremely popular wedding and honeymoon destination, and there are many specialist agencies that can arrange everything from a wedding dinner cruise to the going away ritual in a traditional karozzin (horse drawn carriage). Putting your own Malta getaway together is also possible. Rental cars are readily available, and the islands are so small that it’s just about impossible to get lost. If you are traveling during the peak summer season, you need to put the pieces together fairly far in advance as there are few options for accommodation outside of the towns and cities. But you are fairly safe setting out on the open road with few plans if you’re traveling during the off season.
It is a beach vacation to Malta that the vast majority of visitors are seeking. Even though these islands do not have the incredible beaches that are famous in places like Greece and the Riviera in southern France, there are lovely beaches including some that are quite remote and secluded. In fact, it is the remote, unexplored, and relatively undeveloped nature of these islands that draw so many visitors who are beginning to discover its unique charms, fascinating history, and wonderful weather provided by the proximity to Africa.
Malta Tours
Malta tours are numerous and available to explore the three main islands of this small Mediterranean country, and several kinds of transportation to facilitate them. Malta guided tours are some of the most rewarding to fully enjoy some of the many historic sites, and you can book these yourself in many places when you purchase an admission ticket. It is also possible to simply walk down to the harbor in almost any seaside town and book sightseeing cruises with various operators or even with a fisherman in his traditional luzzu. With the latter, you are apt to discover some very personalized lore as the fishermen are usually happy to share their years of experience as you enjoy sailing along the beautiful coastline.
You can also plan and execute your own self-guided sightseeing tours in Malta with a map, a rental car, or even your own feet. Hiking tours in Malta are made easy for all experience levels by the small size of the islands and by numerous hiking trails that are seldom interrupted by private property and fences. On Comino Island, you can depart the only hotel on the island in the morning, walk a full circumnavigation of the island, and be back in time for lunch. More ambitious Malta tours are available to hikers looking for a bit more adventure. All three islands have dramatic rugged cliffs on their western shores, and there are companies offering rock climbing and rappelling trips in these areas.
Along the twelve miles of the beautiful Dingli Cliffs on Malta Island, you can enjoy Malta guided tours with professionals or self guided tours with detailed maps and lists of hotels and inns along the way. Perhaps the most exciting sightseeing tours in Malta are those you do yourself with a rental car. Doing this allows you to explore at your own pace, stopping where you please, and discovering little hidden gems along the way.
Many sightseeing tours in Malta include activities on the sea. There is excellent scuba diving around all three islands and many PADI certified operators that will take you to popular beaches as well as to secluded coves and lagoons only accessible by boat. Sailing has always been a popular activity in the Mediterranean, and Malta tours aboard a variety of sailing yachts are available. These can be day excursions or trips of several days. There are even sailing tours that include other countries such as nearby Sicily, or Tunisia on the North Africa coast. More ambitious sailing trips might include the Greek Islands.
Many large ocean liners on Mediterranean cruises dock in Valletta—most for only a single overnight stay. Virtually all shore excursions are Malta guided tours offered to the passengers. These generally include tours of Valletta, the ancient walled city of Mdina, and the megalithic temples found on both Gozo and Malta Island. Some of these excursions are also sightseeing flights aboard seaplanes. Tour packages to Malta are offered by companies in other countries as well as by a number of companies in Malta. These are often vacation packages that are apt to include international flights, accommodation in hotels, and tours of select attractions.
You can also plan and execute your own self-guided sightseeing tours in Malta with a map, a rental car, or even your own feet. Hiking tours in Malta are made easy for all experience levels by the small size of the islands and by numerous hiking trails that are seldom interrupted by private property and fences. On Comino Island, you can depart the only hotel on the island in the morning, walk a full circumnavigation of the island, and be back in time for lunch. More ambitious Malta tours are available to hikers looking for a bit more adventure. All three islands have dramatic rugged cliffs on their western shores, and there are companies offering rock climbing and rappelling trips in these areas.
