Shopping & Entertainment

Since man and woman started visiting places beyond their homes, there have been few travellers who did not enjoy at least a spot of shopping. And Malta and Gozo offer diverse opportunities to give the casual buyer, as well as the serious shopaholic, a seriously good time.
From shopping malls to luxury shopping, with a good selection of flea market bargaining, a visitor to Malta is assured of a busy stint on the retail trail.
Retail outlets and shopping centres can be found in all the major towns and villages, but the foremost amongst these are Republic Street and Merchants Street in Valletta.
Since man and woman started visiting places beyond their homes, there have been few travellers who did not enjoy at least a spot of shopping. And Malta and Gozo offer diverse opportunities to give the casual buyer, as well as the serious shopaholic, a seriously good time.
From shopping malls to luxury shopping, with a good selection of flea market bargaining, a visitor to Malta is assured of a busy stint on the retail trail.
Retail outlets and shopping centres can be found in all the major towns and villages, but the foremost amongst these are Republic Street and Merchants Street in Valletta.
Shops are normally open from Monday to Saturday, morning and evening. Opening times are usually between 09.00 and 13.00 and 16.00 to 19.00hrs. However, in tourist areas, shops are open Mondays to Saturdays, from 09.00 till 19.00 hrs and even later.

Craft hunting

Thankfully crafts have recently experienced a revival and some dying legacies have been given a lifeline. These crafts make interesting souvenirs and mementoes of Malta to take back home and enjoy. And they also come with their own cultural value.
Some crafts, such as knitwear, basket ware and lace, have a long history and are interlaced in the fabric of the island’s nationhood, commemorating the way our ancestors earned their livelihood

Open-air markets

Markets are at the heart of a number of Maltese villages and are an experience not to be missed by visitors. Many towns and villages have their own version. For the locals, they are a place for socialising and catching up with neighbours and local news, as well as for shopping

Entertainment

There is no end to the list of things you can do in Malta. The Maltese like to keep themselves entertained all year round and the island offers a wide variety of entertainment ranging from cinemas to theatres, centres for creativity, band and sports clubs, clubs, sports events, concerts and more. There’s something for everyone practically every day.

Malta is not just Valletta

Mdina

One of Malta’s most well-preserved cities, Mdina is a medieval city. It sits on top of a hill as far inland as possible, to avoid being easily reached by marauding corsairs or invaders. It is a walled city which could easily have all its entrances closed and thus defended during a siege.

It has barely changed throughout the centuries although it suffered a terrible earthquake in 1693. Its cathedral, built on the site where a temple to the old Roman gods stood, was destroyed but subsequently rebuilt.

It has barely changed throughout the centuries although it suffered a terrible earthquake in 1693. Its cathedral, built on the site where a temple to the old Roman gods stood, was destroyed but subsequently rebuilt.

The Three Cities

The Three Cities – Vittoriosa (Birgu), Senglea (L-Isla) and Cospicua (Bormla) – are three harbour towns intimately linked with the history of Malta, from medieval times to the Second World War and to modern times where they are experiencing a well-deserved revival and regeneration.

Any visitor to the islands should stroll through the quaint narrow streets and along the Vittoriosa Waterfont and marina: it gives the stroller an interesting peek into Maltese history, its fascinating culture and an illuminating x-ray of how streets and the architecture developed.

Hypogeum

The Hypogeum is a vast underground necropolis hewn from the rock in around 3600 BC and later expanded by tunnelling deeper into the ground. It is filled with stunning chambers carved with astonishing delicacy, with acoustics that to this day amaze. This is one of the most intriguing archaeological sites in the world as confirmed by UNESCO which declared the Hypogeum a World Heritage site.

Temples

Malta and Gozo are replete with history and mystery – with some temples predating the famed Pyramids and Stonehenge. Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra are ancient limestone temples set on a clifftop in one of Malta’s most beautiful and unspoilt areas. Ġgantija in Gozo is the oldest free-standing structure in the world.

Visit and be mesmerised by the beauty and the skill needed to design these prehistoric temples. Cast an exploratory eye backward in time and imagine men and women with no modern machinery moving and erecting these immense stones.

Marsaxlokk

The Marsaxlokk fish market is the perfect place to watch the colourful traditional Maltese fishing boat, the luzzu. Admire the beautiful shape of the luzzu with the eye of Osiris painted on the front to ward off evil. The bay is a real treat – look around and observe the local way of life before moving on to the seaside restaurants. These offer the season’s best fish, freshly caught by local fishermen

Sister Islands

Gozo

Just a 25-minute ferry hop from Ċirkewwa, the northenest part of Malta, gets you to Malta’s sister island, Gozo.

Gozo is much smaller, greener and definitely more laid back than most places in Malta. Gozo gives any visitor a new view of life – people seem to have few cares, they take things easy and the island seems to have stood still in time.

It is much less populated than Malta and less built up but it still offers some wonderful architecture, churches and fabulous vistas.

It has an authentic charm with its rural untouched landscapes, stunning hidden beaches, picturesque harbours, traditional limestone farmhouses and array of indigenous industries showcased by the locals, with lace, honey, wine and cheese being the best products. The Ġgantija Temples are also worth visiting (read under Temples for fuller description).

Comino

Comino is the third of the sister islands. Located between Malta and Gozo it is much smaller than either, with only a handful of people living permanently on it.

It takes a very short time to make a full circuit of the island but there is much more to see than is usually appreciated by the non-discerning visitor. There are rocky coves, and fauna few explorers to this isle penetrate or appreciate.

Comino’s most famous attraction is the Blue Lagoon, a natural inlet with clear, azure waters. It has a very small sandy beach but the smooth, flat rocks are also inviting and great for families with children. Comino has only one hotel but this is the ideal place from which to explore the island privately and in peace during the summer months.