Malta

Overview
It has been said that the Maltese islands are the 'open airmuseum of the Mediterranean', offering 7,000 years or more ofhistory to explore with numerous cultural, historical andmegalithic sites unique in the world. The islands boast prehistoricruins older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt, and aresteeped in the legacy of the medieval order of the Knights of StJohn, who used the island as their stronghold for defendingChristendom.The main island of Malta, covering just 95 square miles (246 sqkm), is also a popular holiday destination because of its secludedbays and sandy beaches, washed by unpolluted clear blue waters. Setagainst the backdrop of the island's scenery and its honey-colouredstone buildings, Malta is alluring and fascinating.Malta and its little sister island, Gozo, are not stuck in atime warp, however. The islanders enjoy life to the full, and thecalendar is filled with summertime 'festas' with fireworks andrevelry in every little parish in honour of the village patronsaints, as well as the major carnival in early spring every year.The capital, Valletta, besides offering some awesome Baroquebuildings and fortifications as its main sightseeing attractions,is bustling and bursting with restaurants and cafes. The island'scompact size is also a plus for visitors; it takes no more than anhour to drive between any two points on the main island, and thereis very little open space. The dense population means that theisland is virtually one large urban area, with buildings occupyingevery inch.Malta lies about 60 miles (97km) south of Sicily and 160 miles(257km) north of Libya, a strategic position in the Mediterraneanthat has made the islands a crossroads of history. The lastoccupiers were the British, who granted Malta independence in 1964,but the biggest and most unique influence was left by the Knightsof St John, to whom the island was donated in 1530; the Knightsreigned supreme over the island for 270 years, building magnificentchurches and monuments to themselves.Malta has its mysteries too, in the form of 30 prehistoric sitesboasting massive Neolithic temples, considered to be the oldestfreestanding stone buildings known to man.

Money
The unit of currency in Malta is the Maltese Lira (MTL), whichis divided into 100 cents or 1,000 mils. Banks, ATMs and exchangebureaux can be found all over the islands, as well as foreignexchange machines in the tourist areas. Banks generally openmornings Monday to Saturday, but exchange bureaux at theinternational airport are open 24 hours a day. Many hotels, shopsand restaurants accept foreign currency, but currency andtravellers cheques can be changed into lira at banks and touristoffices. Most hotels and restaurants, as well as many shops, acceptAccess, American Express, Carte Blanche, Diners Club International,MasterCard and Visa.

Time
Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).

Language
English and Maltese are the official languages.

Climate
Malta has a typically Mediterranean climate with hot, drysummers and mild winters. In summer temperatures can reach84ºF (30ºC), but the heat tends to be tempered by seabreezes. In spring and autumn a hot wind, known as the Xlokk,sometimes brings high temperatures and humidity. There is littlerainfall, and it occurs only in winter.