Perfectly situated in the Mediterranean halfway between Sicily and North Africa, Malta is a prime destination for travelers seeking sun, sand and a little bit of history in the Maltese archipelago. Travelers booking flights to Malta will get more than just pristine beaches and the casual environment of quiet coastal towns. This tiny island is huge on history – from prehistoric temples to medieval dungeons and underground military caves, Malta is a piece of history waiting to be explored.
Malta is a high tourist destination for summer holiday travelers. In fact, Malta’s population is almost tripled during the summer months thanks to the thousands of visitors booking flights to Malta for a quick getaway. While many travelers choose to lay alongside the island’s blue waters and sandy beaches, other travelers enjoy the modernized version of Malta recently built up with high-rise resorts and luxury beachfront properties. Still, the charm of Malta remains in the island’s history. Whether you book Malta flights to explore the underground or lounge above land, this European destination spot offers something for everyone.
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Malta has a typically Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild winters. In summer temperatures can reach 84F, but the heat tends to be tempered by sea breezes. In spring and fall a hot wind, known as the Xlokk, sometimes brings high temperatures and humidity. There is little rainfall, and it occurs only in winter.
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Peak season:
Malta is a year-round destination thanks to its glorious Mediterranean climate. The summer months feature lots of sunshine and little rain, so flights to Malta are packed with summer vacationers and holiday travelers. Winters are generally mild and the peak season can extend into October, but cheap flights to Malta can be found if you visit the islands post-season.
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Malta is far too small to need air links, although Malta Air Charter offers helicopter service from Malta to Gozo. There is also a ferry service between Malta and Gozo. Bus services are available throughout Malta as is car-hire. Driving is on the left. A traditional way to see the island is by horse-drawn carriage.
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- One of the smallest and most beautiful beaches on Malta is Paradise Bay. Located in the north of the island, tourists can catch a ferry to Gozo very close by.
- The capital, Valletta, is a World Heritage city. It has many attractions including St. John’s Co. Cathedral and Museum, which was built between 1573 and 1577. Caravaggio’s masterpiece, the Beheading of St. John, hangs in the Oratory. The artist was on the run in Malta from Italian authorities when he painted it in 1607.
- Marsaxlokk is a fishing village in the southeast of Malta. Book flights to Malta over a weekend and visit Marsaxlokk on a Sunday when fishermen sell their catch on the quay.
- Vittoriosa is, along with Selglea and Cospicua, one of The Three Cities. It is the most beautiful and interesting of the three with a lovely waterfront, some beautiful old streets in "The Collachio" and the old Fort St Angelo, where the Knights of Malta had their headquarters. On the seafront is the Maritime Museum; the Folk Museum is in the Inquisitor’s Palace.
- The Hypogeum (underground cavity) in Valletta is the world’s largest underground religious site. It consists of halls, chambers and passages cut out of the rock. There are three levels – upper, middle and lower – all dated to between 3600 BC and 2500 BC. Visiting the Hypogeum takes some planning. To preserve the site, just 80 visitors a day are admitted and tours are often booked up weeks in advance. Hint: Book tours online when you book your flight to Malta.
- Ggantija Temples in Xaghra, Gozo, is a megalithic site. In Maltese, Ggantija means “belonging to the giants,” which gives some clue to its size. The two temples are ancient, more than 5,500 years old. They are the world’s oldest free-standing structures, older than Stonehenge or the pyramids in Egypt, and are thought to have been the site of an Earth Mother Goddess Fertility Cult.
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Visitors must all hold return or onward tickets, all documents required for their next destination, and sufficient funds for maintenance during the period of their stay.
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United States citizens require a passport, but no visa, for a stay of up to three months.
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