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We are looking for all types of properties; apartments, houses and villas, in all locations and available for immediate occupancy.

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In a survey that was filled in by more than 14,000 respondents, Malta was ranked as the second-best place in the world for foreigners to live.

Taiwan was considered the overall winner, but Malta was the winner when it comes to love. From all the expats that are living in Malta, 70% are in a relationship, 64% are delighted with their partner, and 44% live here with a partner from a third country. This is double the global average.

The respondents were asked to rate 43 different aspects of life abroad on a scale of one to seven in The Expat Insider 2016 survey. The topics where ranging from the friendliness of locals to taxation and provision of services.

Malta was first on the list for leisure options and placed second when foreigners were asked to rate their personal happiness. In other quality of life sub-categories, Malta ranked well too. When asked whether it is easy to settle down and make friend in Malta, the island obtained a very good rating.

In the category of work experience, Malta did no rank as high. Foreigners working in Malta are not as pleased with their work-life balance as they were a year ago and an even smaller percentage said that they are satisfied.

From all the foreigners worldwide, 31% said they are planning to stay in the same place. In Malta this number is much higher; almost half of all Malta-based foreigners that took the survey said they were planning on staying in Malta forever.

Last year Malta finished third, so there was an improvement. Ecuador drops, after being best in 2014 and 2015, to the third place this year.

The biggest mover this year, is Vietnam. Last year this country was on the 35^th place and in 2016 they soared to the 11^th place. Uganda and Finland also registered big gains. While some gained favourable results, there are also some countries that dropped, like UAE, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

What is it that you look for when visiting a beach? Sunny weather? Fine sand? Or perhaps shallow waters to slowly wade through as you gradually adjust to the mild chill. The perfect beach might provide all this, but nothing will seem inviting if the water is not crystal clear, knowing that clean waters are healthy waters.

A recent report published by the European Environment Agency shows that Malta has one of the top three cleanest bathing waters in the EU, with 97.7% of the 87 bathing sites in Malta receiving an ‘excellent’ grade.

40 years ago, the Bathing Water Directive was initialised in order to tackle water pollution and provide clean bathing water for beach-goers. There has been tremendous progress over the years, together with an increased awareness regarding the importance of investing in wastewater infrastructure, in an effort to eliminate water pollution throughout Europe.

Pollution is almost inevitable and comes from a number of sources, some of which can result in illness, which is why the Health Inspectorate Services publish weekly reports with the results of tests on samples collected from bathing sites on the Maltese islands during the bathing season, from the end of May until the end of October.

For many, summer holidays are synonymous with swimming and sunbathing on beautiful beaches, which makes it imperative that water quality is of a high standard as this is an important factor in choosing an ideal holiday destination.

Visit Malta and swim at ease, knowing that you are bathing in some of the cleanest waters in the Mediterranean.

If you are looking for holiday accommodation in Malta, you are sure to find something to suit your needs through Malta Holiday Lets. What's more, to thank our clients for their custom and for our success over the years, we are offering €20 off your next booking on rental accommodation!

To claim your discount, enter the promocode FSPN20OFF when booking your rental accommodation on our website and you will receive a refund of €20 from the total amount paid on your accommodation. This offer is valid for bookings made until the 30th of September 2016.

Thinking of getting away from it all? In need of an affordable summer holiday and looking for cheap accommodation available for a short let during the hot summer months? Consider a holiday to Malta and enjoy the hot summer weather, the crystal clear waters, the rich history and culture and the Mediterranean cuisine! In spite of Malta's small size, the island offers so much, which is why it is such a popular destination as an ideal summer holiday. The short commuting times also allows for plenty of travelling around the island to view as much as possible during your summer holiday.

If you plan on exploring the island, then save on your holiday accommodation by booking through Malta Holiday Lets. Our website offers the best accommodation for short lets, and we make certain that you get exactly what you have asked for, thereby ensuring that you have an unforgettable holiday in Malta.

Our success is all thanks to our clients and in return we are offering you the opportunity to save money when booking your holiday rental before 30th of June 2016. All you have to do is enter the promocode FSPN20OFF and you can save €20 from your next holiday rental booking!

For more information on this offer or on finding the ideal rental accommodation for your next holiday, contact us or send us an email on info@maltaholidaylets.com.mt

Just outside Mdina lies a village named Rabat. The name Rabat means suburb in Arabic. But why call a city suburb?

Rabat once was the suburb of the old capital city Mdina. Rabat is a city with a rich history that goes back to Roman period.If you would like to know more about the rich history of Rabat, then do read on.

In Rabat there are two sets of catacombs. These catacombs were used during the Roman period on Malta. The first catacombs are St. Agatha’s catacombs. St. Agatha fled from Sicily in the hope to find a safe place in Malta. According to stories St Agatha returned to Sicily after staying in Malta for a few years. Back in Sicily she was arrested and tortured. The second set of catacombs in Malta are the St. Paul’s catacombs. It is said that Apostle St. Paul stayed here. In St. Paul’s catacombs there are a few surviving murals, the only surviving evidence from the late Roman period in Malta. Surprisingly, the Romans appeared to tolerate religious diversity. The St Paul’s catacombs have several Jewish menorah symbols which are carved in the stone.

Under British Rule, late 19^th century, Rabat was introduced to social services. The British build the Rabat’s first primary school, upgraded the spring water, started medical and postal services, street lighting and they even introduced a train service between Valletta and Rabat. Furthermore the music bands L’isle Adam and Count Roger were established in this period.

Rabat is distinguished in a new and an old part. The new part of Rabat comes from some major developments the 20^th century brought and an increase in population which led to the construction of housing in prestigious areas such as Tal-Virtu and Ghajn Qajjet.

The three cities namely Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua are also known by the locals by their old names Birgu, L'Isla and Bormla. The three cities were renamed after the Great Siege of Malta. Birgu was renamed Vittoriosa which refers to the word victorious, L'Isla became Senglea, in honor of Claude de la Sengle and Bormla was renamed Cospicua which refers to conspicuous courage.

In 1565 the Ottoman Empire tried to invade Malta which was held by the Knights Hospitaller. The years leading up to the Great Siege of Malta were stressful years, constantly under threat from the Ottoman Turks. Grand Master La Valette had done his best to build defenses and had requested extra forces from the Emperor Charles V, the Pope and the Viceroy of Sicily but no help arrived. In May 1565, an Ottoman fleet of 40,000 men lay siege to Malta. The Knights were outnumbered with their 700 men and a regular Maltese troop of 8,000 men. The battle for St. Angelo was the bloodiest battle of this Holy War. The Ottomans attacked the walls of St. Angelo and the fortified Three Cities. By September, the Ottomans were concerned about having to remain in Malta during the winter. At this point La Vallette's long-awaited forces appeared and took control of the inland. The Great Siege ended on the 8th of September, a day which is now a public holiday on the Maltese islands- Il-Vittorja.

Vittoriosa is a unique city surrounded by fortified walls. Vittoriosa has a long history which is very evident in the monuments and churches in the city. One will enter Vittoriosa via the Couvre Porte.

Senglea is famous for its statue of Jesus Christ, located in the oratory of the basilica. The basilica is dedicated to the birth of the Virgin Mary. Senglea also has a statue to honor Virgin Mary, the statue of ""Our Lady of the Centre"". It was placed in the city centre during the plague. Senglea got lucky as it was the only town in Malta that did not get contaminated by the plague.

