Open left menu St Julian's. What hotels in St Julian's have nice views? Main attractions. What to see

Shopping and entertainment complexes, cozy restaurants annually attract thousands of tourists from all over the world.

A little history

It is believed that the city is named after Julian the Poor, who patronized travelers. Legends say that the saint spent all his savings on those in need: the sick, the homeless, lonely old people.

There was a time when these places were empty due to pirate robberies. At the end of the 19th century, the situation changed for the better and St. Julian's became a popular holiday destination among wealthy residents from different countries.

Nowadays, this city is a paradise for young people, connoisseurs and those who like to spin roulette or play poker.

Weather in St Julian's

The tourist season in the city lasts from May to September. At this time, the weather in St. Julian's is quite hot and sunny, but the proximity of the sea makes the climate comfortable, sometimes even pleasantly cool.

St. Julian's is a modern city in which, unfortunately, it is increasingly rare to find nature untouched by man. It must be said that local residents not only build houses, but also decorate the city with numerous flower beds, parks and public gardens.

What to see in the city?

The history of the island and the city of St. Julian's is such that for many centuries these places have been plundered by pirates. Therefore, the buildings of that time were exclusively defensive in nature, for example, the watchtower of St. George, the Tower of Madlin, the tower of St. Marcas. There are also modern buildings in St. Julian's, one of which is the Portomaso Tower - a 23-story business center, the 1st-6th floors of which are reserved for the Hilton hotel.

Despite this, the richest palaces of the local nobility also became architectural monuments. At the end of the 17th century, Paolo Spinola rebuilt a wonderful castle, which was used for balls and important meetings. Later the house was enlarged many times and ennobled by the descendants of Spinola. Unfortunately, in the 19th century the palace was destroyed by the French. The castle was restored for about two centuries.

Another significant architectural site is the Dragonara Palace, built in the 19th century by the richest man of his time named Emanuele Sciclun. Now this building houses a casino.

The population of St. Julian's is religious, so many temples and chapels have been built in the city.

Where to eat?

There is an opinion that St. Julian's is a city of restaurants. And I must say that this is completely justified. Here you can try delicious dishes of various cuisines.

Most of the cafes and bars are located in the center of Malta's nightlife. Decent restaurants are located in hotels in the city. The Joint steakhouse is one of a kind, designed exclusively for meat lovers. You can taste the best dishes of Italian and French cuisine at the Peppino's restaurant. Lovers of Japanese rolls and noodles, go to Gochi. On weekends, dine at the L'Ordine restaurant, only on these days customers are pampered with national dishes. You can enjoy Maltese cuisine in the home restaurant Maltese Mama. Most restaurants are open 24 hours a day.

Let's decide on accommodation

Perhaps the list of good hotels, guest houses, villas and hostels is even more extensive. Finding comfortable accommodation is not at all difficult; it all depends on your preferences and, of course, financial capabilities.

Five-star hotels in St. Julian's - The Westin Dragonara Resort, Radisson Blu Resort, InterContinental Malta - await tourists in luxurious rooms. Payment per day will be about 250 €.

The George, St. has one less star. George's Park & La Vallette Resort, Golden Tulip Vivaldi Hotel. The quality and comfort of these hotels are slightly inferior to five-star ones, but the price for a room varies within 200 €. Young people prefer to stay in guest houses, three-star hotels, hostels. A room for two will cost in this case, 20-60 €.

Let's think about leisure time

St Julian's is popular with holidaymakers for its vibrant nightlife. The area is a center of entertainment, as entertainment venues can be found everywhere. Moreover, the nightlife is varied and will impress not only young people, but also the older generation. Fans of gambling will be pleasantly surprised by the numerous casinos equipped with slot machines, poker and roulette tables. Divers will also enjoy an exciting dive near the Mercanti Reef, famous for its countless crevices.

Shopping in St Julian's will be a lot of fun, as the city has a lot of large shops and small markets. You can buy absolutely everything: clothes, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, wine and much more. There are ATMs and pharmacies nearby.

How to get there?

You can get to St. Julian's from different parts of the island by using or renting a suitable car.

