OT - Malta

[maltaseagull]

If you hire a car watch the old damage trick, when you pick it up get them to check off every mark and scratch and photograph it. When you take it back do the same and make sure you give the keys to someone - don't just hand them in.

Never had a problem with this. But have heard the same story about car hire in the UK.

 

[TheJasperCo]

I stayed with my family in a lovely hotel in St Paul's Bay. It was a great couple of weeks, tourists are very well-catered for, but not in a bad way. Seafood dishes are, unsurprisingly, very popular, but I'm sure there are veggie options. A fair few things to see and do; taking boat trips to the nearby islands of Gozo and Whatsitcalled are a must

Hotel we stayed in: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_...sort_Hotel-St_Paul_s_Bay_Island_of_Malta.html

 

[Plake]

I'll stick my neck out and say that Malta is the worst holiday destination I've ever been to. It's like Peckham on a rock.

There's no greenery and it's a sprawling messy conurbation that extends endlessly. There is no wildlife as there are no hunting laws there and the locals make it a matter of pride to kill all animals that stick their necks out.

The beaches are rocky apart from the odd tiny crowded bay.

Tbf we stayed in St Julian's which is shite and tacky. Valetta is a beautiful city however and worth a few days, as a city break, but not a week.

The diving is very good though and if you are a diver you'll probably be wanting to spend most of your time under water, where things are actually quite nice.

 

[BensGrandad]

Malta is like Marmite you either love or hate it no middle views. Wife and I loved it, sons father in law would have stayed on the coach from the airport to Buggiba and gone straight back home, he hated it.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

I'll stick my neck out and say that Malta is the worst holiday destination I've ever been to. It's like Peckham on a rock.

There's no greenery and it's a sprawling messy conurbation that extends endlessly. There is no wildlife as there are no hunting laws there and the locals make it a matter of pride to kill all animals that stick their necks out.

The beaches are rocky apart from the odd tiny crowded bay.

Tbf we stayed in St Julian's which is shite and tacky. Valetta is a beautiful city however and worth a few days, as a city break, but not a week.

The diving is very good though and if you are a diver you'll probably be wanting to spend most of your time under water, where things are actually quite nice.

Depends where you stay and when you go.

Theres loads of greenery just not during July- Sept

Its a rock the size of the IOW in the middle of the Med you need to go to Gozo or the north for beaches -

 

[Boroseagull]

I condemn the hunting in Malta and in fact there has been a petition raised to have a referendum to ban hunting. However, the hunters do repeatedly point out that other EU countries (including the UK have far less restrictions than Malta and shoot many more creatures.) So before you cast the first stone be sure of your facts!

Check out http://www.huntinguk.com/

I'm pleased that you condemn the slaughter of wildlife, birds in particular, as there is nothing else left. However don't confuse huntinguk who offer [if that floats your boat] shooting of game birds raised for the occasion. I am talking about the slaughter of song birds, swifts, swallows, eagles [in particular the booted eagle] and all the other birds that do not have a food value.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

There's plenty to do - Places worth a visit (not bad for a island 122sq km) I recommend Tarxien Temples, Tarxien but you need to book this on the world heritage website months in advance as they only let in 100 people a day

Valletta
Museums
Manoel Theatre Museum
National Museum of Fine Arts
St John's Museum
The Toy Museum
War Museum
Visual Shows
The Knights Hospitallers
The Great Siege of Malta and The Knights of St John
The Malta Experience
Sacred Island
The Wartime Experience
Churches
St John's Co-Cathedral
St Paul's Anglican pro-cathedral
Basilica of Our Lady of Porto
Salvo and St Dominic
St Paul Shipwrecked
Collegiate Church
Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
St Augustine's parish church
Gardens
Lower Barrakka Gardens
Upper Barrakka Gardens
Hastings
Historic Buildings
Casa Rocca Piccola
Grand Master's Palace
Lascaris War Rooms
Manoel Theatre
Nationa Library
Centre for Creativity
St James Cavalier
Multimedia Exhibition
Traditions and Crafts of Malta
Rabat
Casa Bernard
Domus Romana
St Agatha's Catacombs
St Paul's Grotto
St Paul's Catacombs
Wignacourt College Museum
Ta' Qali
Aviation Museum
Crafts Village
Meridiana Wine Estate
Naxxar
Palazzo Parisio
Kalkara
Fort Rinella
Mosta
Mosta Dome- The Rotunda
Mdina
Knights of Malta
Mdina Dungeons
Mdina Experience Show
Medieval Times
Tales of The Silent City
The Cathedral
The Cathedral Museum
The Museum of Natural History
Norman House
Prehistoric Sites
Borg in-Nadur Temple, Birzebbuga
Bronze Age Wall, Birzebbuga
Cart Ruts, San Gwann and Ta'Cenc, Gozo
Ggantija Temples, Xaghra, Gozo
Ghar Dalam, Birzebbuga
Ghar il'Kbir, Dingli
Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples, Qrendi
Tarxien Temples, Tarxien
Vittoriosa
Auberge of England
Church of St Lawrence
Church of The Annunciation
Church Museum
Fort St Angelo
Malta at War Museum
Second World War Museum
The Maritime Museum
The Inquisitor's Palace
Vittoriosa 1565- Museum
Mgarr (Malta)
Bingemma Chapel
Lippija Tower
Mgarr Parish
Skorba Temples
Ta' Hagrat Temples
Tempra Museum
Victoria Lines
Wartime Shelter
Siggiewi
The Limestone Heritage
Zabbar
Sanctuary Museum (open daily from 9 a.m. to noon)

 

[BensGrandad]

The thing I remember most of Malta is asking a local which side of the road did they drive on and they replied the side where the sun is shining. Looking at the holes in the road asking why they hadnt been filled and was told the Germans made them and they would stay until they refilled them, do they still have them? Do you still have to go via Valletta if going by bus from one place to another?

