Tips and Hints
BANKS
Banks are normally open until early afternoon from Monday to Friday, and until midday on Saturday. Some banks/branches work longer hours. Summer and winter opening hours may differ.
Exchange bureaux at the Malta International Airport are open 24 hours a day. International bankcards are accepted and foreign exchange is easily accepted. Banks, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), and exchange bureaus can be found all over the Islands.
Bank of Valletta plc
BoV Centre, Cannon Road, Sta. Venera, Malta
Tel: +356 2131 2020
www.bov.com
HSBC Bank Malta plc
Head Office, 233, Republic Street, Valletta, VLT1116, Malta
Tel: +356 2597 0000
www.hsbcmalta.com
APS Bank
APS House, St. Anne’s Square, Floriana, Malta
Tel: +356 2122 6644
www.apsbank.com.mt
COST OF LIVING
Living standards in Malta are good and compare well with those of continental Europe. Life expectancy at birth and infant mortality rate are comparable to that of advanced European economies. Education, health, and sanitation facilities are of very high standard and available to all. Expatriates working in Malta generally command a salary that easily allows for a very comfortable standard of living to be achieved.
FOOD AND DRINK
Traditional Maltese food is rustic and based on the seasons, full of flavour and colour, influenced by the Island’s proximity to Sicily and North Africa.
Lampuki Pie (fish pie), Rabbit Stew, Braġioli (beef olives), Kapunata (a Maltese version of the ratatouille), and Soppa ta’ l-Armla (widow’s soup) are just a sample of the typical Maltese food that can be ordered in a restaurant. Bigilla (a thick pate of broad beans with garlic), Ġbejniet (local sheep’s cheese), Galletti (Maltese crackers), Hobż biż-Żejt (a popular snack made from a thick slice of crusty Maltese bread, rubbed with juicy red tomatoes, and topped with mint, onions, sheep’s cheese, and anchovies, all soaked in delicious green olive oil), and Pastizzi (pastry parcel filled with ricotta or peas) are available from almost all supermarkets.
Typical Maltese fish is the Spnotta (Bass), Dott (Stone Fish), Ċerna (Grouper), Dentiċi (Dentax), Sargu (White Bream), and Trill (Red Mullet). Swordfish and Tuna can be found early to late autumn, followed by the Lampuka. Octopus and Squid are very often used to make rich stews and pasta sauces.
Special family meals bring on serious dishes like Ross fil-Forn (baked rice), Imqarrun (baked Maccaroni), or Timpana (rich pasta baked in a pastry case), followed by rabbit or meat dishes served with Maltese potatoes and vegetables. Cold winter nights bring on bowls of the famous Minestra (a thick vegetable soup served with Maltese bread and oil) and the Aljotta (a delicious garlicky fish soup).
Favourite dessert delicacies include the famous Kannoli (consisting of a tube of crispy fried pastry filled with ricotta), Sicilian-style Semi-Freddo Desserts (a mix of sponge, ice cream, candied fruits, and cream), and Ħelwa tat-Tork (a sweet sugary mixture of crushed and whole almonds). Other Maltese desserts are the Easter Figolli (almond stuffed pastry figures), Christmas Qagħaq ta’ l-Għasel (honey rings), and Cassata (ricotta filled sponge with marzipan).
Maltese may not be renowned for wine production like its larger Mediterranean neighbours, but Maltese vintages are holding their own at international competitions, winning several accolades in France, Italy, and further more. International grape varieties are grown on the Islands including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Carignan, Chenin Blanc, and Moscato. The indigenous varieties are Ġellewża and Ghirghentina, which are producing some excellent wines of distinct body and flavour.
TRANSPORT
The Maltese Islands are not very large, which make getting around relatively trouble-free. The public service on Malta and Gozo is a good way to get around as buses serve the major tourist areas, go practically everywhere, and are cheap. The cost of a bus route ranges from €0.35 to €0.58, and the longest bus journey takes about fifty minutes (the average ride is between fifteen and thirty minutes).