Cospicua is known for its extravagant celebrations on Good Friday, which began in the 18th century and is now a popular tourist attraction. A statue of the Resurrection of Jesus is traditionally carried across the streets to symbolize Jesus' triumph over death. Furthermore, there is the Parish church of the Immaculate Conception, the church of St. Theresa, and the chapels in honour of St. Paul and St. Margaret.

It is highly recommended to visit these Three Cities during your stay in Malta. The cities give you a good insight into Malta and its interesting and vast history.

When visiting Malta you have to visit the Blue Lagoon located on the island of Comino. The Blue Lagoon has crystal clear waters so you can see the pure white sand bottom. The Blue Lagoon is the perfect place for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, or relaxing at the beach. Are you in Malta during the winter? The Blue Lagoon and the island of Comino are ideal for taking a beautiful walk since it had many hiking trails.

Comino and the Blue Lagoon are so beautiful that film makers choose these locations to film make their movies or series. Some of the movies shot on the island of Comino are: Troy (only some shots), Swept Away and Helen of Troy. Comino and its Blue Lagoon also are a beautiful place to make your own pictures, professional or not.

Some practical information about how to get to the Blue Lagoon. Ferries are going to the Blue Lagoon during the whole year. In the winter the boats will departure every hour and during the summer period there will be additional trips. The location of the boats are Marfa (in Gozo), Cirewwa (in Malta) and at the Blue Lagoon itself.

If you are looking to escape the cold winter weather, in favour of something less dreary and grey, why not try a winter holiday in Malta, a favourite escape among Brits and other foreigners from the winter chill.

The winter in Malta is undoubtedly one of the warmest winters in Europe, with temperatures rarely dropping lower than 12 degrees Celsius during the colder months. Moreover, even the shortest days of the season enjoy at least five hours of sunshine, which contributes to the popularity of the island as an ideal destination not just in summer but also in the mild winters.

The favourable climate during winter in Malta allows foreigners to enjoy everything the island has to offer, including its rich history, Mediterranean cuisine, relaxing atmosphere, cultural events and much more.

It is hard to believe that such a small island could have so much to offer, but Malta is home to some of the oldest sites in the world! In fact, the prehistoric temples located in Ggantija and Hagar Qim are even older than England’s Stonehenge!

The ideal climate in Malta is perfect to visit these incredible sites and visiting them in winter allows one to appreciate them even more, as they will not be swarming with people at this time of year.

You can also visit some old towns and villages such as Mdina and Birgu and take a stroll through their narrow alleyways while admiring the magnificent architecture. These incredible locations are a must-see when visiting Malta and it would be wiser to visit them during winter, when the temperatures are bearable, thereby allowing you to appreciate your surroundings comfortably.

Malta is an ideal destination for those that enjoy outdoor adventures. During the winter months, there are groups that organise countryside hikes on a weekly basis, choosing a different and exciting trail every week.

For those looking for something more daring, Malta offers some of the most magnificent cliffs, ideal for rock climbing, both for the experienced and novice climber.

You can also take part in one of the organised marathons, the Christmas marathon in December, the annual marathon which takes place in February for charity and even the annual Good Friday walk which takes place in March.

There are many natural sites which must be visited during a holiday in winter in Malta. Explore some of the beautiful coves and beaches, visit Dingli cliffs to witness the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen and make your way to Gozo to see the famous Azure window in Dwejra, a naturally occurring window made of limestone on the inland sea. Malta is brimming with these spectacular sites, an excellent location for the avid historian and nature lover.

Malta is famous for its summer heat, ample beaches and clear water but do not underestimate all that the island can offer during the other seasons! There is undoubtedly so much to do and see if you are planning a holiday in winter in Malta. Come and see for yourself!

The Malta National Aquarium provides a public aquarium with more than 40 tanks. You can find reptiles, insects and amphibians. There is also Mediterranean fish, those that we mostly find in Maltese waters.

The national aquarium is in a curved shell structure in the form of a starfish. There is a promenade which provides additional recreation facilities for pedestrians with a children’s play area.

The park welcomes more than 120 species of fishes, which go from longhorn cowfish to sharks. The complex also includes a restaurant, a playground and Café del Mar establishment with a pool which reaches out to theMediterranean Sea. The Aquarium provides activities which are fun, educational and interactive for kids to learn.

The Malta National Aquarium is located in Qawra, in the northeast of the island. Qawra is also well known as the touristy area ofMalta because of the many bars and restaurants. Casinos and clubs are also a major part of this small town.

Christmas is the most important religious holiday in Malta, since the islands are Catholic by nature, most people attend mass on Christmas. These days, the churches are packed with Christmas.

The churches are decorated by the regular church go-ers, in addition to the lights that most churches already have, all year long. Mostly, there are more lights put up and the people build cribs for baby Jesus. These days, some advanced cribs are mechanical, allowing the figures to move! Usually, the decor is finished before Christmas with the exeption of the baby Jesus figure, who is put in the cribbe at midnight on Christmas eve. The cribbe tradition is very important to the Maltese people, with the oldest cribbe still in place dating back to 1670. This can be found in the St. Peter's Monastery in Mdina, the then-capital of Malta. The tradition, imported from Italy at first, became a whole new Maltese tradition, when the people had slowly adapted the scene to feature more typical Maltese buildings and faces, with the Italians slowly ruled out of the scene completely.

Processions on Christmas Eve date back to 1921, when Hamrun was the first town to host a procession. Of course, street lights were minimal in those days, so people brought candles to light up the statue of baby Jesus, carried shoulder-high through the streets. The idea of a procession quikly gained popularity, and is still a very important part of Christmas Eve celebrations.

Maltese houses are often decorated with cribs and figures associated with Christmas, such as shepherds and angels. Large figures of baby Jesus are often put behind windows or on balconies to be lit at night. Of course, every house has at least one Christmas Tree, decorated with balls, lights and garlands.

One Maltese Christmas tradition is the 'Priedka tat-Tifel', meaning, 'the preaching of the child'. This means that a boy or girl, usually between 7 and 10 years of age, leads the preaching of the sermon at the midnight mass. He of she then temporarily replaces the priest! The children learn the sernom by heart and study for weeks and often add a personal touch to the story of Jesus' birth.

Children traditionally follow the American way of getting presents, through Santa Claus, he sometimes even knocks on doors!

Food is very important to the Maltese people, and even more so with Christmas. Usually, people home-cook for Christmas Lunch, where the whole family comes together. Traditionally, people eat fattend rooster, 'hasi', roasted at the local bakery in a casserole full of potatoes and vegetables. The traditional dessert would be Treacle Ring, called 'Qaghqa tal-Ghasel', and Chestnut and Cocoa Soup called 'Imbuljata tal-Qastan' to finish it off.

More modern Christmas menu's include Turkey, cakes, puddings and mince pies. These are all imported from British traditions, while Panetone has been imported from Italy to become a Christmas Favourite.

Being one of Malta's best beaches, the Blue Lagoon has more than earned its name as the Pearl of the Mediterranean. It's crystal clear waters and cyan sky prove for a very special sight and ideal place for a daily getaway. The bay is long and narrow, and because it is surrounded by rock formations, it is formed as a natural pool.

