Experiences
Well, I'm having a bit of trouble with this section. It should be the most essential part of the entire blog, as the plan is to fill this section with content from the posts, providing a complete, holistic experience of Malta. However, the otherwise brilliant Ghost platform doesn't fully allow me to proceed as planned.
Therefore, I came up with a temporary solution to redirect interested readers to the previously used Notion platform via this button:
For those who need a quick guide to Malta, here is a brief summary:
Weather
- Heat: a lot in summer (35-38 degrees Celsius, 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit), bearable from autumn to spring
- Humidity: low, sometimes with hot, humid air currents from the Sahara
- Precipitation: little, but I experienced a few days of drizzle in mid-May
- Breeze: yes, it’s regular, sometimes stormy
Cost of living
- Supermarket: From a Central European perspective, Malta doesn't feel expensive. Shopping at Lidl or Eurospin and cooking for oneself makes living costs manageable, even though almost everything is imported.
- Restaurants: Fast food offers burgers or kebabs for 8-12 euros, pizzas start around 7 euros. In restaurants, main dishes generally start at 15 euros, but the sky's the limit.
- Cafés: Many Italian cafés offer coffee for 1.3-1.7 euros. Specialty cafés offer coffee for 3-5 euros.
- Transportation: Malta only has bus transportation. A single ticket costs 2.5 euros, and you can buy tickets with a bank card from the driver. The bus service is frequent but often inaccurate, and buses don't always follow Google Maps routes. A Tallinja card, costing 25 euros, is a lifetime pass for long-term residents. A weekly pass also costs 25 euros.
- Services: Haircuts start around 14 euros. Services are slightly above Central Eastern European (CEE) prices.
- Business services: A day pass in a coworking space starts at 15 euros, and company registration and office services are around 50 euros per month. More information can be found on the CONNECTICLUB's website.
Best places
Must see:
Blue Lagoon
Blue Grotto
Dingli Cliffs
Gozo
Coffee:
Coffee Circus (10 places)
Lot61
Italian cafés
Sightseeing:
Valetta
Mdina & Rabat
St. Julian's
Sliema
Mellieha
Mosta
St. Paul's Bay
Beaches:
Riviera Beach
Golden Bay
Paradise Bay
Il-Kalanka
Ghar Lapsi
Ghadira Bay - Mellieha
Salina Bay
Nighlife
Paceville - St. Julian's
Cafe del Mar - St. Paul's Bay
Gianpula Village
Outdoor activities
Malta is a perfect place for outdoor activities such as running, cycling, scuba diving, snorkeling, and hiking.
Tap water
In Malta, tap water is safe to drink but might not taste great due to its mineral content. Most of the tap water comes from desalinated seawater and groundwater. Many locals and visitors prefer bottled water for drinking because of the taste. However, using a water filter can improve the taste and is an environmentally friendly option.