Malta or officially known as the Republic of Malta is a sovereign island country in southern Europe that is consisting of an archipelago that can be found at the heart of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 80 kilometres south of Italy, 284 kilometres east of Tunisia and 333 kilometres north of Libya. It has an area size of 316 square meters and has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot summers. Malta is considered one of the world’s smallest and most densely populated countries.

The capital of Malta is Valletta, which is located at the south-east part of the island, being the southernmost capital in the region of Europe. Its history started with the Order of Saint John proposing to build a city in the area in the 16th century. Following the proposal, a lot of buildings are built and even stayed till this day. It became mostly complete by the early 1570s and was made the capital a year later when the Grand Master Pierre de Monte moved from Fort St Angelo in Birgu to the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valetta. The town is now the country’s administrative and commercial hub, with the Parliament of Malta being housed at the Parliament House which is near the city entrance since the year 2015.

There is evidence showing that Malta has been inhabited from around 5900 BC, with settlers coming in from Sicily. Its location at the centre of Mediterranean has allowed it to have great strategic importance as a naval base. As such, it has been ruled by various powers in succession from one to another, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish and many others. It later became a British colony in 1815 and was made a way station and headquarters for the British Mediterranean Fleet. Malta played an important role in the Allied war efforts during the Second World War and was awarded the George Cross which is now appearing on the national flag. Malta later gained independence from the United Kingdom as the State of Malta with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and queen. In 1974, Malta became a republic.

The culture in Malta is unique, rich and diverse; this is due to its long history being under several powers from the Phoenicians to the British, all who came into contact with the islands throughout the centuries. Maltese music is largely Western with għana being considered as folklore songs. Literature works in Maltese have been around for 200 years as well which followed a Romantic literary tradition. Moving on, the art and architecture are also strongly influenced by different Mediterranean cultures and British architecture.

Following the creation of the country of Malta, the Maltese language becomes one of the two constitutional languages of Malta in addition to English. This is understandable since the 95.15% of the demography itself would use the language. Maltese is a Semitic language which is a descendant from the now-defunct Sicilian-Arabic dialect from southern Italy which developed during the Emirate of Sicily. The alphabet consists of 30 letters which are based on the Latin alphabet. The language itself has a Semitic base with a lot of borrowings from Sicilian and increasingly English.

Throughout history, the cuisines of Malta have further developed with strong Sicilian and English influences as well as traces of influence from Spanish, Maghrebin and Provençal. This is understandable since, throughout history, Malta would have to import most of its foodstuffs, as well as to consider its position along the important trade routes as well as having to cater the foreign powers who ruled the islands. A popular dish here is the traditional Maltese stuff at tal-fenek which is a stewed rabbit, often fried with wine and garlic. Pork is also prominently consumed here and has a strong presence in dishes served all over the country. However, there are still some regional variations despite the relatively smaller size of Malta. Such example is the Gozo region using its variation of cheeselet or ġbejniet with eggs, grated cheese, tomatoes, anchovies, olives, ricotta and Maltese sausage.

How to Get There

By Flight

A ticket flight from Singapore to Rome of Malta would cost you roughly around SGD1,100 to SGD3,000 per pack which would typically change based on the choice of airline and the date of travel. Note that there is only one airport in Malta which serves the whole Malta islands, namely the Malta International Airport.  

Malta is also a member of the Schengen Agreement, therefore entering Malta via other Europian Union and other member countries would not require tedious immigration checks. However, there might be custom checks on the spot. Worry not, when you arrive at the respective airports, it is easy to go to go around using the bus or taxi, although the time of arrival may usually be later due to bad traffic.

By Boat

It is possible to reach Malta via ferry services from the Sicilian port of Pozzallo, Italy which would typically take about 90 minutes per trip. Nonetheless, the schedule is not consistent since there are no sailings on some days. Therefore guests are advised to check the website if they are interested regularly.