Children can safely play in the water, since it is so shallow. For adults there are activities such as snorkeling, swimming or even water skiing in the Lagoon. Visited by tourists all day long, it is crowded all summer long, especially on weekends. However, at night is is deserted because the only way of getting there is by boat of from Comino's mainland. Since only a handful of people live on Comino, it is the perfect way for nature to restore itself to all its beauty at night.

In other Media, the Blue Lagoon is a happily used location for films and mini-series such as Helen of Troy, The Count of Monte Cristo and Swept Away.

Upon your visit to Malta, do reserve one morning of afternoon to visit the Blue Lagoon. It is more than worth it.

The Island of Manoel is located in the middle of the Marsamxett Harbour, between Sliema/Gzira on the north shore, and Valletta on the south shore. It is connected to the mainland of Malta by a single bridge, so the only landbound entry is found from Gzira. When walking on the famous bastions of Valletta, one has a spectacular view over the entire island.

The island became property of Malta in 1570, when is was acquired by the Bishop of Mdina, the then-capital of Malta. It was then called L'Isola del Vescovo, roughly translated as 'the Bishops Island'.

When in 1592 the plague broke out, the people of Malta needed an isolated place to treat the patients and prevent further spread at the same time. The solution was the quarantine hospital of Lazzaretto, a wooden collection of huts on the island. They were, however, torn down a year later, after the disease had subsided. It was rebuilt as a permanent hospital in 1643 by Grand Master Lascaris to prevent spread of plague and cholera that was on board visiting ships.

The current, and famous, Fort Manoel is a star fort built by Portugese Grad Master António Manoel de Vilhena, hence the name of the Fort and the Island afterwards. It was built as a fortification for the entrance to the Island, since the entrance to the Harbour was so broad it was a weak point in defence.

Today, the island is mostly used as a place for visitors because of the large amount of historical sites on the island. Also, there is a Yacht Yard that can house up to 350 yachts at the same time for repairworks or to stay the winter. The yacht yard can accommodate yachts and catamarans of up to 50 metres in length and a displacement of 500 tons. The yard offers boat storage, berthing afloat, repairs and complete refits.

The island has also been the backdrop for some famous tv-moments, since it featured in the first season of HBO's hit series Game of Thrones. It was the location of the first season's most shocking moment, as it was the picture of the Great Sept of Baelor, where Ned Stark was beheaded.

St. John's Beheading is an oil painting by the Italian artist Caravaggio, painted in Malta. It is currently on display in its home in the St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta. The work is widely considered to be Caravaggio's masterpiece as well as one of the most important works in Western painting.

The image shows the decaptication of John the Baptist in precense of Salome standing with a golden platter to receive the head. Another woman, who is either Herodias or a random bystander realizing the execution is wrong, stands by in shock while the jailguard issues instructions and the executioner draws his knife to complete the beheading.

The scene is popular with Italian artists in general and especially Caravaggio himself. Despite common belief, the scene is not directly inspired by the Bible, but rather by a tale as related in Golden Legend.

It is Caravaggio's only work with his signature, which he has placed in blood which is spilling from the Baptist's cut throat. There is quite substantial empty space in the painting, but because of the size f the canvas, the figures are pretty life-sized.

Caravaggio drew the background for the decapitation from the description of a prison in the Knights of Malta's penal code. Carvaggio himself had been a member of the Knights before he was kicked out.

Today, the painting is very easily visitable for the public, since it hangs in the St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

Where the sky and sea meet

Dingli cliffs are located off the village of Dingli, on Malta’s Western coast. They are located about three kilometres south of the city of Rabat. Malta's highest natural point can be found here, since the highest peak towers 253 metres above sea-level. The coastal walkway over the tops is one of the most beautiful on the island and is not without reason called Triq Panoramika.

The cliffs are one of those places that have the view one normally finds on a postcard. The view is magnificent from the top, with the uninhabited island of Fifla located on the horizon. But from the water, when taking a cruise of example, the view is even more special, with the cliffs arising with all their might.

There is a tiny chapel dedicated to St. Mary Madgalene located on the edge of the cliffs, marking the highest point on the Maltese Islands.

The cliffs extend well beyond Dingli village; they stretch all the way from Bahrija while to the Munqar area above Blue Grotto.

At Dingli cliffs you can enjoy hours of walking or relaxation. The views are particularly attractive during sunset time, especially in the calm summer days.

The perks of travelling is getting to taste traditional, local food in its own area. Luckily, Malta is no exception. With influences from most of the Mediterranean areas, Malta has its own very varied cuisine. It reminds you of something, yet it is very new.

A great example of Maltese ingenuity is Bigilla, a very simple to make, yet very delicious spread. Originally, it is put on small crackers, but tastes great on toasted bread as well! It is made with peas, any kind are ready to use, and ingredients to spice it up, such as parsley, chili pepper, garlic and tabasco.

It is eaten as an appetizer, a late night snack, or as a Maltese touch to a party buffet. Enjoy it the way you like it, then you are doing it right!

The Tal-Massar winery is not a new concept. The humble beginning date back to 1934 when Carmel Hili came to Gozo fromDetroit,Americaand founded the winery. He had worked hard for 16 years to collect enough money to start the enterprise. After 2 years of operation he won the Maltese vintners competition.

The winery continued to work till the 1970’s.Carmelhad become old and being childless, he was reliant on his nephew Alfred. Alfred could not take on the business full time. Wine making however, became his hobby for the next 25 years.

In 2003, Anthony, the youngest son of Alfred, together with his wife Marisa took over the family tradition and started working hard to open the winery. The Tal-Massar wine was launched in 2010.

Tal-Massar boutique winery conducts vineyard tours and wine tastings every Tuesday and Saturday. Enjoy the tour on their private estate with breathtaking views of the medieval village of l-Gharb and taste 4 different wines with 3 authentic Gozitan finger foods.

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a highly rated offshore classic, often mentioned as a ""must do"" race.

The Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club co-founded the race in 1968 and 2015 will be the 36th Edition. Save for a break between 1984 and 1995 the event has been run annually attracting 25 -30 yachts. In recent years, the number of entries has risen sharply to 78 boats thanks to a new Organising Committee who managed to bring Rolex on board as title sponsor for the Middle Sea Race.

The race is a true challenge to skippers and crews who have to be at their very best to cope with the often changeable and demanding conditions. Equally, the race is blessed with unsurpassed scenery with its course, taking competitors close to a number of islands, which form marks of the course. Ted Turner described the MSR as ""the most beautiful race course in the world"".

Apart from Turner, famous competitors have included Eric Tabarly, Cino Ricci, Herbert von Karajan, Jim Dolan, Sir Chay Blyth and Sir Francis Chichester (fresh from his round the world adventure). High profile boats from the world's top designers take part, most in pursuit of line honours and the record - competing yachts include the extreme Open 60s, Riviera di Rimini and Shining; the maxis, Mistress Quickly, Zephyrus IV and Sagamore; and the pocket rockets such as the 41-foot J-125 Strait Dealer and the DK46, Fidessa Fastwave.

A truly amazing race for every sea- and sailing-fanatic! This years race will be held on the 19th of October, so do not miss it!

The Malta International Fireworks Festival is one of the biggest events in Malta. This event, that is held every year, is organised by the Ministry for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority. This great event that takes place at the end of April is held at many different locations. It is a festival to celebrate Malta’s accession into the European Union. This is why this event is held since 1^st May 2004.

