Malta

**sligoman** · 24/06/2007, 10:55 PM

Ok, getting seriously bored here and wanna head away for around a month. Sounds a bit odd but wanna head to Malta just for the sake of it. Anyone here been there? Is it expensive? I know it's only a small island but, much to do there?

**stann** · 25/06/2007, 6:19 AM

Funny that. Was there a few years back and loved the place, and we've decided on it again for September. Am heading into town this affo to book it!
Wasn't expensive at all as I recall, not dirt cheap or anything, but good compared with ourselves. There's plenty to do there, especially if you like aquatic pursuits, and there's plenty to see 'cos the island is steeped in history, groaning with the weight of it in fact. They've some of the oldest prehistoric sites in Europe, and historic things to see from Roman times all the way through to WW2. Plus the weather is a virtual cert, more or less all year round. Food is great, very heavily Italian influenced, much of the (really spot-on) population speak English, and the local brew Cisk is gorgeous, as is a sparkling rose they have there called Gellawza Frisante (spelling awful here I think) which is so good they don't sell it in the airport shops on the way out, you have to smuggle it home.

But, a month is way too long there I'd guess, the place is genuinely tiny, only about 15 miles long and half that wide. You'd see and do everything in two weeks and that's pacing yourself. However, as a place to laze about and do sod all for the other two weeks I can think of many many worse.

**sligoman** · 25/06/2007, 1:39 PM

Can you get a boat to Gozo from the main island?

**BohsPartisan** · 25/06/2007, 1:44 PM

Originally Posted by sligoman

Ok, getting seriously bored here and wanna head away for around a month. Sounds a bit odd but wanna head to Malta just for the sake of it. Anyone here been there? Is it expensive? I know it's only a small island but, much to do there?

Read V by Thomas Pynchon to get in the mood.

**paul_oshea** · 25/06/2007, 2:11 PM

or read confessions of an economic hitman, bohs will love that book.....

**Block G Raptor** · 25/06/2007, 6:20 PM

Ok Malta is great for relaxing, sight-seeing and recharging the batteries but for a month you'd go out of your mind. was there for a week in jan 2000 and have to say it's an amazing place if you're into history as everybody from the moors to the nazi's via the romans have been in control at one time or another and all have left they're mark. beautiful country and when i was there cheap as chips
70c a bottle of local beer and calzone pizza for about €4 and yep you can get a boat to gozo but there is really only one way to go helicopter for about €50

**sligoman** · 25/06/2007, 7:20 PM

Thanks for the info lads, keep it coming! Is there many hostels/cheap hotels/B&B's in Malta? I wouldn't be going with a package deal, just the flight so would need to sort out my own accomodation.

EDIT: Cheapest flight I can get for mid-July is 191euro return with Ryanair. That good or should other airlines do better?

**Block G Raptor** · 26/06/2007, 6:46 PM

Buggiba or St. Julians are the main resorty type areas plenty of apart-hotels. I stayed in the Topaz Apart-Hotel in buggiba as part of a package deal but you can book locally too on a self catering or full board basis. Oh did I mention they've the coolest busses on gods earth http://images.google.ie/imgres?imgur...%3Den%26sa%3DN

**stann** · 26/06/2007, 11:43 PM

Yep, some of them look like they're from the 40's, and that's because they are!
Bugibba's clientele seems to be a bit older, or families. St. Julian's is the party centre. Bugibba / St. Pawl's is where we're headed.

And yes Sligoman, regular boats and hydrofoils to Gozo, though the chopper is an idea and a half. Also forgot to say there's regular ferries and hydrofoils to Sicily which has got to be worth a day trip.
Was there in September '99 for the football, so Block G has the more up-to-date info!

EDIT: Don't know for sure about flights but 191 return in mid-July seems as good as you'll get. Don't know how cheap or dear hotels are either because it's been packages both times, sorry.
By the way at this time of year be prepared to fry for the month. 44 degrees there yesterday!

**sligoman** · 27/06/2007, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by stann

By the way at this time of year be prepared to fry for the month. 44 degrees there yesterday!

Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. Thinking I might only go for a week/couple of weeks instead as I wanna be back for our game Vs. Cork City in Cork. Go somewhere else for 2 weeks after that again

.

**BohsPartisan** · 27/06/2007, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

or read confessions of an economic hitman, bohs will love that book.....

Reading it at the moment as it happens!

**sligoman** · 10/07/2007, 11:12 PM

What about car hire in Malta? Any of ye do it? Do ya know if you need a full licence for a year previous to hiring it? If so, do they actually enforce it?

Websites for good car hire companies?

**stann** · 11/07/2007, 12:10 AM

Me mate hired a car for a few days the time we were there so I don't know the ins-and-outs of it, sorry.
One thing I will say is unless you're a seriously nifty driver DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!
May have changed since but at the time the roads weren't the best, the hire cars seemed to all be bangers, and they drive like lunatics over there.

I think the buses are a good way to get around to things, nothing is very far away from you there anyway.

**sligoman** · 11/07/2007, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by stann

unless you're a seriously nifty driver

You know me so well

.

Ah no, if the bus service is good enough then might just stick to that. Have looked up car hire companies and most seem to require the driver is over 25 so that'd cause a problem for me

. Just thought car hire would be handiest to get around the whole island for a couple of days or so.

**stann** · 13/07/2007, 8:32 PM

No trouble, no dodgy areas, but that was the bones of ten years ago so I don't know what it's like now. I was warned at the time of an area of Valetta harbour known colloquially as 'The Gut' that was a bit dodgy, but that was by an ex-sailor and you'll hardly be headed to the port areas anyway.

The main spots might by now be overrun by those nuisance trinket and flower hawking types that infest all the tourist areas of Southern Europe these days.

As regards where you stay, well it comes down to about three main areas. Valetta is the capital but it's not a place I've heard of many people staying in.
St. Julian's to the north of it has (or had) the younger crowd, it's the real 'avin' it large place.
Bugibba, Qawra and St. Paul's Bay further along the coast is nice, quieter, and has more families and older types.
Mellieha in the North is quieter again, and has the best beaches IIRC.
You could stay in Gozo too, I hear it's very nice, but you'd have to get to the mainland most days then, would it be worth the hassle?

**mypost** · 02/08/2007, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by stann

much of the (really spot-on) population speak English.

Shouldn't everyone there speak English, given it's official language status?

**stann** · 02/08/2007, 2:42 PM

I don't know mypost, I don't run the place. When I was there most of the locals I had dealings with did, one or two didn't. Whether they all should have really isn't up to me. If it was I'd make sure of it for ya!

**mypost** · 02/08/2007, 5:47 PM

Should be. Even their first names are the likes of "Robert, Carmel, Linda, Olivia, Lynn, Julie" etc.

**stann** · 03/08/2007, 10:49 AM

We should all speak Irish in that case so. Official status doesn't automatically mean blanket use though.
First names mean nowt either. Many Filipino first names are Spanish for instance - Jesus, Manuel and the like, but they don't all speak Spanish there.