 

[Chicken Runner61]

The thing I remember most of Malta is asking a local which side of the road did they drive on and they replied the side where the sun is shining. Looking at the holes in the road asking why they hadnt been filled and was told the Germans made them and they would stay until they refilled them, do they still have them? Do you still have to go via Valletta if going by bus from one place to another?

Driving in the shade was always the joke in Malta, the holes in the road didn't get filled because they didn't have road tax or rates.


They have started routes all over now so you don't need to head for the terminal at Valletta anymore.

 

[atfc village]

Plenty of Football if you fancy it ,Grounds in Paola ,Hamrun ,St Pauls ,Mosta ,St Andrews as well as the two grounds at The National Stadium .Last time out i managed 7 games in 7 Days on 4 grounds.

 

[maltaseagull]

I'm pleased that you condemn the slaughter of wildlife, birds in particular, as there is nothing else left. However don't confuse huntinguk who offer [if that floats your boat] shooting of game birds raised for the occasion. I am talking about the slaughter of song birds, swifts, swallows, eagles [in particular the booted eagle] and all the other birds that do not have a food value.

I am so pleased that you are pleased.

 

[Plake]

Well this is nice.

 

[Springal]

Can recommend the Hilton hotel

 

[trueblue]

If you hire a car watch the old damage trick, when you pick it up get them to check off every mark and scratch and photograph it. When you take it back do the same and make sure you give the keys to someone - don't just hand them in.

Best option these days is probably to photograph it yourself on collection and drop-off. Have had Europcar try this on twice - albeit many years apart, the latest in the summer (as well as trying initially to hire me a car with a buckled wheel and then substituting it with one that had no road tax. Didn't notice until that one broke down! They then tried to claim we'd damaged the replacement in the three hours we had it - a nonstop drive back to the airport). Europcar in particular seem notorious for quoting low, then recouping costs with spurious extra charges and damage claims.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Best option these days is probably to photograph it yourself on collection and drop-off. Have had Europcar try this on twice - albeit many years apart, the latest in the summer (as well as trying initially to hire me a car with a buckled wheel and then substituting it with one that had no road tax. Didn't notice until that one broke down! They then tried to claim we'd damaged the replacement in the three hours we had it - a nonstop drive back to the airport). Europcar in particular seem notorious for quoting low, then recouping costs with spurious extra charges and damage claims.

I think you are right - I had trouble with Europcar they changed their mind when I said I had photos and checked it with their representative! I also mentioned I was coming back in a few weeks and would get the police involved!

 

[sydney]

just go straight to Gozo......when you get off the ferry look for a shepherd with a glass eye and one leg , he would be about 80 by now ,his name is graham.......he has some of the most comely goats you will EVER encounter , if you take him an Everton or Tottenham shirt he will let you have three of his best animals , mail or femail for the duration of your stay....but don't lend him any money , he's a bit of a baaaaaaa...stard.

 

[ElectricNaz]

I fully reccomend visiting Comino, there are lots of boat tours that go there. This idyllic little island, one hotel on the island and only one vehicle thats owned by the hotel and used for transfers to and from the ferry stop.Blue Lagoon is one of the most naturally beautiful places in Europe, and theres also a smaller island you can actually walk to at low tide from the Blue Lagoon.

Other places would be Mdina, Fort St Elmo (I think), Valetta, and theres a quarry you can visit in the middle of nowhere but it's worth the trip for a couple of hours or so, can't remember exactly where it was.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

This is the place to go http://heritagemalta.org/index.php/museums-sites/hal-saflieni-hypogeum/

Makes Stonehenge look like a few stones in a field

 

[maltaseagull]

This is the place to go http://heritagemalta.org/index.php/museums-sites/hal-saflieni-hypogeum/

Makes Stonehenge look like a few stones in a field

You need to book this way in advance of arrival as there are strictly limited numbers allowed. Highly recommended though.

Also I recommend the open top bus tours about €15 pp including a free harbour cruise too!

One does south and one does north. Great way to cram a lot in and you can hop off to visit a site and get the next bus.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Plenty of Football if you fancy it ,Grounds in Paola ,Hamrun ,St Pauls ,Mosta ,St Andrews as well as the two grounds at The National Stadium .Last time out i managed 7 games in 7 Days on 4 grounds.

Last time I was out there I remember being gobsmacked in a bookshop that the Maltese Football Yearbook runs to about 1200 pages. Though that does include Gozo