The firework displays of this great festival are designed by foreign pyrotechnic companies as well as a couple of great local firework factories. There are no tickets for this festival so everyone can enjoy this amazing firework show!

Despite having mainly rocky beaches, there are sime beautiful sandy beaches found on Malta!

Golden Bay is one of the most popular beaches in Malta. Golden Bay is set in a naturally beautiful area; it offers cafés and restaurants, sun bed and umbrella services, and plenty of water sport activities. You might even be able to see an amazing sunset which makes it a great spot for evening barbecues. Take a look at the picture above, isn't that a pretty sight for a barbecue?

Mellieha Bay is the largest sandy beach in Malta. It is located in the northern part of Malta. The bay is divides into three separate beaches, devided by short rocky sections. The first beach is the calmest and popular by people who want to have a relaxed day at the beach, the middle beach is the widest and longest beach with all the activities and is also the most popular one. The last bay on the right hand side offers a more quiet and more relaxing atmosphere.

Ghajn Tuffieha Bay is at walking distance fromGolden Bay. Ghajn Tuffieha can only be reached by a flight of 180 steps and is much more quiet than its neighbour. Come for the unspoilt rural atmosphere and a stretch of fine sand, then stay for the sunsets, looking due west across the waves. The beach is managed by the Gaia Foundation, a local environmental body.

Cisk Lager is the number one beer in Malta. This beer has been produced in Malta since 1928 and it is still brewed exclusively in Malta. Cisk was awarded with a medal at the International lager Caterogy at the 1995 Australian Beer Awards. Cisk also gained the Pfizer Food Science Trophy for the Lager.

Cisk Lager is a golden-coloured beer with a well-balanced character. Just like Kinnie, Cisk is a great thrist-quencher. Although the normal Cisk Lager is already a thirst-quencher, Cisk also brews an even more refreshing beer. The Cisk Chill, the beer with a really fresh lemon taste will surely cool you down. The beer has been in Malta since 1928 and it is surely here to stay!

Kinnie is Malta's number one soft drink. The unique soft drink that is produced in Malta can be found anywhere and everywhere. Enjoyed by children and adults this unique soft drink is one of the favorite beverages in Malta. Do not make a mistake to think that Kinnie tastes the same as any other soft drink though.Kinnie is amber in colour and has a bitter-sweet flavour.

This one of a kind soft drink can be drunk straight or mixed with alcohol, for example scotch, to create a delicious long drink. Kinnie owes its bitter-sweet taste to a mix of bitter oranges and several herbs and spices. One major discrepancy Kinnie has over most of the other soft drinks is that only natural ingredients are used.

The Pastizzi have been around for ever, a culinary 'delight' that has fascinated many tourists, thanks to its taste, and why not, its original shape in the form of a diamond. Traditionaly it was a pastry filled filled with either ricotta (similar to Italian ricotta but less dense) or slightly spicy pea filling, known respectively in Maltese as pastizzi ta' l-irkotta and pastizzi tal-pizelli. today these come with a multitude of fillings, from chicken and curry, to chilli and anchovies. The pastry is made using a puff-pastry like dough that crumbles delicously especially when the pastizzi are served freshly baked in the various pastizzerias dotted around Malta and Gozo.

July sees one of the most followed events that dot Malta’s calendar – The Malta Jazz Festival. Each year sees a good mix of local and international artists performing live and presenting an eclectic blend of jazz music, catering for jazz enthusiasts. Artists like John Scofield, Al Di Meola, Chick Corea, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Cubanismo, Petrucciani, Betty Carter and Joe Zawinul are just a few of the international names that the festival has hosted, with many more set to perform this year. All this happens with the majestic Grand Harbour as its backdrop… to quote Mike Stern himself, who said while playing for his audience at this venue: ‘I have never played in a postcard before'.

The three night festival takes place at Ta' Liesse in Valletta and will this year be held from the 16th till the 19th of July. Don’t miss out on this fantastic event. Find out more at : http://www.maltajazzfestival.org/

Malta is the third best country for expatriates, according to a survey published in the Wall Street Journal.

It said that a survey of 14,000 expatriates with 170 nationalities to find who are the happiest and who were sad, found those in Malta among the happiest. The survey was made by Expat Insider 2015 and released by the expat social group InterNations.

""The survey did find a good number of countries where expats were happy. New this year to the list is Malta, coming in as the third most popular country for expats,"" it said.

“People just love the work-life balance” in Malta, said InterNations co-founder Malte Zeeck. In addition, health care, safety, overall well-being, career options, cost of living, great weather, and its reputation as a little-known European Union tax haven also helped it rank high.

The newspaper reported how Elaine Mulcahy, a 42-year-old native of Ireland, moved to Malta three years ago from her home in England.

""Malta has beautiful weather, loads of historic sites, and a reasonable cost of living,"" she said.

The lifestyle is laid-back and Mediterranean. For instance, she spent a recent Sunday on a boat, swimming and enjoying the sun, for about €20. In addition, English is one of the main languages spoken, and it’s easy to set up businesses on the island she said.

American Cheryl Morriston, 54, who moved to Malta recently said Malta is “a sweet little paradise.” she says. “Part of me doesn’t want to tell you how it is,” she said , for fear of making the island too crowded. Ms. Morriston had worked for a number of high-tech firms in the San Francisco area, but was tired of the pace of life there.

Ecuador retained its spot as the survey’s top country again this year, and Mexico moved from third place to second. The overall ranking was determined by a host of categories, including satisfaction with life in general, leisure options, ease of settling in, cost of education and childcare, finding friends, and travel options.

Visitors to Bay Street, Malta’s leading shopping, dining, leisure and entertainment Complex in St George’s Bay, St Julian’s, will travel back several millennia in time over the summer months. The main attraction; a life-size, baby T-Rex dinosaur is set to terrify all those who enter the Jurassic themed paddock in the Rotunda on Level Zero at Bay Street.

The baby T-Rex is over 2 metres tall and, more impressively, is some 4.3 metres long from nose to tail. The big ‘T’ stands for Tyrannosaurus, which comes from the Greek words meaning ‘tyrant lizard’. Rex means ‘king’ in Latin. Those who enter the T-Rex Paddock can have their photo taken with the T-Rex, printed there and then for them to take home.

In collaboration with Heritage Malta, Bay Street Complex will have on display a number of showcases containing fossils ranging from different periods dating back to over 80 million years ago from the Museum of Natural History in Mdina to the Complex. The fossils include those of the pygmy elephant that inhabited the Maltese islands, teeth and other remains from around the same period that the T-Rex walked the earth.

The Malta Jazz Festival 2015 will celebrate its 25th year this summer with a varied programme of events. For this special anniversary, the festival will take place on four days in stead of the usual three-day line-up. You can enjoy the best jazz music from 16 till 19 July. The extra day will be the Commonwealth Jazz Day and will bring two important artists to the island – saxophonist Soweto Kinch from the UK and bassist Richard Bona from Cameroon.

This year’s festival features a number of Grammy award winners, amongst whom legendary Cuban pianist and 5 time Grammy award winner, Chucho Valdes.

Other Grammy winners are Danilo Perez, John Patitucci and Brian Blade, Dave Holland, Chris Potter and Kurt Elling.

