Malta is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, to the south of Italy, where the two main languages spoken are English and Maltese. Malta has become an increasingly popular holiday resort in recent years, boasting a wide range of attractions and reliably lovely weather and hot dry sunny summers.
Malta boasts a very wide range of historical attractions, museums and nature sites, and many offer great views over the surrounding seas too. War-related facilities, including war museums and cathedrals and temples that were previously used as war shelters, are particularly commonplace. There are also some good theme, water and adventure parks and animal parks.
There are many good tour operators around Malta that provide scenic tours on foot, bicycle, Segway and quad bike, and show off the main historic attractions of the island.
There are excellent water sports facilities in Malta including a large number of diving schools, many of which are PADI-certified, and there are also a few outlets that offer banana and crazy sofa rides, alongside other attractions. Other sporting facilities are relatively few, however, and for example there is only one official golf course and one ten pin bowling alley.
Theme parks
The Bugibba Water Park at Fbigibba, Bugibba is the main water park in Malta, which is mainly oriented towards children, with its array of water loops and a water tower, among other attractions. Playmobile Fun Park at HF 80, Industrial Estate, Hal Far is also oriented towards children, with a toy-themed adventure park aimed at under-9s, while there are guided tours available twice per day showing off a toy factory. For those after adventure parks that are tailored more towards adults, MC Adventure offer rock climbing, off-road biking, trekking and kayaking.
Go-karting
Most of the go-karting facilities in Malta are oriented mainly towards children. Go Karting Malta has miniature kart tracks and bouncy castles. A trip to the LWS Animal Park at Zinzell Street, Marsaskala is worth considering as this park also offers go-karting facilities. The best professional kart facilities are probably those at Badger Karting, located at Triq Duramblatt, L/O Mosta, Ta' Qali, which offers Arrive & Drive sessions.
Magic Train Ride
ExcursionsMalta provide a magic train ride around Malta, in which visitors will be picked up from their hotels and taken for a ride in a rare trackless train, covering roughly 8 kilometres in 30 minutes, and providing good views of the various historic attractions in Malta.
Karozzin Ride
A karozzin is a traditional horse and cart which used to be the most popular means of transport in Malta. There are no organised tours but karozzin stands are still widely available in the centres of Valletta, Mdina and Gozo. Most operators tend to stick to scenic routes near the coastline.
Bowling
For fans of ten pin bowling there is only one choice in Malta. Eden Superbowl at Saint Julian's is a ten pin bowling alley offering 20 alleys, and it also contains a cinema on-site. There are offers for disco bowling after 9pm, and the Superbowl also features TV screens broadcasting sporting events and has frequent musical entertainment. The Mellieha Bay Hotel offers the only bowling green on the island.
Horse riding / Horse racing track
Horse-riding fans can consider Golden Bay Horse Riding, which offers a range of horse rides including a 1 hour ride overlooking two of the most popular beaches in Malta or a 90 minute coastal sunset ride. They offer horse-riding lessons for novices, and hire of horses for filming. The LWS Animal Park at Zinzell Street, Marsaskala offers horse riding facilities that are mostly geared towards children. Horse racing fans should try out the MaltaRacingClub which hosts regular races at Malta's only horse racing track, the Marsa Racing course.
Flying
Plane enthusiasts can pay a visit to the Malta Aviation Museum at Ta' Qali Crafts Village, Attard, which contains exhibits of a wide range of aircraft, engines and models, and some restoration projects including Air Battle of Malta Memorial Hangar.
Golf
Malta is rather short of good golf courses. The only official golf course is the Royal Malta Golf Club, at Aldo Moro Street, Marsa, which has a reputation for offering good golfing facilities, albeit a little overpriced.
Walking & hiking
The Valetta Waterfront is good for a leisurely stroll along the sea front, taking in pleasant views and scenery, and lies adjacent to a number of attractions and sources of entertainment plus eateries. Balluta Square is also good for a stroll. MC Adventure offer hiking trips between October and June (though not July to September, due to the heat associated with those months).
You can go on birdwatching trips and a nature-themed walk with Merill Eco Private Tours, based at St. Bartolomew Street, Qormi. Amy's Guided Tours of Malta & Gozo offer some good walks around numerous major attractions within the island of Malta.
Cycling, mountain & quad biking
You can take an off-road/mountain biking trip with MC Adventure at any time of the year, though bear in mind that the heat can make off-road biking strenuous during the summer months, so spring and autumn are probably the best times of year.
For those who fancy touring on something a bit different, Malta Segway Tours based in Dingli, offer tours of Dingli and Valetta on Segways. This is a good pportunity to sample historical and scenic sites on a fun mode of transport. Fans of quad biking can try the Gozo Pride Tour based at 27 Anton Buttigieg Street, Qala, which features half-day and full-day quad bike tours at Gozo.
Water sports
Malta has a wide range of excellent dive centres, and the following represent only a selection of the good options. Most offer guided dive tours, dive courses for divers ranging from novice to experienced, and trips to the main dive sites around Malta. Buddies Dive Cove at 24 Pioneer Road, Bugibba is a popular family-run dive centre, which offers to put together holiday packages for visitors based on their choice of hotels. Another good option is Go Dive Malta at Triq Dun Frangisk Sciberras, Mellieha, which offers a similar range of diving courses and trips including the popular Discover Scuba Diving course.
Watercolours Dive Centre at Tower Road, Sliema Aquatic Sports Club, Sliema offers a similar range of features and also offers a Bubble Maker course, for those who would like to learn the art of breathing underwater for long periods. Bezz Dive Centre at Marfa Rd is also worth considering, as are Corsair Diving Malta at Triq il-Qroll, Bugibba and Maltaqua at Triq Il-Mosta, St. Paul's Bay.