Along the twelve miles of the beautiful Dingli Cliffs on Malta Island, you can enjoy Malta guided tours with professionals or self guided tours with detailed maps and lists of hotels and inns along the way. Perhaps the most exciting sightseeing tours in Malta are those you do yourself with a rental car. Doing this allows you to explore at your own pace, stopping where you please, and discovering little hidden gems along the way.
Many sightseeing tours in Malta include activities on the sea. There is excellent scuba diving around all three islands and many PADI certified operators that will take you to popular beaches as well as to secluded coves and lagoons only accessible by boat. Sailing has always been a popular activity in the Mediterranean, and Malta tours aboard a variety of sailing yachts are available. These can be day excursions or trips of several days. There are even sailing tours that include other countries such as nearby Sicily, or Tunisia on the North Africa coast. More ambitious sailing trips might include the Greek Islands.
Many large ocean liners on Mediterranean cruises dock in Valletta—most for only a single overnight stay. Virtually all shore excursions are Malta guided tours offered to the passengers. These generally include tours of Valletta, the ancient walled city of Mdina, and the megalithic temples found on both Gozo and Malta Island. Some of these excursions are also sightseeing flights aboard seaplanes. Tour packages to Malta are offered by companies in other countries as well as by a number of companies in Malta. These are often vacation packages that are apt to include international flights, accommodation in hotels, and tours of select attractions.
Sailing Holiday Malta
A sailing holiday Malta is one of the easiest things to find. Although this is a tiny country, it has been an important seafaring nation for millennia since prehistoric mariners arrive more than 5,000 years ago and built some of the most important existing megalithic temples in the world. Most of the towns and villages along the coast are still home to traditional fishermen, and modern marinas are full of yachts available for skippered charter Malta travel itineraries or for bareboat cruises. If the latter kind of boat hire in Malta appeals to you, you can expect to pay a fairly sizable security deposit as well as to provide proof of your ability to handle the vessel on your own.
There is a difference between skippered charter Malta travel and fully crewed boating. Skippered means the vessel comes with a professional captain and you provide the labor of the crew, which can include hoisting sails, cooking in the galley, and general boat maintenance. Fully crewed boat hire in Malta is more expensive, and means you have both captain and professional crew. Some yachts are quite large and luxurious, and crews for these can include cabin attendants and wait staff. The most elegant will have gourmet chefs and fine onboard dining.
Some of these ships are mega yachts that can make you feel like an Onassis or a movie star, sailing into other glittering Mediterranean ports such as Nice and the Riviera, idyllic Greek Islands, and even the coast of Turkey. In fact, one of the mega yachts that sometimes makes port in Malta is the Christina O named for the Onassis daughter, and sleeping 36 guests plus a crew of 30. Less ambitious sailing on Malta will often take visitors to nearby Sicily, which is only 65 miles away.
Almost every sailing holiday Malta will begin in the large marinas of Sliema and St Julians, which are northern suburbs of the capital city of Valletta. There are also a few companies offering boat hire in Malta in the developing resorts around Mellieha on the northern tip of Malta Island as well as on nearby Gozo Island.
The best Gozo sailing holiday Malta companies will be found based in the Mgarr harbor, which is the island’s ferry port. It lies less than a mile from little Comino Island and about three miles north of Malta Island. Most of the boats here are used for sailing trips of three to seven days that cruise the coast of all three islands, looking for secluded beaches, the lively nightlife of Pacevile, and tours at various attractions. Some of these will also include scuba diving trips.
It is possible to enjoy a skippered charter Malta for a much shorter period of time during your vacations. Many smaller boats, including the traditional fishing luzzus, and sightseeing boats offer day excursions and short tours of places like Grand Harbour that last only the morning or afternoon. There are some larger party boats that cater sunset dinner and luncheon cruises. These are especially popular for those who come here for weddings and other special occasions. It is often possible to book these on site just by walking down to the harbor and negotiating with a vessel’s captain, but large catered events need to be booked in advance.