Furthermore, this year’s programme will also include free master classes held in the Malta Summer Jazz Camp and a competition for young upcoming jazz musicians through the Malta Jazz Contest.

The Tas-Sliema Local Council in collaboration with the Valletta 2018 Foundation presents you the Sliema Arts Festival. The festival will be held from the 17th of July until the 19th of July! Bigger and Better, that is their promise for this year's edition! The festival includes local and international urban/street artists and 5 areas of pure art, music and entertainment.

The first area is the promenade, bursting with street & urban art. Area 2 will be the main stage at Independence Gardens. This area will be hosted by SAF Art Curator Rachel Formosa.
The third area is Rock the Beach. This Alternative Stage will be hosted by No Sweat Productions. Surfers Paradise is the 4th area, Chill out by day, Party by night hosted by Duncan F & Alex Thomson. The last area is Raggae Pon Di Beach hosted by Juuls, transforming the beach into an open air Reggae hang out.

Click here for more information about Sliema’s Art Festival.

Click here to search for accommodation available in Sliema.

Malta tops the list of bathing water quality in the latest EU bathing waters quality report, all bathing sites in Malta were of excellent quality.

The EU said: ""95 per cent of the monitored bathing sites in the European Union met minimum standards for water quality in 2014. Water quality was excellent at 83 % of the sites, an increase of almost one percentage point compared to 2013.

Malta was at the top of the list. All the bathing sites in Malta, Cyprus and Luxembourg had excellent water quality.""

These 3 countries were followed by Greece,Croatia and Germany, all of them having a high proportion of sites with excellent bathing water quality. Just under 2% of the bathing sites across Europe failed to meet the Bathing Water Directive’s minimum.

Malta's bathing water rating has been high ever since, some years ago, it set up sewage treatment plants along the coast which treats all sewage. No raw sewage is pumped into the sea.

From 15^th of June until the 21^st of June, the Capital City will become a festival city.

Valletta will be hosting its first international feature film festival, filled with film, music, knowledge and creativity. The event will consist of an official competition, featuring films, documentaries and short films. During this first edition of the Valletta film festival, around 45 feature films will be screened.

Attendees will have the opportunity to see and hear established and upcoming filmmakers presenting and discussing their films. But the presence of filmmakers and film stars in Valletta won’t be everything the festival has to offer. This, above all, will be a community joy ride, one to share with family, friends and neighbours.

Click here for more information about Valletta Film Festival.

Click here to search for accommodation available in Malta.

Sunscape is a place to party in Gozo and free you mind. It is a musical happening infused with creativity, performances and lifestyle activities. It is haven for those who love to enjoy the outdoors, make new friends and transform themselves.

The everyday area, where you can get body painted or a free hug.
The workshop area, where you can follow an anger release workshop or learn the Art of Tarot.

You can also enjoy different waters sports such as: fly boarding, jet skiing, kayaking and diving.

Malta has a long history of festas and they are a big part of the Maltese culture. Attending one of the 60 festas held in villages around Malta and Gozo during summer and experience culture, traditions and celebrations.

The festas in Malta and Gozo are religious celebrations organized by the local parish and are an iconic part of summer with beautiful fireworks, bands, processions and happy celebrations. The facade of the main church in the village is covered in hundreds of light bulbs which make it look breath-taking.

Band marches are an integral part of the celebration. The local band performs festa favourites, many of which will be composed by local maestros. As they march through the streets and towards the church, the crowds often follow behind.

The ceremonial highlight of any festa is the carrying of the statue. Festa devotees bid for the privilege of hoisting the statue out of the church and onto a prominent place in the village square. This is usually accompanied by a roaring crowd cheering them on.

Earth Garden invites you to spend three beautiful days at Ta’ Qali National Park on the 5, 6 and 7th of June.

At the Open Village, all the arts come together, along with several other interesting spectacles, leaving you spoilt for choice. Various established and up-and-coming artists will be working together to come up with new concepts and interesting creations. You will be able to observe artists at work in areas where live painting will be taking place; lose yourself among exhibited art installations, sculptures, and photographic works; watch a number of vibrant street drama performances; or expose your aural senses to the energies of an unplugged acoustic session. The highlight of this area is definitely the Roots Stage - where the international presence of bands will be increased for 2015.

As the sun sets, having enjoyed a relaxed afternoon wandering around and exploring the sights, sounds, and flavours of the village, preparations will start for the highlight of the festival. The Greek Theatre will be the chosen venue for this evening’s excellent musical treat.

Unique for their style, Andrew Francica, Christian Tanti and Frankie Calleja will be performing together for the very first time at Music for the Philippines.

The doors will open at noon and the show will start on Sunday 24th May at 3:30pm. The afternoon will be full of talented artists. Mundo Muzika will be starting at 1pm.

Other guests are: Grima Chali on Hammered Dulcimer, Percussion jam by Peter Paul and Antoine Caruana from Tribali, Johann Schembri from Airport Impressions on guitar, and Mark Kram from Fakawi on keyboards.

An event for all the family with live music, a kids area, recycled percussion garden in collaboration with GreenMT, live Art and an Ethnic Market.

All money will go towards a music project which target street kids in the Philippines!

Urbex (Urban Exploration) is the fact of visiting places created by human which are henceforth abandoned, forgotten and forbidden, or at least difficult to access. Urbex linked with photography captures one last time these places by the most beautiful way.

The quest for beauty in the ugly and the poetic aestheticism born from urban desolation and desertion are the themes that drives him to create his images. Indeed, these places are often destined for demolition or renovation while they are full of human stories and history.

The nature taking the upper hand on the human creation, the street-art works, multiple layers of textures, the light entering through a broken window, a dusty floor with antique furnitures are the elements that contribute to the singularity of these places.

Through his work, Simon Vienne tries to translate these feelings in order to interrogate and raise awareness among the public of the inherent existence of beauty in all things.

The opening will be on the 14^th of May and will be open from Thursday to Sunday from 10.00 to 18.30.

The 3rd Perskindol National Mountain Running Championships will take place on Saturday 23^rd May. Starting at Bingemma, 5.6km uphill and finishing during sunset in Kuncizzjoni.

The race will start at 87m asl and the highest point will be 237 asl at the 2.88km mark. The elevation gain wills be 151m during the race and there will be a elevation loss of 36m.
During the race the countryside roads will be mainly traffic free!

Anyone over 17 years of age can participate and for all the finishers there will be an Perskindol string-sports goody bag and medal.

Fort Rinella is one of a series of four coastal batteries built by the British in Malta and in Gibraltar between the years 1878 and 1886. The purpose for building these forts was for each of them to house an Armstrong 100-ton gun. The building of these forts was necessitated by Britain’s fear of losing her naval superiority in the Mediterranean to Italy.

In Malta two sites, at the mouth of the Grand Harbour, were identified to mount the 100-ton guns. One battery was built at Sliema and the other was built at Rinella. The forts were built on two levels – underground were the magazine and two loading-chambers; at ground level were the accommodation area and machinery chambers.