Gnejna Watersports at Gnejna Bay, Mgarr has a rather different emphasis, as well as offering diving and snorkelling trips by boat, they also offer extravagant water sports such as crazy sofa rides, banana rides, paddle boats, and water skiing opportunities.
Boat trips
The Valetta Waterfront offers frequent boat and ferry cruises, including ferry trips to other attractions in the Mediterranean (including Sicily for instance). Gnejna Watersports at Gnejna Bay, Mgarr offers a variety of boat trips including banana rides and paddle boats as well as traditional boat trips that include diving and snorkelling opportunities. The Mediterraneo Marine Park, located at White Rocks, Bahar ic-Caghaq, Sliema, offers the opportunity to go swimming with dolphins.
Sailing & fishing
MC Adventure offer kayaking trips around the island, including trips to the island of Comino where you will glide under bridges and caves, and trips to the St. Paul's islands, which take you past some fish farms. English Rose Cruises, based at Tunny Net Jetty, Mellieha Bay, Mellieha, offer boat cruises and tours around Malta, most notably a BBQ night at the Blue Lagoon every Wednesday from June to September, a Valletta Grand Harbour cruise, and a day cruise around Comino. Hornblower Cruises, based at Bugibba, offer two cruises, one around Comino and Gozo, and one around the Blue Lagoon. The Portomaso Marina is a good place to go for fishing and sampling some impressive boats. There are also opportunities to go fishing and sailing at Marsaxlokk Bay.
Fish market
Marsaxlokk Bay, at the sea front of a fishing town, has a popular fish market on Sundays, which sells a large variety of fish. It is not just good for fish, and there are stalls that sell plenty of fruit and vegetables, bread, and snack food. On other days of the week, the main fish markets are held at Valletta.
Crafts factory
At Commerce Department Lascaris Valletta lies the Malta Crafts Portal which offers opportunities to get to know about crafts people in Malta, view a selection of their works, and if desired, present your own crafts.
Mdina Glass is a good glass blowing factory located at Ta'Qali, Mdina, which offers a wide range of glass items in a wide range of colours, styles and prices. Glass blowing is not the only technique that they use- they also use glass engraving and fusion, among others, and you can also get a guide to show you around.
Natural attractions & landmarks
The Barrakka Gardens at Battery Street, Valletta offer displays of flowers and some good views over the Grand Harbour, and there are numerous statues and monuments to take in. The Blue Grotto at Coast Rd, Zurrieq has spectacular cliffs and an array of wildlife, and if seas are sufficiently calm, regular boat rides are offered. The San Anton Gardens at Attard offer a range of trees and flowers to sample while walking through a tranquil garden environment (despite the gardens apparently being situated in a busy area) and also a garden kitchen. Palazzo Parisio & Gardens at Victory Square, Naxxar is an impressive palace that also houses some good gardens, with a primarily Baroque theme. The palace boasts some spectacular architecture.
Also worth considering is the Malta Falconry Centre, which is a birds of prey centre in which falconers fly various species of birds of prey, giving visitors the opportunity to view them in full flight.
Historic/religious sites & landmarks
St. John's Co-Cathedral at St. John Street, Valletta boasts spectacular architecture inside the main area of worship. The church has a number of tapestries and there is a book shop that also sells souvenirs for tourists. Photography is permitted provided that no flash is used. The Oratory is recommended for a visit, which includes two works by the artist Caravaggio. The Parish Church of Mellieha at Mellieha Village, Mellieha is also recommended for its architecture and historical features.
Mdina Old City boasts good views of the surrounding area, and a wide range of old, attractive buildings and souvenir shops. There is a cathedral inside the main square, and the Mdina Dungeons and the National History Museum of Malta are located inside the city. To get the most out of visiting Mdina Old City, a guided tour is recommended, or The Mdina Experience. Malta 5D at Old Bakery Street provides cinematic run-throughs of historic events and landmarks in Malta, using 3D views of the city and the Malta area. The Magalithic Temples of Malta at Qrendi feature ancient temples that date back beyond 2000 BC in some cases, and boast good architecture and exhibits. Another good collection of temples is Hagar Qim at Qrendi.
The Manoel Theatre is the second-oldest theatre in Europe, and as well as providing much historical interest, it also contains a courtyard with a cafeteria, and a museum, and features guided audio tours of the museum and theatre. Valletta Living History offers a good 30-minute show, showcasing the evolution of Villetta's history since the 17th century.
Museums, war rooms & galleries
The Malta Classic Car Collection museum at Tourists Street, Qawra is recommended for car enthusiasts, and may also appeal to some non-car enthusiasts too. Hal Saflieni Hypogeum at Burial Street, Paola offers insights into how people used to construct spectacular architecture using primitive tools. Casa Rocca Piccola is a good "living museum" which is now the family ancestral home of the 9th Marquis de Piro, and a range of furniture has been preserved stemming from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The Manoel Theatre also contains a museum, situated at the second-oldest theatre in Europe.
Those interested in historic war sites that involve displays and accounts of how large guns were used to take down opposing armies in the past should consider Fort Rinella at St.Rocco Road, Kalkara. The Lascaris War Rooms at Valletta were originally the site at which military operations were organised during the Second World War. Fans of war museums should also consider the National War Museum at Villetta, which exhibits boats, guns and various other forms of military equipment that have been used since 1800. For those after a good art gallery, Artitude Gallery is probably the best choice, which showcases some of Malta's finest art, including paintings ranging from abstracts to cityscapes.