Safety

The city is quite safe for tourists. But still, do not walk alone in the dark, do not take large sums of money or original documents with you. By following basic safety rules, you will protect yourself and your property from attack.

One of the most famous and noisy is Paceville - the disco area. This is just one long street dotted with various bars, disco bars, discos. There are discos here, small and large, for youth and for older people. Life in Paceville begins only at 7-8 pm and does not calm down until the morning. Entry to all discos is free. During the day and evening, barkers stand in front of bars handing out coupons for free drinks. Choose any club to your taste or you can visit several in an evening.

Right in front of the embankment is the incomparable salsa bar Fuego. In the evening they teach you how to dance Salsa for free. All the Maltese come here to dance. Many come in pairs, others in the hope of finding a mate. All instructors are older men. Infinitely friendly and excellent movers. Amazing place. From 24 hours it turns into a Latin-style disco. And on the second floor there is an open-air hookah bar. There are no chairs or sofas here, only mats. Everyone lies down and takes a break from hot dancing, sipping an apple hookah. By the way, the most delicious Mojito in Malta is also here.

The luxurious Dragonara Casino, formerly the Dragonara Palace, the former residence of the banker Emmanuel Xecluna, built in the 19th century, is also located in Paceville.

St Julian's is also worth noting some historical sites, one of which is the Spinola Palace.

The Spinola Palace was built at the end of the 17th century by order of Paolo Raffaele Spinola, and was intended for public celebrations. Adjacent to the palace is a small park, which the Maltese proudly call the Spinola Gardens. It seems that the Maltese call any number of trees more than one a garden. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Spinola Palace was slightly rebuilt by one of the descendants of its founder, and at the end of the 18th century, during the French occupation, the Palace was badly damaged, since it housed French troops.
In St. Julian's there is the Watchtower of St. George, located on the very coast. The tower was built by order of the Grand Master of the Johannite Order Lascaris in the 17th century. The tower is not big, more like a turret, but it will certainly add to the impressions. The climb is free.

St Julian's Churches

The Old Parish Church was built at the end of the 16th century and was dedicated to St. Julian. Dates from the 16th century. The church is active.

Historical buildings are found at every turn in Malta. And in St. Julian's you will find many churches and chapels. You will see the Church of the Immaculate Conception, and the Church of St. Rita, and the Church of the Virgin Mary, and the Church of St. Clare, and the Millennium Chapel. It should be noted that in addition to this, at each corner in the recess of the wall there is a small colorful altar with a statue of a saint. This is what makes Malta so unforgettable.

Beaches of St Julian's

Right in the heart of St Julian's, St George's Bay is the city's municipal beach. The paid one is on the right, sun loungers and umbrellas are provided for 3.5 euros, and the free one is on the left, where everyone lies on towels and also enjoys it no less. The beach is very good, the entrance to the sea has a sandy bottom, and the location of the bay is such that there is always no wind in St. George's Bay. The Maltese themselves do not go swimming at the municipal beach, considering it exclusively a tourist joy, since it is located right in the city, in plain sight, and the Catholic religious traditions of the descendants of the knights still influence their worldview.

In the residential area of Pembroke, right behind the desalination plant, there is a rocky beach that not many tourists know about, but many locals prefer to soak up the sun here.
From anywhere on the island you can get to St. Julian's by buses No. 62,64,65,66,68,70, 627,652.

In the last week of July and the last week of August, Fests are held in St. Julian's. These are religious holidays accompanied by colorful fireworks. They are visible even from the island of Gozo.

St. Julian's is one of the most popular resort towns in Malta, located close to. Interestingly, until the beginning of the 19th century, the entire territory on which St. Julian's is now located, due to constant raids by pirates, was practically uninhabited. But since the end of the 19th century, thanks to its colorful landscapes, the city has turned into a resort - a favorite vacation spot for wealthy residents of the country.

Nowadays, St. Julian's is one of the most famous resorts in Malta. Today, the city is very heavily built up. Here, it is already quite difficult to find a corner of untouched nature. In addition to enchanting sea views, the city is decorated with many picturesque parks, gardens, squares, alleys, flower beds and hanging pots with incredibly beautiful flowers.