Malta Resorts
Malta resorts are mostly located on sandy beaches or elsewhere on the shoreline with large rock shelves suitable for sunbathing. Some entire areas are resorts, and the little island of Comino is an example. It is so small (only about one square mile in area), that the island itself can be said to be the grounds of its only hotel, which is additionally located on a beach. You can have breakfast in this all inclusive hotel, walk completely around the island, and be back in time for lunch.
Most of the Malta resorts are four or five star properties, and virtually every Malta spa resort is one of the country's luxury hotels and rated at least four stars. In the four star category of Malta spa resort is the Riviera in Marfa on the far northern tip of Malta Island. Its Elysium Spa is extensive, with a full range of thelasso therapy treatments, a large indoor heated pool, separate spa pool, Jacuzzi, steam rooms and dry sauna, and several hydrotherapy tubs. Marfa is just north of Mellieha Bay, where you will find the longest sandy beach in the country. There are several Mellieha resorts similar to the Riviera, including the Seabank Hotel and Qawra Palace
The five star Kempinski San Lawrenz on Gozo Island is unusual for a Malta spa resort as it is located in the countryside, rather than on the coast. However, the sea and beautiful secluded Dwerja Bay is less than a mile away. It also has an extensive full-service spa as well as tennis and squash courts, several swimming pools, a fitness center, and large landscaped grounds and gardens. This resort can also assist you with scuba diving, cycling, hiking, and horseback riding excursions.
The Westin Dragonara is set on a 74,000-acre private peninsula that juts out into the sea off Paceville. It has a beauty salon that provides massage services, but no full-service spa. Paceville is noted for its lively nightlife with clubs and discos rivaling those in Ibiza. Both Sliema resorts and St Julians resorts are located in this area—Paceville, in fact, is actually a small neighborhood within the town of St Julians.
Sliema is a town on the peninsula that separates St Julians from the capital city of Valletta. One of the Sliema resorts that is also one of Europe's finest spa resorts is the Fortina, which has a total of four distinctive spas. It is set out on Tigne Point, on a relatively secluded stretch of coast with magnificent views of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Valetta. It boasts six restaurants (in addition to bars and lounges) with some of the best gourmet dining in the country. Other Sliema resorts include the Preluna and the Palace, which both have spas. You can even find Malta resorts in the compact city of Valletta at the luxurious Grand Hotel Excelsior. This deluxe spa resort is set on the shore of the bay that separates the city from Sliema, and is set right under the medieval city bastions.
Malta Holidays
Malta holidays have been popular with the English throughout the nation's history as a British colony from 1800 until independence in 1964. It continues to be a popular winter getaway for the English, as well as tourists from northern Europe. These people, who include large numbers of families with children and young people heading to the legendary nightlife of Paceville, find cheap holidays to Malta usually through the many available vacation packages. They also find cheap flights on some of the discount airlines, several of which only fly to the destination during the summer months when the weather is the warmest.
Today, you can find these cheap holidays to Malta through a variety of operators in the United States and Canada. You can also get some of your best Malta holiday info right here by using the tool on the Destination360 site to find car rentals, hotels, and flights.
Malta beach holidays are some of the most popular, even though these small Mediterranean islands do not have the kinds of long stretches of sand that you will find in places like the Greek Islands. Most of the easily accessible beaches will be found on the eastern coasts of all three islands, around Mellieha on Malta Island and Marsalforn on Gozo Island. Comino Island has only one hotel, also located on the east coast.
Malta holidays centered on scuba diving will often stay in these properties, but head to the western coasts where the diving is best. This is because the western coasts are more rugged with dramatic cliffs formed by centuries of wind and high waves that have carved out wonderful grottoes and caves for divers to explore. Diving holidays can be expensive because of the cost of diving gear rental, cost of boats that take you to the best dive sites, and the fact that you must dive with a certified instructor.