The 100-ton gun presently at Fort Rinella arrived in Malta on 10th September 1882. After some months the gun was ferried from the Dockyard to Rinella Bay from where it was transported to Fort Rinella. The gun had to be manhandled all the way to the fort, which lasted three months and involved about 100 men. Finally in January 1884 the gun was brought into position and was ready for use

In 1906, after just twenty years in service, the 100-ton guns in British service were declared obsolete. As a consequence of the 100-ton gun being phased out, Fort Rinella was stripped of all its machinery and abandoned. The 100- ton guns had never fired a shot in anger.

Since 1991, this fort has been undergoing restoration by volunteers. The aim behind this initiative is that of preserving this important historic fort for posterity and to turn it into a live museum where aspects of its history are brought back to life for the enjoyment and better appreciation of the public.

Click here for more information about Fort Rinella.

Click here to search for accommodation available in Malta.

Meet one of the fastest-expanding civic movements in history - Let's Do It!

The movement was born in 2008 in Estonia. 50,000 people came together to get rid of 10,000 tons of illegal garbage in just 5 hours.

Last year Malta took part of the movement for the first time, under a five year campaign called Let’s do it! Mediterranean. Let’s Do It! Mediterranean is aiming to bring together one million volunteers from more than 20 Mediterranean countries in order to organise a massive land and sea clean up on the 9th of May this year.

The 18th Edition of the Victoria International Arts Festival will take place between 10th June and 13th July. The Festival is the longest-running artistic activity on the Maltese islands, spanning five weeks of uninterrupted, high-powered musical activity, with no fewer than 33 concerts every evening.

This year 17 different countries will be represented, to includeMalta and Gozo, with musicians coming over from nearbySicily to far-flungSouth Korea andAustralia. Both the opening concert on Wednesday 10th June and the closing one on Monday 13th July will see the participation of the Malta Philharmonic.

Concerts will be performed in different venues all overVictoria. Apart from daily concerts, master classes in eight disciplines are held, during which up-and-coming Maltese students are given an opportunity to gain experience and tuition from experts both fromMalta and abroad.

A feature unique only to the Victoria International Arts Festival is that all concerts are presented to the public free of charge.

On Friday 29^th May and Saturday 30^th May 2015 from 18.00hrs onwards, the Malta International Food Festival will be held at the Mdina Ditch. During the festival, professional chefs will be showcasing food from six different parts of the world. All visitors can indulge in freshly-prepared American, Asian, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and Maltese food.
Visiting the festival is free of charge & during the event there will be live cooking shows & live performances on two different stages offering the likes of Malta’s finest artists and for the children their will be activities including bouncy castles, face-painting and other animation to their delight.

The Gozo 55KM ultra trail, run or mountain bike, is Gozo’s toughest race but is probably one of theMediterranean’s most scenic races. The race is made up of the 55KM run or bike route as well as a 21km running route. The trail is of varying gradients that allow the participants to enjoy cliff tracks, valley and water courses, seaside saltpans, sandy beaches as well as rocky terrains.

Orienteering, self-hydration and tough terrain are some of the things Hellfire’s races will throw at you. They may be tough, but the rewards are far greater. Discover what you're made of. Do you think you're tough enough? With extreme terrain and temperatures, these challenges are for the courageous and determined folks out there.

The Nutella Festival
On the 18 & 19th April head over to The Nutella Festival in Qormi. Different stalls will be set up displaying and selling a wide selection of Nutella-inspired pastries and snacks prepared by local chefs. While eating the delicious Nutella-inspired snacks, you can enjoy entertainment with various dancers and bands. This event is organised by The Inspire Foundation in collaboration with The Malta Records and all proceeds will go towards Inspire.

The Inspire Foundation
The Inspire Foundation tries to help everyone with a disability, they do this by providing individuals and their families with educational, therapeutic and leisure services. Today, Inspire helps over 1000 individuals with various disabilities ranging from Down syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy and others. They do this through many services and disability programmes that are offered at a highly subsidised rate or sometimes even for free.

Malta Fashion Week

The fifth Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Malta 2015 promises to be an amazing week of superb fashion shows, parties and events that reach the highest standards of similar fashion weeks held in other fashion capitals worldwide. The capital city of Valletta will be showcasing Malta’s best talent in the fashion industry! The week of events culminates at the Shipbuilding Warehouse in Marsa, which is being converted to host the largest fashion party event ever held in an indoor space.

Malta Fashion Awards

Preparations for the final awards night start months in advance with the setting up of a selection board to invite applications from eligible candidates. Once these are vetted for conformity with the regulations, adjudication panel shortlists up to four nominees for each award category. These nominees are then published and the public can participate in public voting making up to 10% of the final weighting. The remaining 90% of the voting comes from an expert panel. These panels change annually in each edition. Apart from handing out the much coveted awards to the top people in fashion this year, the event includes spectacular hair shows, a gathering of fashion shows held during the whole week, including several international designers from various countries.

Click here for more information about the Malta Fashion Week & Awards 2015.

Click here to search for accommodation available in Malta.

The Ministry for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority will be organising the 14th edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival. This year’s events shall kick off in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk on Saturday 25th April. The spectacle will continue on Thursday 30th April in the unique settings of Valletta’s Grand Harbour and the closing display in Bugibba on Saturday 02nd May with a Pyromusical show.

The foreign participants competing in the International Pyromusical Competition will be from Thailand and Italy. The local participants in this competition will be St. Mary Fireworks Factory, Lourdes Fireworks Factory and St. Andrew’s Band Fireworks Factory.
Fireworks in Malta have a long tradition which goes back to the time of the Order of the Knights of St. John. Fireworks developed into a craft when the Maltese started to celebrate the events connected to their British rulers in the 19th and 20th centuries. This centuries-old tradition is still very much alive in the crowded calendar of village feasts, especially in the summer months.

The Medieval Mdina Festival will be organised this year for the fifth consecutive year in the streets of Mdina. The festival will be held between the 18th and 19th April 2015. During these two days you can enjoy re-enactments, medieval music, lectures, food & drinks and way more.

The participants will perform all day long in various corners and squares of Mdina. Including battles, skirmishes, re-enactments of scenes from the Medieval Period, like a slave market, sword fighting, archery and magic shows

The popularity of this festival is increases every year. This makes that during the festival all the Tourist Attractions extend their opening hours and offer special reduced prices. But to organize such a big event, Mdina needs a lot of support, which comes from different angles. Number of Government Departments, residents and the Business Community give a valid contribution in form of advertising, participation with stands exhibiting their products and directly involved in exchanges with similar entities from abroad.

The government has grantedValletta's indoor market on Merchants' Street to Arkadia Co. Ltd. Arkadia will invest €7 million on the redevelopment. According to Arkadia general manager Antoine Portelli, the lower floor will feature several food stalls, the first floor will feature number of catering establishments and the top floor will serve as a cafeteria in the morning to a more cultural based space later on during the day.

The project would include a complete restoration and restructuring of the 19th Century Victorian structure and it should be finished by the end of 2016. The regeneration for Strait Streetwould cost over €1.2 million but would be divided into various phases. All with “the ultimate aim of restoring the area to its former glory as an entertainment and cultural hub.”

The Chairman of the Valletta 2018 Foundation was caught by surprise and expressed his disappointment. “The Valletta 2018 Foundation is responsible for the regeneration of Valletta in the run up to 2018, as stated in the Valletta 2018 Bid Book.”

