6 Top Tips for Malta

1) Food
Soft and on the inside, crisp on the outside and brimming with melted cheese or a delicate pea mixture, pastizzi shops are dotted everywhere in Malta. From approximately €1.00, you can buy yourself one of these:

Sphinx - a Popular Maltese Bakery Chain 

I can't recommend these enough, dangerously delicious, cheap and widely available, they're a great snack to have whilst you're on the go. 

The best calzone I've ever had was in Valletta in Malta. 

The restaurant is situated just a stone throw away from the central Valletta, straight down from the main street, Tri Ir Repubblika. Don't forget to give the local delicacies a try such as rabbit stew, Fisherman's soup and octopus. 

2). Transportation

Public transport abroad can be a little daunting - but not in Malta! The bus service is extensive, regular and cheap. We purchased a weekly bus ticket for just €7.00 and we were able to travel to all the destinations we wanted to across the island. Tip: Bring a little plastic card holder as the paper ticket is small and it can be easily lost. Gozo, a island north of Malta, has a separate bus service. Far south of Malta, the buses are a little more irregular.

3). Must See Sights

The Blue Lagoon, Camino 

Blue Grotto, Zurrieq

Mdina, Rabat

 4.) Accommodation 

I paid £150 (April, 2012) for a 7 day package of flights, transfers and a self-catering hotel (White Dolphin Complex). Hotels have sprung up everywhere on Malta due to the growing popularity of package holidays. I highly recommend Teletext Holidays for those on a budget. Yes, your call will be transferred to a warehouse call centre somewhere in the world and you will be asked to confirm everything over and over. Its cheap and cheerful at its best, go to the website and grab yourself a good deal. 

5.) Don'ts in Malta

• The drivers are crazy in Malta. Be weary as a pedestrian as the cars do appear out of nowhere. There are sharp corner turns and steep roads. 
• Tap water: perfectly drinkable but tastes horrible. I'd suggest going for bottled water this time round. 

6.) Must-do Activities 

Malta is a outdoor playground. Although the island is only 17 miles, there is enough to keep you busy for weeks. Some suggested activities are:

• Scuba-Diving in Cirkewwa 
• Walking in Gozo
• Kayaking at the Azure Window 
• Mountain Biking with Gozo Adventures 

 All in all, I went to Malta as a one week pre exam break with my sister. It was stress-free, beautiful and just a short flight away from the UK. 

Trip Tips

• If you are a cat lover, cats are everywhere in Malta.

• We went in April and the temperature was approximately 17 degrees on average. It was a little cold, but the whole island was blooming with flowers.
• A ferry service to Gozo costs approximately 5 euros. You pay for the ferry on your return journey. 
•  I enjoy the freedom the self-catering option gives you, if you do opt for this, be sure to buy some fresh Maltese bread for breakfast.

•  I brought approximately 150 euros with me as a holiday budget. This covered all optional activities such as kayaking and mountain biking, meals, tranportation and shopping. 
• If you have any further questions about Malta, feel free to comment here or email me.