The enormous popularity of this resort comes from one of its districts, which is called. This area is widely known throughout the region due to its large concentration of bars, restaurants, discos and nightclubs. That is why, both during the day and at night, predominantly young people are found on the streets of the area.

Attractions in St Julian's and surrounding areas

However, for people who prefer a more relaxing holiday, St. Julian's will have something to do. After all, on its territory there is a huge number of incredibly beautiful architectural attractions, including ancient forts, villas, palaces, churches and chapels:

1. Watchtower of St. George. It was erected in the 17th century by order of Lascaris, the Grand Master of the Order of St. John.

2. Barracks of St. George. They were built for the British Royal Engineers in the early 19th century. They are an excellent example of British colonial architecture.
3. Coastal fortifications. They were erected in the second half of the 18th century during the reign of Pinto.
4. Dragonar's Palace. Erected in 1870 by the country's outstanding banker Emanuel Scicluna. The palace is located at the extreme point of the cape, which is called Dragonara Point. Currently, the largest and most famous casino in Malta operates in the palace building.

5. Spinola Palace. It was built in the second half of the 17th century by the Marquis Francesco Spinola. The palace is located in a picturesque bay, which is also named after the Marquis. Interestingly, the palace often hosted events to entertain guests, in particular, performances were staged in its garden. Today, the Spinola Palace houses the Pepinos restaurant, which is a huge success among locals and resort guests.

6. Church of St. Julian. Built in the 17th century, it is considered one of the oldest churches in the city.

7. Church of St. Clare. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, it currently belongs to the Catholic Franciscan order.
8 Church and monastery of St. Rita. Built between 1926 and 1928 on lands owned by a certain Miss Pons.

9. Church of the Immaculate Conception (Millennium Church). Built in the 17th century by the Marquis Spinola. The building has architectural characteristics unusual for a Catholic church.
10. Church of the Mother of Good Light (Balluta Cathedral). Built at the beginning of the 20th century, it is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Malta.

St Julian's Hotels

Like any resort town, St. Julian's offers its guests a variety of accommodation options - private apartments, country villas, hotels, as well as youth hostels.

As in any other resort, the most popular type of temporary housing among tourists is hotels of various price categories. Popular five-star hotels offer their luxurious rooms to city guests - InterContinental Malta, Le Meridien St. Julians, Hilton Malta, Corinthia San Gorg, Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort, Corinthia Marina Hotel, The Westin Dragonara Resort. They cost significantly less, but in terms of comfort and quality of service, four-star hotels are practically not inferior to the best hotels in the city, among which it is worth noting: Hotel Juliani, GoldenTulip Vivaldi Hotel, Hotel Bernard, President Hotel. Three-star hotels in St. Julian's are very popular among tourists - Alfonso Hotel, Valentina Hotel, Rafael Spinola Hotel, BurlingtonAparthotel. And also two-star ones - Dean Hamlet Holiday Village and San Gorg Hotel.

One of the best hotels in Malta - InterContinental Malta

When choosing a hotel in St. Julian's, you should pay special attention to what part of the city it is located. For example, not everyone who wants to relax at this resort will like it, the echoes of which penetrate even into the most remote corners of this area.

In short, St. Julian's is an ideal resort for those who are young at heart, love gambling and want to spend their holidays fun.

The small town of St. Julian's (Malt. San Ġiljan), located near the city of Sliema, north of Valletta, is always ready to compete for the title of the most popular resort in Malta. Despite the fact that the local beaches cannot be called the best in the country, the presence of magnificent hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and entertainment complexes makes this resort a favorite vacation spot for hundreds of thousands of tourists.

The town is named after St. Julian the Hospitable, or Julian the Poor, the patron saint of travelers, who, according to legend, spent all his wealth on building hospitals, shelters and houses for wanderers.

Until the beginning of the 19th century, the place where today the resort town is located along the coastline was practically uninhabited due to frequent raids by pirates. But since the end of the 19th century, St. Julian's has become one of the favorite holiday destinations for wealthy residents of Malta and Great Britain.

Today, St. Julian's is an ideal resort for young people, gourmets and gambling enthusiasts.

