Malta

Centre of the Mediterranean

This small island is found underneath the toe of Italy and above the continent of Africa. The central Mediterranean location has meant that Malta has had a major role in European history.

While there are plenty of cultural and historic themes, buildings and surroundings in Malta, there are plenty of tourist facilities too with wonderful harbour areas, superb accommodation and exciting attractions to please all visitors.

Each of the holiday resorts are placed by the north and east coastlines of Malta which provide idyllic waterside settings and also present aquatic activities that take you around this and to other islands.

Golden beaches in between rocky coasts

The coastline of Malta is mostly made up of rocky areas with the majority of beaches being pebbly and shingled surfaces. However, Holiday Hypermarket offers holidays to resorts that feature excellent sandy beaches where you can comfortably lay down your towel and sunbathe.

Bugibba, St George's Bay and Mellieha Bay each feature golden beaches while Golden Sands Beach in the north west is another smooth option for sun worshippers. While resorts like Qawra and Sliema offer rocky coastal areas, you'll still find a comfortable place to settle with lidos and sunloungers offered in abundance.

An array of cultures

The island of Malta, now an independent nation, has been formerly ruled by the Romans, the Normans, the Spanish, French and, most recently, the British. There are many towns that feature classic themes and structures which point to the country's varied history.

Mellieha Bay has churches and buildings which are of major significance in Malta while nearby Valletta, the capital, features an impressive skyline dominated by domes and towers. The former capital of the island is Mdina, a fortified town found on a hilltop inland. This ancient city has recently been restored to bring its history alive with dozens of medieval structures available to tour.

Fun and nightlife

Through the day your choices of activities are predominantly aquatic based. From each resort you'll find opportunities to head out onto the Mediterranean Sea with watersports, scuba excursions and boat trips. Within Bugibba there is also a water park which is ideal for parents to relax while kids tire themselves out on the slides and play equipment.

By night you'll have no problem finding an accommodating pub, bar or club across Malta. Many of the resorts feature waterside settings where you can casually enjoy a drink and a chat outside in the warm summer nights.

There are some towns that turn the dial up and feature nightclubs to keep you up late. Bugibba is well-known for its exciting club venues found within the central square and main street. By St George's Bay is the town of Paceville where you'll find dozens of cocktail bars, popular pubs and DJ-lead dance clubs.

Excellent shopping options

It's easy to remember your holidays in Malta thanks to the souvenir options to take home with you. Each resort offers tourist gift shops and often you'll find charismatic boutiques that offer items with real Maltese charm.

Some of the highlights around Malta include the Flea Market held in Valletta every Sunday, The Point shopping centre in Sliema which is found within a former 18th century fort, and the locally made glass products on Gozo Island.

Maltese cuisine

Since Malta takes a prime spot at the heart of the Mediterranean, the foods on offer are typically Mediterranean too. With Italy so close to the north you'll find that a lot of restaurants take influence from their European neighbours. British themes are also found within the cuisine too thanks to the recent rule over the country.

The dishes found here range from the tame to the unusual with some of the most foreign options including stewed snails, stuffed artichokes and fried rabbit. The majority of the dishes are more appetising though with pork-based meals and variations of cheeses heartily consumed within many other eateries.

Getting there

Flights from UK airports to Malta International Airport will take around three and a half hours in total. From there the transfers are usually short lasting no longer than half an hour.

Each of the resort towns are generally quite small and it is easy to get around inside each on foot. Car hire is available if you want to travel around on your own time. Public transport options include a thorough bus service as well as ferry services too.