USEFUL INFORMATION FOR A TRAVEL TO MALTA MALTA

Travel Documents: Foreign nationals require a valid passport or other identification document to enter Malta. Citizens of certain countries require a visa to enter Malta. Health: Visitors from EU member states should make sure that they have a European Health Insurance card. It is advisable that all visitors, irrespective of their nationality, take out a personal medical insurance policy. Malta has reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom. Nationals of these countries, visiting the Islands for no longer than one month, are entitled to free medical and hospital care in both Malta and Gozo. Medical care is available through public and private hospitals. The quality of medical care in Malta is excellent. Private hospitals generally offer a higher standard of service than the public hospitals, and the majority of the best doctors practice in private medical facilities. Chemists are found throughout the Islands and are open during normal shopping hours. On Sundays, chemists open on a roster from 09.00 until 12.30 in Malta and from 07.30 until 11.00 in Gozo.   Tap water is safe to drink throughout the Maltese Islands.

Telephones: Country Dialing Code 00356.

Coin and card operated telephone boxes can be found all over Malta and Gozo.  

Mobile Telephones: The islands are covered by two comprehensive GSM 900 and 1800 mobile phone networks.

Mobile Telephone Companies: Vodafone, Go.

Internet: There are Internet cafes in the main towns, most hotels also offer Internet access.

Money and Banks: Euro is the legal tender currency in Malta and Gozo.  

Exchange bureaux at Malta International Airport are open 24 hours a day. International bankcards are accepted and foreign currency is easily exchanged. Banks, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and exchange bureaux can be found all over the Islands. The majority of hotels, larger shops and restaurants also accept payment in the main international currencies.

Banking hours: Banks are normally open until early afternoon from Monday to Friday, and until midday on Saturday. Some banks/branches work longer hours.

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.

Shopping hours: Normal shopping hours for most shops in Malta: 9,00 a.m. to 1,00 p.m. and 4,00 p.m. to 7,00 p.m.

Public holidays observed in Malta are: 1st January - New Year’s Day 10th February - St. Paul’s Shipwreck 19th March - St. Joseph 31st March - Freedom Day March / April (date changes) - Good Friday 1st May Labour Day 7th June Sette Giugno 29th June - St Peter and St Paul (L-Imnarja) 15th August The Assumption (Santa Marija) 8th September Our Lady of Victories 21st September - Independence Day 8th December - Immaculate Conception 13th December Republic Day 25th December - Christmas Day.  

Cuisine: The maltese cuisine is an interesting mix between the sicialian, Italian, African, English and Mediterranean cuisine. Between the specialties more appreciated are pastizzi (puff pastry filled with cheese), the timpana (timballi of maccheroni, cheese and egg) and fenek (rabbit, generally fried or cooked in frying pan), the Aljotta (soup of fish), the Bragjoli (involtini of meat cooked in red wine), the Kannoli (sweet with annealed, chocolate pieces and candied fruits), the Kapunata (maltese version of the Ratatouille or the sicialian caponata), the Figolla (biscuits fillings with almonds), Gbejniet (cheese littles ball in order to accompany the aperitifs), Helwa tat-Tork (sweet mix made up of entire almonds and minced, served after supper with coffee), Kusksu (soup of fresch beans), Qarabali (stuffed zucchini), Minestra (soup with pig meat). MALTESE CUISINE RECIPES.