Region	Outer Harbor District, St Julian's Municipality
Population	about 8,000 people


Population density	5,000 people/km²

Timezone	UTC+1, in summer UTC+2
Postal code
International dialing code

Climate and weather

St Julian's and the surrounding area enjoys wonderful sunny weather from May to September. It is hot here at this time, but a light sea breeze brings welcome coolness. The hottest months are traditionally July and August with average daytime temperatures of +30 °C, but often the mercury column freezes at +35 °C and above. The sea water warms up to +24…+28 °C in summer. In spring and autumn the resort is also warm, but there are rains and cold winds. The average daily winter temperature is about +15 °C. The water temperature, even on the coldest days, does not drop below +12…+14 °C.

Nature

As St Julian's is one of Malta's most popular resorts, the area is now heavily developed. It is difficult to find even a few corners of untouched nature here. Nevertheless, the city is decorated with picturesque parks, gardens, public gardens, alleys, flower beds, hanging flower pots, and enchanting sea views open from the embankment.

Attractions

The reality of medieval Malta was such that almost all local settlements were subject to constant raids by sea pirates who robbed and killed local residents. St. Julian's was no exception, so at the end of the 17th-18th centuries a number of defensive structures were erected here: watchtower of St. George (XVII century); coastal fortifications (late 18th century); Madlin Tower; St. Mark's Tower(6 kilometers from the city).

Among the architectural monuments of St. Julian's there are also luxurious palaces that once belonged to the richest residents of the island. At the end of the 17th century, a beautiful palace arose in a picturesque bay, which was used as a summer residence and a venue for social events and balls by the Master of the Order of the Joanites (Order of Malta), Paolo Spinola. Subsequently, the palace was expanded and equipped with magnificent parks. At the beginning of the 19th century, the building was destroyed by the French. The restoration of the palace took almost 200 years and was completed only in 2007. Today on the territory Spinola Palace there is a restaurant.

No less beautiful is Dragonara Palace, built at the end of the 19th century by one of the richest men of his time, banker Emanuele Sciclun. The majestic ancient monument is now used as a casino.

Like all cities of religious Malta, St Julian's has many churches and chapels:

Church of the Immaculate Conception (XVII century);
Old Church of St. Julian (XVII century);
Parish Church of St. Julian (XX century);
Church of the Virgin Mary - Mother of Good Counsel (XX century);
Church of St. Rita (XX century);
Church of St. Clare (XX century);
Millennium Chapel (20th century) - located in the Paceville area.

Nutrition

They say that St Julian's is a city of restaurants. This title, frankly speaking, is not unfounded. In the local establishments you can order delicious dishes of Maltese, Mediterranean, French, Italian, Oriental and even Russian cuisine.

Most of the restaurants, cafes and bars in St. Julian's are located in the "green" area Patchville Paceville is the center of entertainment and nightlife in Malta. However, on its streets, stretching along the embankment, you can also find many nice cozy cafes and restaurants. The best hotels in the Mediterranean resort also have excellent restaurants: Bottega del Vino, Blue Elephant Restaurant, Barracuda Restaurant, Da Marina Restaurant, Oceana Restaurant, Scirocco Restaurant and many others. A unique establishment of its kind is a steakhouse The Joint, created for gourmet meat eaters. Restaurant Peppino's recognized as the best in preparing French and Italian delicacies. For unforgettable Japanese rolls and homemade noodles, head to Gochi. And on one of the weekends you should go to a restaurant for lunch L"Ordine, because it is on these days that their customers are treated to excellent national dishes worthy of the Knights of the Order of Malta, in honor of which the restaurant got its name. You can also taste Maltese cuisine in a very nice home restaurant Maltese Mama, where you will be offered the best wines of Malta, France, Italy, South Africa, Chile, Argentina and Australia to accompany octopus in garlic sauce, stewed rabbit and other local delicacies. Many establishments are open until the morning.

