TESY MALTA

Trivia About Malta

Malta is a carefree Mediterranean island where you can sunbathe, cliff jump and eat prickly pears during the day. In the evening you can admire the fabulous sunset, and at night – show your dance moves in the many nightclubs in St. Julian’s.

Many peoples and cultures have left their mark on Malta. As a result Malta resembles many countries, but at the same time is not like any of them. It is a unique home of prehistoric sanctuaries, narrow and steep streets reminding of Italy, yellow limestone buildings like those in Palma, phone booths like the ones in London and natural landmarks with Arabic names.

Road traffic drives on the left – a legacy from Malta’s past as a British colony, while Maltese language is similar to Arabic, but with many words borrowed from Italian, the Sicilian dialect, French and English.

Arabic influence is also traceable in Maltese surnames, as well as in one of the island’s architectural trademarks – the enclosed wooden balconies with glass windows. They are wonderfully colour matched with the doors of the houses and contribute to the picturesque urban landscape.

Every day starting at 12 noon at Baraka Gardens in Valletta you can also attend the cannon fire ceremony. This tradition has been in place for more than 400 years and is used to greet arriving ships and to mark anniversaries and national holidays.

The old capital of Malta –Mdina also deserves attention. The medieval fortress is truly impressive at sunset and at night. The view of Malta from the bastions is spectacular.

Of interest is also Popeye’s Village – a set of colourful wooden houses near Mellieha, built as a décor and film set for the Walt Disney and Paramount Pictures film about Popeye the Sailor Man starring Robin Williams. The film itself was not an unprecedented success, but the place remains one of the most visited in Malta. You can meet Popeye, Olive and Bluto in the village. The village offers a mini-golf course and a cinema, where parts of the film are shown.