On the 12^th of April, Malta University Sports and Leisure organises the University Ring Road Fun Run/Walk & Relay. The event is divided in 4 different distances to run or walk: 5km Fun Run/Walk, 2km Fun Run/Walk, 5km Relay and 800m Children’s Fun Run.

The 5km relay is divided by 4, but not equal distances. The distances are approximately 1.95km for the first runner, 1.15km each for the second and third runners and 750m for the last runner. If you are less than 4, let them know and they'll find a team for you!

Half the proceeds will be donated to Hospice Malta, the official charity of the event, and every participant gets a medal and a goody bag!

Malta International Music Festival & Competition will be held from 27th of April till 10th of May 2015. The goal of festival is to provide the best learning experience for everyone by combining an educational program with concerts presented by world-class musicians.

It is a Cultural Event founded with the intent to improve Music education of youngsters in Malta by offering high-level tuition and opportunities to perform in front of an audience.

The festival includes: Over 15 concerts in Malta & Gozo, 1 Opening concert, 2 Gala concerts, 10 days of master-classes with world-class musicians, 7 disciplines and 4 days competition in for various age categories.

Number of students attending who come from various countries, making the spirit of the event truly international. The Festival aims to create a platform for young musicians to exhibit their talents and learn from acclaimed professors while being able to enjoy the stunning beauty of the Maltese islands.

The templeof Hagar Qim was build between 3600 -3200 BC during the Maltese prehistory. The temple was in fact never completely buried as the tallest stones remained exposed and featured in 18^th and 19^th century paintings.

The temple is made up of a series of C-shaped rooms, known as apses. These apses are more firmly screened off than is usual at other temple sites using walls and slabs with square shaped portholes cut through as doorways. The apse on the right has a small elliptical hole at the rear. The rays of the rising sun on the first day of summer, the Summer Solstice, pass through this hole and illuminate one of the low slabs.

The feast of St. Gregory is celebrated in Malta the first Wednesday after Easter. The feast started in the late 17^th century as a thanksgiving for God's intervention when the bubonic plague hit the island where around 11,000 Maltese lost their lives.

St. Gregory was born at Romeabout the year 540. He was the son of a wealthy senator. St. Gregory was chosen Pope in 590. He is known for his contributions to the Liturgy of the Mass and Office.

Nowadays the feast starts with a morning procession, led by the Archbishop of Malta. It starts in Zejtun to end up in front of the church of St. Catherine. Afterwards many people go to Marsaxlokk to eat different kinds of food, listen to folk music or even play bingo.

This feast is very popular, as tied to this day is the tradition that people take their first swim of the year. Although the weather is not ideal for swimming, several people defied the cold and dive into the sea.

Malta became one of the most bombed places on earth during World War II. The island was bombed for 2 and a half year by 17.000 tons of bomb and endured the sounding of 3,000 alerts.

Throughout these days of bombing the Maltese citizens needed a safe place to stay and war shelters got dug entirely by hand all over the island. One of the largest WO II war shelters in Malta is The Mellieha World War II Shelter. The complex reached the length of over 500 metres. The complex includes lengthy corridors with anti-blast chambers, private rooms to accommodate entire families, a maternity section and a guarded room reserved to protect national treasures.

Nowadays a non-profit making organisation, Choral and Orchestral Society ‘Maria Bambina’ in collaboration with the Mellieha Local Council has now restored these shelters for the public to witness the hardships of life during the war. These Shelters are open for public viewing daily between 09.00 and 15.30.

14 Years before the Siege,Malta was under constant threat from the Ottoman Turks and the Ottomans took most of Gozo’s population into slavery. Grand Master La Valette had requested extra forces from The Pope, Emperor Charles V and the Viceroy of Sicily but no help was given. That leaded to an attack in 1559 from the Knights on Djerba, on the Tunisian coast.

In May 1565, 40.000 Ottoman men lay siege on Maltaand Gozo. The Maltese were outnumbered with a mere 700 knights and 8000 regular troops. After 4 weeks the Ottomans overrun Fort St. Elmo, but at a heavy price: the loss of 8000 men. Afterwards the Ottomans tried to capture St. Angelo, they launched 10 attacks on the walls of St. Angelo throughout the summer, but the Ottomans failed to take the Fort. In September the requested troops finally appeared and the Ottomans retreated, but not before losing thousands more men! The Great Siege ended on the 8^th of September 1565, nowadays commemorated with a public holiday, il-Vitorja.

Fishing is a great way to relax and enjoy the island’s the nice weather and crystal clear Mediterranean seas. Some prefer to do this from the coast, but we recommend hiring a small fishing boat, or joining a fishing tour – as this gets you the chance to also experience the rich Maltese coastline. And what will you expect to catch? A variety of fish really, ranging from tuna and swordfish, to sailfish and amberjack. Very unlikely to catch a shark, that’s for sure!

The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is a complex made up of rock-cut chambers. It was built between 4000BC and 2500BC in Paola, but was lost for decades of years, only to be discovered again in 1902 during construction works by Emmanuel Magri.

It appears that the Hypogeum was first in use around 3600 BC when some natural cavities were used as a repository for the bones of the dead. As the cavities filled up, new chambers were cut progressively deeper into the rock.

It was first opened to visitors in 1908 and since then, it has been visited by thousands of people ever since.

Having been a British colony for over 160 years ,Malta also boasts of English as its national language (along with Maltese). This explains why everyone speaks in English in Malta.

The combination of great weather and the option of turning learning into a holiday, make Malta an ideal place for studying. There are over 40 language schools in Malta and Gozo, most also offering intensive extra-curricular programmes to help you discover the best of the Maltese Islands, the local people and our heritage – whilst offering a quality language study programme

Malta has a lot to offer, especially when it comes to water sports. Offering something for everyone and for all ages, you can have a go at canoeing, wake boarding, water skiing, paragliding, jet skiing, sailing, windsurfing, water polo and much more – at a very reasonable price. So next time you are in Malta look out for one of the many well trained water sports companies and water clubs dotting the island to find the water sport or activity that best fits you!

Set in the south-eastern part ofMalta, Marsaxlokk is the islands, most popular fishing village. It is famous for its big Sunday fish market, the many fish restaurants that fill up the promenade, and for its many colourful decorative painted boats, better known as the Maltese luzzu.

But that’s not all Marsaxlokk has to offer. A 20 minutes walk away you also get one of the islands most secluded swimming spots, St Peter’s Pool, whilst on the east side, you can also enjoy a small sandy beach.

No Maltese village is complete without an ornate and imposing church, and Marsaxlokk is no different, with a glorious church set in the heart of the village in the main piazza, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, the Madonna of Pompeii.

Cisk beer is produced by the Simonds Farsons Cisk Brewery, which was founded in 1928. The brewery expanded its production over the years and now produces several ofMalta’s most famous lagers, ales, pale ales, milk stout, and shandies, Cisk, Cisk Export and Cisk Extra Strong.

Cisk beer has also won several international awards, including: Gold medals for both the ""Lager"" and the ""Best Overall"" categories during the Brewex Competition in 1980 and World's Best Standard Lager title by Beers of the World in 2007.

So far no brewery tours are available but we are hoping that they will have one soon!