Accommodation

St. Julian's is a typical resort town, offering its guests all possible accommodation options: hotels of various price categories, guest houses, country villas, private apartments and youth hostels. The five-star The Westin Dragonara Resort, Radisson Blu Resort, InterContinental Malta invite city guests to stay in luxurious rooms for only 130-240 € per day. The four-star The George, Marina Hotel, Golden Tulip Vivaldi Hotel and many others are practically the same as the best hotels in the city in terms of quality, but they are slightly inferior in price - from 90 to 200 €. The average cost of living in guest houses and three-star hotels in the resort is about 60 € for two per day. A place in one of the city's youth hostels (NightCap Hostel, Hostel Malti, Boho Hostel, etc.) will cost 13-20 €. When choosing a hotel, do not forget to check in which part of the city it is located, since the noisy nightlife of Patchville, penetrating into the most secluded corners of this area, will not appeal to every vacationer.

Entertainment and relaxation

St. Julian's is famous primarily for its entertainment district, Paceville, where all kinds of bars, restaurants and nightclubs are located literally at every turn. Most establishments feature modern dance music aimed at young people, but you can find more interesting places. In a popular club Havana lovers of hip-hop, soul and RnB gather. In the adjacent club Flashback You can plunge into the atmosphere of the end of the last century. Club Smooth Jazz- one of the rare jazz clubs in Malta - will delight fans of this musical style with the best compositions performed by local groups and foreign guests.

The best casinos in the city - Casino at Portomaso and Dragonara Casino(the first casino in Malta). Both establishments have slot machines, tables for playing blackjack, Texas poker, three-card poker, Caribbean stud poker, open poker, punto banco, roulette, etc.

In St Julian's you will find one of the most modern and largest bowling centers in Malta - Eden SuperBowl.

Not far from St. Bay Julian's Bay is picturesque Mercanti Reef, where all scuba diving enthusiasts who come to relax in St. Julian's are brought on boats. The reef consists of numerous charming crevices and coves, which are home to a variety of local fauna.

The most “densely populated” beach in Malta can confidently be called a sandy beach St. George's Bay where all the residents and most of the guests of St. Julian's, and especially Patchville, come to swim. There is a tiny but very romantic beach in Balluta Bay Balluta Bay. The clear waters of this bay are loved by novice divers and snorkeling enthusiasts.

Religious festivals in St. Julian's are held in the last week of July (Our Lady of Mount Carmel) and the last week of August (St. Julian's).

Purchases

In St. Julian's you will find a wide variety of shops and shops. The city is also home to several large shopping centers ( Bay Street, Portomaso Shopping(in a skyscraper building), Scotts Supermarket, Park Towers). In shopping complexes under one roof there are dozens of stores selling clothes, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, and wines. Here you will also find ATMs, pharmacies, fast food restaurants and souvenir shops. Numerous food and souvenir shops are scattered along the streets of the city.

Transport

You can get to St. Julian's by renting a car or by bus. For a walk on the sea, you can rent a yacht, boat or boat - depending on your financial capabilities.

Connection

In the city you can connect to local mobile operators, call abroad from a public pay phone or from your hotel room.

There are numerous access points to the Internet via Wi-Fi in almost all hotels and restaurants in the city. The conditions for providing access to wireless Internet should always be clarified with the staff.

Safety

St. Julian's is considered a safe resort town, with the exception of the Patchville area. You should not go to the bars and nightclubs of Pachville alone; we also do not recommend taking large amounts of cash or original documents with you. At night, tipsy tourists can pose a danger on the streets of the area.

Business climate

St. Julian's is a promising place for starting a business in the fields of tourism (hotel, restaurant and gaming business), trade and education (English language schools).

The largest hotels have magnificent halls equipped with the latest technology and design for business conferences, negotiations, meetings, etc.

Real estate

St Julian's is one of the most prestigious property buying destinations in Malta. The average cost of 1 square meter of residential space is on average 1,450-2,000 €. In the Portomaso complex in St. Julian's you can purchase luxury real estate, where one-bedroom apartments will cost 327,000-357,000 €, three-bedroom apartments will cost 900,000-1,320,000 €.

The cost of a small hotel (about 10 rooms) is about 1,000,000 €, a hotel with a total area of about 1,000 square meters is 2,200,000 €.

The best English language schools in Malta are located in St. Julian's, which in terms of the quality of education can compete with similar institutions in the UK, while being significantly inferior to them in the cost of the services provided.

Moreover, reviews of it on the Internet were always enthusiastic.