You can enjoy cheap holidays to Malta on hiking tours and by staying in small family-run guesthouses in the countryside or using vacation rentals as your base of operations. People of all abilities can enjoy hiking just about everywhere on these small flat islands. Malta holiday info on hiking can be found from the Malta Rambling Association that has worked very hard to keep the walking trails open and accessible to all, with few fences and restricted areas to keep hikers out.
Malta holiday info varies according the kind of tours and vacation you are seeking. If your interest is in archaeology and prehistory, you might want to read about the seven magnificent megalithic temples on Gozo and Malta Island that together comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A substantial percentage of tourists visit at least one of these, even passengers of Mediterranean cruises who rarely dock here for longer than one overnight. There are Malta holidays that concentrate on these ancient sites. These kinds of holidays will generally also spend time exploring the historic cathedrals, palaces, and museums that chronicle the island's time as a possession of the Knights of Malta.
Today, you can find these cheap holidays to Malta through a variety of operators in the United States and Canada. You can also get some of your best Malta holiday info right here by using the tool on the Destination360 site to find car rentals, hotels, and flights.
Malta beach holidays are some of the most popular, even though these small Mediterranean islands do not have the kinds of long stretches of sand that you will find in places like the Greek Islands. Most of the easily accessible beaches will be found on the eastern coasts of all three islands, around Mellieha on Malta Island and Marsalforn on Gozo Island. Comino Island has only one hotel, also located on the east coast.
Malta holidays centered on scuba diving will often stay in these properties, but head to the western coasts where the diving is best. This is because the western coasts are more rugged with dramatic cliffs formed by centuries of wind and high waves that have carved out wonderful grottoes and caves for divers to explore. Diving holidays can be expensive because of the cost of diving gear rental, cost of boats that take you to the best dive sites, and the fact that you must dive with a certified instructor.
You can enjoy cheap holidays to Malta on hiking tours and by staying in small family-run guesthouses in the countryside or using vacation rentals as your base of operations. People of all abilities can enjoy hiking just about everywhere on these small flat islands. Malta holiday info on hiking can be found from the Malta Rambling Association that has worked very hard to keep the walking trails open and accessible to all, with few fences and restricted areas to keep hikers out.
Malta holiday info varies according the kind of tours and vacation you are seeking. If your interest is in archaeology and prehistory, you might want to read about the seven magnificent megalithic temples on Gozo and Malta Island that together comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A substantial percentage of tourists visit at least one of these, even passengers of Mediterranean cruises who rarely dock here for longer than one overnight. There are Malta holidays that concentrate on these ancient sites. These kinds of holidays will generally also spend time exploring the historic cathedrals, palaces, and museums that chronicle the island's time as a possession of the Knights of Malta.
Malta Hiking
The history of the popularity of Malta hiking dates to the 1800s during the time when the country was a British colony, and rambling (as the British call it) was introduced to the British troops to promote their physical well being and prevent them from participating in the unsavory nightlife that surrounded the military bases. At the time, the military compounds were concentrated in the town of Floriana, just outside of the city of Valletta and its Grand Harbour. As found in the United Kingdom and most other countries in Europe, there is an official Rambling Association that continues to promote the preservation of the country’s natural spaces and keep hiking trails in Malta open to those who want to explore on foot.
Malta hiking is suitable for all experience levels. All the islands are relatively flat, and there are no mountains. And, thanks to the Rambling Association, hiking trails in Malta are very accessible with few fences and barriers that keep hikers out. Additionally, the islands are quite small. Hiking on Gozo Island places you on an island that is only about eight miles by four miles in area. It’s possible to disembark at the ferry terminal on the southern tip of the island in the morning, hike less than three miles to Ggantija (the most important of the country’s prehistoric megalithic temples), and be back at the ferry terminal for the early afternoon ferry back. Comino Island hiking is even easier. This little island with a population of less than a dozen residents is only about one square mile in area. There are also only about four cars, so walking or sailing are the only means of transportation for the typical visitor.