What to Do There

Valetta

It feels incomplete to come to Malta without spending some time to appreciate its rich culture and museums, palaces and grand churches all over its capital, Valetta. Fortunately there are a lot of places that would allow visitors to do just that, namely the Saint John’s Co-Cathedral, Grandmaster’s Palace, Upper Barrakka Gardens, Fort Saint Elmo, Grand Harbor, Casa Rocca Piccola, National Museum of Archaeology, Fort St. Angelo, Auberge de Castille and so many more, it may not be enough to finish your short trip just looking at these places of significant historical value.

St. Paul’s Bay

St. Paul’s Bay is a town in the Northern Region of Malta which is sixteen kilometres northwest from the capital Valetta. It is named as such to refer to the shipwreck of Saint Paul as documented in the Acts of the Apostles on St. Paul's Islands near St Paul's Bay, on his voyage from Caesarea to Rome, which laid the foundations of Christianity on the island. Various archaeological remains can be found around which dates to around 4000 BC, such as the megalithic temples of Bugibba and Xemxija. There are also cart Ruts found on the Wardija Ridge at Busewdien, and other Bronze Age remains. This would come from the time when St. Paul’s Bay was an important harbour during the Roman period. The oldest building here is the Ta’ Tabibu farmhouse which was used to be the local militia watch post.

Popeye Village

Popeye Village or also known as Sweethaven Village is a purpose-built film set village which is now converted into a small attraction fun park with rustic wooden buildings. Built as a film set for the production of 1980 live-action musical feature film Popeye, it is now open to the public as an open-air museum as well as a seaside resort. It is open seven days a week and has set dressings and props, boat trips and cinema which offers various shows. It is a good destination to come over with the family to spend time together.

Where to Stay

The St. George’s Park Hotel

Located 15 minutes away from Malta International Airport, St. George’s Park Hotel offers some of the most affordable accommodation in Malta. Every room in this hotel is well equipped with the basic facilities such as the air conditioning, private bathroom and connecting rooms. There is also a private patio or balcony. Besides that, the hotel provides quite decent facilities and services package to make their guests feel more comfortable and convenient during their stay at this hotel. The guests can access free Wi-Fi from their room and also in the public area of the hotel. Breakfast is provided with surcharge, and if one is interested, they can head on to the poolside bar to have drinks.

Hotel Argento

Hotel Argento can be found in Saint Julian’s, Malta. This hotel is situated 13 minutes away from Malta International Airport. Compared to other hotels, this hotel offers an elevated and very quality accommodation in the city of Saint Julian’s. All of the rooms are well equipped with extensive amenities such as flat-screen television with cable channels, a coffee or tea maker, a minibar which will be stocked with some free items, blackout drapes and curtains, safe and ironing board, slippers, a private bathroom. Besides that, the rooms are air conditioning, and the guests can request extra beds or infant beds.

Moreover, the guests can enjoy free international calls, a free Wi-Fi and a free weekday newspaper in the lobby. The hotel has always kept the rooms clean since they offer a daily housekeeping service. For those want to keep fit, there is a fitness centre available in this hotel. After a long day trip to a few places in Belgrade, the guests can relax their mind and body at the nearby beach or head over to have drinks at the bar.

Ta Frenc Apartments

For those who want to stay in an apartment rather than a hotel, the ideal choice of an apartment to stay is at Ta Frenc Apartments. It is a perfect accommodation for a big family and also for those who want to stay a bit longer in Malta. The guests can freely use a few facilities that provided by the apartment.  Every room in this apartment is equipped with some useful amenities for living such as a hairdryer, a television, a safety box, an air conditioner, and refrigerator. There will be a receptionist to handle the process of check-in and out of the rooms. They are also available to help the guests in case if the guests need any assistance from them.

Moreover, the guests who rented a car, they can park them in a garage. They also can stay connected with their family and friends because there is a free Wi-Fi available in public area. There is also an outdoor pool for the ones who want to relax at the swimming pool.