Upon arrival, after a sleepless night, already at St Julian's At first, everything was perceived with skepticism and wariness. Where are we? Life is in full swing all around, young people are scurrying here and there, there are no crossings, cars are not allowed through, a fairly modern city, with rare oleander bushes... There can be no talk of any relaxation... Then, when the shock passes, on the second day, you begin to understand that you need to integrate into this life, that Malta has its own rhythm and its own aesthetics. And you start to enjoy being here.

Beaches and roads. Transport. Who is resting

The good sandy beaches in Malta can be counted on one hand. It's a great pleasure to live in a hotel with its own beach. In this sense, we are very pleased with the Intercontinental, which had its own part of the beach equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas St Julian's Bay. We also noted in Golden Bay- a bay with golden sand. On the downside, there were big waves and a lot of seaweed that day. We didn't see anyone swimming there. People at sea could only resist the waves or jump over them. I personally liked Mellieha Bey better. Large bay with calm sea. On the downside, there are a lot of people who want to go shopping to Mellieha, so traveling on a crowded bus will not be pleasant.

Mellieha Bay Beach:

The Maltese are probably very proud of theirs and are not going to part with them. Yes, it’s fun to take pictures in front of them, but to ride... The Maltese call them bone shakers. Imagine a bus from the times when they had no idea about air conditioning, all the windows and doors are open and the wind is blowing through the cabin. And all this goes on bumpy, winding roads. But this is part of the Malta experience. To get out, you need to pull the strings stretched under the ceiling or press the bell buttons above your heads.

Malta bus:

What also struck me was that with such tiny distances, the journey takes longer than it could. Probably, the Maltese deliberately do not build good highways so that the roads that go around the bays create a feeling of additional space.

Valletta is the capital of Malta. The horizon is littered:

In Malta you can hear Italian, Spanish, and Russian speech all around. The Germans and British made their presence felt during football broadcasts. The age category is schoolchildren and students who came supposedly to learn English (they have many temptations away from their parents’ home), less often - curious middle-aged tourists.

"No Topless Swimming":

Hotel Intercontinental 5*

If I had just entered the Intercontinental 5* for a few minutes, perhaps I wouldn’t have liked it - I’m not a fan of such modern bulky buildings. But the staff tries to make your stay at the hotel pleasant and are always ready to satisfy any requests of the guests. They always smiled sincerely and asked if we liked everything and how we were doing. It's nice! The rooms are very cozy, good bathroom with shower and bath.

Hotel room:

If I had known, it would have been better to take rooms with access to the garden - club rooms. The garden is very cute with ponds where turtles and carps (even goldfish!) live, and the island is so lacking in nature! Guests staying in Club Rooms are also provided with snacks throughout the day. The rooms also have one feature with a minibar. You should definitely know that all drinks in the minibar are sensor-based. And even if you just move them to the side to make room for a drink you bought at the supermarket, the entire cost of the drinks you moved will be credited. I once, without paying attention to the warning on the refrigerator door, got caught. I had to go to the reception and explain myself. The debt was removed without any problems.

Intercontinental interior:

Internet. The hotel has a fee of 5 euros per hour. But you don't need to buy it! Don't be lazy, across the road there is a shopping center with many cafes, including McDonald's with free Wi-Fi. Sit as long as you want, absolutely free.

Intercontinental Reception:

Nutrition. Breakfast - there were a lot of people at breakfast (since all hotels in Malta offer breakfast, and dinner is an additional option). The waiters did not have time to change the finished dishes. As often happens, there are queues for omelettes and waffles and pancakes, which are prepared right there in the restaurant. I have heard similar complaints from people staying in other hotels in Malta. Dinner was more enjoyable. There are not many people, the hall is cooled by air conditioning. There may not have been as much variety as in good Turkish fives on the buffet, but everything was very high quality and fresh. And we still remember the desserts. We did not regret that we took half board in order to save the family budget. Eating in decent restaurants in Malta costs up to 10 euros for snacks, from 15 to 20 euros for hot dishes, lobster, for example, 50 euros + wine and desserts.