Don’t worry if more strenuous Malta hiking is on your agenda. These limestone islands have been battered by centuries of wind and weather, and coastal trekking (especially on the western coast of all three islands) will reveal miles of dramatic cliffs where even rock climbing and rappelling are possible. The Dingli Cliffs (highest spot on Malta Island) provide the best of these activities, and it is possible to rappel down to completely secluded beaches that are otherwise accessible only by boat. One of the best hiking trails in Malta is here, an almost twelve-mile uninterrupted trail along the coast that passes right by two more of the country’s megalithic temples (Hagar Qim and Mnajdra) and the fifteenth-century St. Magdalen’s Chapel. If you’re not up for this kind of strenuous activity, you can book sightseeing cruises to the seas beneath the cliffs.
Hiking on Gozo Island will reveal more rugged cliffs, especially from Dwerja Bay on the northeast coast and around the island’s northern tip, the area that also offers some of the best scuba diving in the country. Hiking on Gozo Island also has its roots in the country’s time as a British colony. This was a training area for the British soldiers, most of whom were based on Malta Island, and hiking in full gear was a standard training practice. Today, you can enjoy self-guided hikes with maps provided by many of the island’s outfitters or book fully guided hiking tours led by professionals. The island offers a surprising variety of landscapes, from the spectacular coastline to gentle country lanes and pastoral valleys. Xendli Bay offers the most challenging routes.
The best time of year for Malta hiking is from October to May when the weather is not too hot. However, the hiking is good all year long, and you can always take a dip in the sea (which is never too far away) to cool off.
Malta hiking is suitable for all experience levels. All the islands are relatively flat, and there are no mountains. And, thanks to the Rambling Association, hiking trails in Malta are very accessible with few fences and barriers that keep hikers out. Additionally, the islands are quite small. Hiking on Gozo Island places you on an island that is only about eight miles by four miles in area. It’s possible to disembark at the ferry terminal on the southern tip of the island in the morning, hike less than three miles to Ggantija (the most important of the country’s prehistoric megalithic temples), and be back at the ferry terminal for the early afternoon ferry back. Comino Island hiking is even easier. This little island with a population of less than a dozen residents is only about one square mile in area. There are also only about four cars, so walking or sailing are the only means of transportation for the typical visitor.
Don’t worry if more strenuous Malta hiking is on your agenda. These limestone islands have been battered by centuries of wind and weather, and coastal trekking (especially on the western coast of all three islands) will reveal miles of dramatic cliffs where even rock climbing and rappelling are possible. The Dingli Cliffs (highest spot on Malta Island) provide the best of these activities, and it is possible to rappel down to completely secluded beaches that are otherwise accessible only by boat. One of the best hiking trails in Malta is here, an almost twelve-mile uninterrupted trail along the coast that passes right by two more of the country’s megalithic temples (Hagar Qim and Mnajdra) and the fifteenth-century St. Magdalen’s Chapel. If you’re not up for this kind of strenuous activity, you can book sightseeing cruises to the seas beneath the cliffs.
Hiking on Gozo Island will reveal more rugged cliffs, especially from Dwerja Bay on the northeast coast and around the island’s northern tip, the area that also offers some of the best scuba diving in the country. Hiking on Gozo Island also has its roots in the country’s time as a British colony. This was a training area for the British soldiers, most of whom were based on Malta Island, and hiking in full gear was a standard training practice. Today, you can enjoy self-guided hikes with maps provided by many of the island’s outfitters or book fully guided hiking tours led by professionals. The island offers a surprising variety of landscapes, from the spectacular coastline to gentle country lanes and pastoral valleys. Xendli Bay offers the most challenging routes.
The best time of year for Malta hiking is from October to May when the weather is not too hot. However, the hiking is good all year long, and you can always take a dip in the sea (which is never too far away) to cool off.