HISTORY AND CULTURE

Albeit the Maltese Islands are small, they are full of charm and character. Having over 70 villages spread across both islands, one can say that each village blends into another. The Villages are the epitome of the Mediterranean lifestyle, oozing history and playing a great part in today’s modern world, while retaining their inherited cultural feasts and traditions.

Each village usually has a baroque church in the centre, such as Naxxar, Lija, Mosta, Zabbar, Tarxien, Dingli, Mellieha, Siggiewi and Zebbug. The churches steeples stand out in the skyline and are a stark contrast from the surrounding houses flat roofs. The church generally serves as the centre of the village with narrow meandering streets around it, that often branch off into dead-end avenues, which are home to picturesque houses of character.

The Maltese tend to be very loyal to outstanding traditions, such as family nicknames, village feasts and religious affairs. The festa tradition dates back to the 16th century and honours the patron saint of the parish with fireworks dominating with each parish ready to outdo its rival. The churches are lit up, and the streets decorated, marching bands parade around the village and the village folk are all running about the main square. They are very friendly and try their utmost to be helpful when intercepting tourists on their way.

If you’re looking for traditional island life settings, the seaside villages, such as Marsaxlokk and Marsascala, where the rhythm of life is dictated by fishing and the sea are definitely not to be missed!

Malta Holiday Lets offer a variety of houses to rent in Malta, which will no doubt enable you to truly experience island life for what it is. Great houses full of charm and character are readily available for letting in traditional villages, namely our historical capital city, Valletta.

Localities that are extremely popular with both locals and tourists are St Julians, Sliema and Bugibba. The reason for this is that these towns are just by the seaside. Most holiday apartments are located on the coastline or just minutes away. St Julians and Bugibba offer the best nightlife options, with Paceville just being a stone’s throw away from St Julians. Restaurants and tourist amenities are easy to come by in these areas.

Following is a selection of our best St Julians and Bugibba holiday apartments.

Given the numerous conquerors who chose to take on Malta as part of their territory, the Maltese islands offer a wealth of artefacts and architecture. Dating back about 8000 years, the temples are definitely worth a visit. Malta has many historic artefacts and artistic collections that are housed in magnificent baroque palaces that are used as museums.

The Maltese cross was introduced to the Maltese Islands upon the arrival of the Knights of St John, this originally being the symbol of the order of Christian warriors enacted to safeguard the pilgrims and soldiers on their way to the Crusades against the Muslims in the Holy Land. Through time, even following the departure of the Knights from Malta, the Maltese cross came to be identified with the island, of which it is today a national symbol, today ever more present on not only tourist gadgets and souvenirs, but also on the back of the Euro coins. (not sure this needs to be included).

Albeit the limited size, the Maltese Islands boast of an extensive list of natural attractions as well as a good number of green spaces and gardens, full of natural wonders and distinctive beauty. Whether visitors are under or above the water, there are various sites that can be visited and appreciated for all that they are.