One more thing, if you are looking for relaxation in Malta, then only in a hotel. The Intercontinental fits this bill very well, as does any five-star hotel in St Julian's. True, only Interconti has a good beach. And this is very important, especially if you are vacationing with children.

In general, the hotel is good, if you don’t find fault with trifles. The price, by the way, is also good, don’t forget, like a 4*. So if you want a hotel all gilded and blinged out, then pay for the Westin Dragonara or Corinthia St.Georg and jump into the sea from a concrete platform.

Goldfish (at the hotel):

Maltese

There is no need to retell the history of the Maltese Islands in detail here. I will only say that the Maltese are the descendants of the Arabs who lived on the island, with a very large admixture of different nations. Then the Knights of St. John, expelled from Rhodes, found refuge here. Then there was also Italian, Spanish, and English influence. Any foreigners left their mark on Malta, and the Maltese found a common language with everyone, not forgetting about their benefits. The official language is Maltese (a dialect of ancient Arabic, the only one written in Latin) and English, of course. From the experience of communicating with the Maltese, we concluded that their cunning and liveliness are the heritage of the Arabs, lovely traditions, such as naming their houses and decorating them, are from the British. The Maltese also love holidays. Once a week they always have some kind of holiday with fireworks.

Gozo and Comino

For those who are looking for peace and tranquility without crowds of noisy youth, . We really liked this cozy island. From the citadel it is completely visible, and on clear days you can even see Sicily. Victoria is the main and only city of Gozo, very nice, calm, pleasant for walks. The journey from Malta by ferry takes half an hour. But you should have seen the port of Gozo! It reminded me of the pathos of an airport. Apparently, for Gozo residents, traveling to Malta is quite an event.

How to get to Gozo? Easily! By bus to the final stop, to the port. At the port we saw an impressive-looking ferry. At first they doubted that such colossuses, similar to cruise ships in the Mediterranean, were sailing to the island, which is clearly visible from Malta. But since the prospect of confusing Gozo with a Mediterranean cruise did not frighten us, we decided to take a risk. , with a fortress and beautiful grottoes. This island, however, has its own police station.

When we arrived in Gozo, we didn’t even have time to think about what to do next, taxi drivers immediately rushed in from all sides, offering to take us around the island for sightseeing. At first we refused, but then we gave in and did not regret it. The taxi ride was comfortable and fast. Our driver gave us free time to walk around, spoke in English about his beloved Gozo and was indignant at why everyone was going to Malta when Gozo was better. Such a voyage costs 50-70 euros, depending on the route, per car for the whole day.

What to see and should I take excursions?

It’s easy to find your way around the tiny island yourself; just know the main attractions and ask your guide or the hotel reception which buses go where, and where the nearest bus stop is, of course. We did not dare to take a car because of the chaos that seemed to us on the roads with right-hand traffic.

We had 2 excursions as a gift, which once again convinced us how good it is to travel independently with a guidebook.

Palace of the President of Malta:

On the day of the excursion, we got up earlier than usual and did not get enough sleep. At breakfast we quickly stuffed ourselves with something and went out to meet the guide. At first, we spent a long and tedious time driving around hotels and waiting for late tourists. It probably took us about an hour just to do this. Then, through the very heat, the crowd ran from one house to another. The independent time that the guide gave us was only enough to either run to the toilet or quickly repeat the path we had traveled together. The historical information shared by the guide was, of course, good. But who ever remembered them after the end of the excursion? Personally, I just had a terrible headache from such a trip.

Cove:

By the way, to get to know the island, you can use the Sightseeing Tour excursion bus, which is usually found in European cities. The ticket is valid for the whole day and the route covers all the sights. You can catch the bus in both St. Julian's and Sliema. It is more pleasant to walk around Mdina and Valletta in the late afternoon or after dinner - when it becomes cooler and there are no crowds of tourists who are brought here on excursions.

"Colonial legacy":

Shopping

The shopping area starts from the embankment where the Captain Morgan pleasure boats moor. From St. Julian's, take any bus starting with 6. When you see that the bus has turned off the road along the embankment to cut through the city, you can get off when leaving the port. There are many Italian and English shops that are not in Moscow. However, there are also shops in St. Julian's.

Free consultation!