We bet you don’t know that Malta boasts of its very own Popeye Village and with good reason. Also known as Sweethaven Village, this village was built when the infamous 1980 movie starring Robin Williams was filmed on our island. Today it has been converted into a family adventure park, best know as Popeye Village Fun Park

The village has a lot to offer; rides, playhouses, museums, mini golf, free wine tasting for adults and many more. Besides these attractions,Popeye Village offers other activities according to the respective season like water trampolines, a play pool and boat rides in Anchor Bay during the summer or a Christmas Parade and Santa’s Toy Town & Crib in Christmas time.

All of this will ensure kids and children at heart will spend a great day at Popeye Village!

The Megalithic Temples were built between 2200BC and 3000BC and have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. They are described as ‘the oldest free-standing monuments in the world’! Two temples are located in Gozo and the other 5 in Malta. They are, moreover, remarkable for their diversity of form and decoration.

Click here for more information about the Megalithic Temples.

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There are plenty diving sites in Malta, one even more beautiful then the other. The calmness and the clarity of the water creates the perfect environment for beginners and experienced divers. Malta has a large selection of diving sites including a number of wrecks, caves and deep walls allowing all levels of divers the opportunity to enjoy a unique experience.

Click here for more info on Diving in Malta.

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One traditional Maltese dish is fenkata; marinated rabbit fried in wine and garlic and is served with potatoes or chips and salad. Fenkata's is particularly suited for large groups and can be enjoyed at numerous restaurants around the Maltese Islands.

Another traditional dish is bragioli; savory stuffed beef rolls braised in wine. The basic, classic version of the recipe involves a stuffing made with bread, as well as bacon, garlic, parsley, and sometimes wedges of hardboiled egg.

The Isle of MTV is an annual event held in Floriana, Malta. The event includes the best artists & DJ’s from all around the world and it’s FREE. Last year performers included DJ Hardwell, Dizzy Rascal, Enrique Iglesias and many more! With a crowd which tops the 50,000 mark it will definitely be a great day! Stay tuned for more information about the festival and the line-up.

Click here for more information about the Isle of MTV!
Click here to search for accomodation available in July!

The production of sea salt has a long tradition in Gozo and the saltpans found near Marsalforn are still used today. Hewn out of the coastal rock, the saltpans were part of the island’s first industry. Centuries ago salt was used as a bartering currency for consumables not available locally. Nowadays, salt collected from the Xwejni Saltpans can be found in most supermarkets on the Maltese Islands. It’s interesting to walk along to the them (very early in the morning) to watch the salt being collected as it glistens under the rising sun.

Easter in Malta seems far busier in the religious calendar than Christmas for its sheer organisation alone. We’ve street processions, pageants, tableaux, displays, bell ringing, band marches, statue carrying and passion plays. The mobilisation of manpower to deliver these religious spectacles is enormous.

On Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday lots of parishes create representations of the Last Supper. Then on Good Friday - the official mourning day - so no mass is held though people may go to church to kiss the cross at the time Christ died and to say personal prayers. The day is bell-free and silent. But it is the big day of processions. And we mean big. Malta has some spectacular, lengthy and large processions involving casts of hundreds.

Easter Sunday is totally different to all that has gone before in Holy week. All churches are open and special mass takes place. It’s a day then for family as people flock home to their lavish lunches and the giving of chocolate eggs.

From the 4^th until the 7^th off April the Flying Superkids will perform an amazing show called: Cirque du Soleil meets High School Musical. The show includes an amazing mix of energy and breath-taking skills. The only one of its kind in the world.
Flying Superkids have performed in over 35 countries around the world and will bring you the night of your life with a high tempo mix of acrobatics, gymnastics, dancing, singing, comedy, tumbling and of course twists, double and triple somersaults on trampolines and other crazy equipment.

Malta is dotted with hundreds, literally hundreds of churches all across the island (359 to be exact). Some stand out more because of their proximity to the sea, such as the Msida one, dedicated to St Joseph. Make sure you dedicate some time churches are definitely worth taking a look at while you are visiting Malta. We promise you will not be disappointed.

Click here to search for accommodation available in Msida!

On the 10^th of February, the first major feast of the year is celebrated in Malta. Celebrated in a good number of villages and towns, it is best known in Valletta - “San Pawl Nawfragu”, how it is called in Maltese.

Paul got shipped to Rome to be tried as a political rebel, but his ship, with 274 others was caught in a storm and got wrecked two weeks later at the Maltese coast. The site of the wreck is knows as St. Pauls Island. According the tradition, Paul hid himself in a cave, nowadays known as St. Pauls Grotto in Rabat, Malta. During his winter stay, Paul was invited by the Romans chief man of the island. It was here, according the tradition where Paul cured the chief man’s father from a serious fever.

How can you not love spring in Malta with our beautiful cobalt skies and seeing what’s left on the fields start sparkling in yellow English weed and red poppies!

February is a long-awaited month for many locals, as they work for months at a time preparing the colourful floats and carnival costumes for this traditional celebration. Some enthusiasts spend the whole year secretly preparing for this four day celebration, eager to compete in the Carnival parade with their most colourful and elaborate float yet! These floats depict people, animals and mythical creatures, with the most famous float being that of King Carnival. These floats will be accompanied by the Carnival dancers, wearing costumes as extravagant as the floats they will be marching with.

This year, Carnival in Malta will run from the 5^th-9^th of February and is celebrated extravagantly in the capital City, Valletta and in Nadur, Gozo. As part of the carnival celebrations, the recently revived qarcilla will take place, a Carnival charade which dates back to 1760. This is a play which mocks contemporary society using humorous and suggestive verse.

The celebrations in Valletta and Gozo are quite different, with Gozo being slightly more unruly and disorganised. The lack of organisation contributes to the crazy atmosphere as people from Malta and Gozo gather to display their unique carnival costumes, which could sometimes be quite gruesome and daring! On the other hand, Valletta offers more of a family atmosphere, a display of colours, music and a traditional parade celebration.

Carnival in Malta also brings with it some excellent sweets, particularly the traditional Prinjolata , a sweet filled with nuts, biscuits, candied cherries and pine nuts covered in an egg white icing, resembling a snow mountain with chocolate drizzles and other delights. Combined with condensed milk, this sweet is quite the calorie-counter, but every bite is worth it!

February brings along the carnival week, which whilst holding a lot of traditions and folk events, today has also seen the introduction of new and exciting elements. You get to see extravagantly coloured floats perched on lorries ready for the procession, children running around in fancy carnival costumes and much more.

Malta’s main nightlife centre, Paceville, also gets its share of carnival catching the late night carnival goers who pile into the clubs and bars, still wearing their outrageous outfits.

The culmination of carnival normally takes place in Valletta and Floriana, however many villages have their own activities going on!

Situated between Malta and Gozo, the smaller island of Comino is a paradise for snorkelers, divers, windsurfers and ramblers.

Only 3.5 square kilometers, Comino is car-free and apart from one hotel, is virtually uninhabited.

The island's main attraction is the Blue Lagoon. In summer, this sheltered inlet of shimmering aquamarine water over white sand is very popular with day-trippers.

Comino is also worth a visit in winter, and is ideal for walkers and photographers. With no urban areas or cars on the island, one can easily smell the scent of wild thyme and other herbs.

The Maltese Islands have once again been confirmed as the diving destination in the Mediterranean. According to the International Diver Magazine’s annual international voting poll, Malta and Gozo were also awarded third place as a diving destination worldwide following, Egypt and the Maldives respectively.