Renting a car is a good option if you want to get to the further reaches of the Island. All the road signs are in English and driving is on the left. You must be over 18 to drive a car in Malta and carry your driving licence at all times, along with the vehicle registration card, and the ownership certificate or rental agreement. Although the Maltese Highway Code is based on international standards, driving in Malta might be a bit more difficult to drive due to the narrower and shorter road networks. Speed limits are 35kph in build-up areas and 70kph in open spaces.
Renting scooters, motorbikes, or mountain bicycles is an option, but travel this way can be somewhat limited as not all roads are two-wheel vehicle friendly.
For further information about Maltese roads, driving regulations, and the Highway Code please click on http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/archive/HighwaycodeEng/HCfrombutton.asp
A regular ferry service links Malta to Gozo, taking about twenty minutes each way. There are also regular boat services between each Island and Comino.
For further information regarding transport in Malta click on www.maltatransport.com and for information about the ferry service to Gozo click on www.gozochannel.com.
USEFUL PHRASES
| English | Maltese | Pronunciation |
| Sunday | Il-Ħadd | ill-hatt |
| Monday | It-Tnejn | itt-t’nayn |
| Tuesday | It-Tlieta | itt-t’lee.e-ta |
| Wednesday | L-Erbgħa | lerr-ba |
| Thursday | Il-Ħamis | Ill-haa-mees |
| Friday | Il-Ġimgħa | ill-jimm-a |
| Saturday | Is-Sibt | iss-sip’t |
| Good morning | L-għodwa t-tajba | lodwa.t-ta-ey-ba |
| Good evening | Il-lejl it-tajjeb | il-lejl it-tajjeb |
| Good night | Il-lejl it-tajjeb | il-lejl it-tajjeb |
| How are you? | Kif inti? | keef inn’tee |
| Good bye | Saħħa | sahh-ha |
| What is your name? | X’ismek? | shiss-meck |
| My name is… | Jiena… | yee-e-na |
| Please | Jekk jogħġbok | yeck yawjj-bock |
| Thank you | Grazzi | grats-tsee |
| Excuse me | Skuzani | s’koo-zan-ee |
| Yes | Iva | ee-va |
| No | Le | lay |
| Here | Hawn | aa-onn |
| Not here | Mhux hawn | moosh aa-oon |
| When | Meta | mett-a |
| Where | Fejn | fayn |
| Now | Issa | iss-sa |
| From where…? | Minn fejn…? | min fayn |
| How much? | Kemm? | kem |
| A little | Ftit | f’teet |
| Plenty | Ħafna | haaff-na |
HOLIDAY CALENDAR
| Jan-01 | New Year’s Day |
| Feb-10 | St. Paul’s Shipwreck – commemorates the shipwreck of St. Paul on the Maltese Islands in 60AD |
| Mar-19 | Feast of St. Joseph |
| Mar-31 | Freedom Day – commemorates the day when the last British forces left Malta in 1979 |
| VariableGood Friday Friday before Easter – remembrance of the death of Christ. | |
| VariableEaster Sunday Celebration of the resurrection of Christ | |
| May-01 | Workers’ Day |
| Jun-07 | Sette Giugno – remembrance of the riots in 1919 |
| Jun-29 | Feast of St. Peter & St. Paul – commemorates a harvest thanksgiving tradition |
| Aug-15 | Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption |
| Sep-08 | Our Lady of Victories – celebrates the victory in the Great Siege of 1565, the capitulation of the French in 1800, and the Siege of the Axis powers in 1943 |
| Sep-21 | Independence Day – commemorates Malta’s Independence attained in 1964 |
| Dec-08 | Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady |
| Dec-13 | Republic Day – commemorates when Malta became a Republic by resolution of the House of representatives in 1974 |
| Dec-25 | Christmas Day |
MOBILE PHONE NETWORK
There are two main mobile networks in Malta
Vodafone Malta Limited
Valley Road, Birkirkara, Malta
Tel: +356 2144 0817
www.vodafone.com.mt
Go Mobile
Fra Diego Street, Marsa, Malta
Tel: +356 2124 6200
USEFUL NUMBERS
| Ambulance | 196 |
| Police | 191 |
| Fire Brigade | 199 |
| Consumer Protection | 21250221 |
| Direct Dialling Code (Malta) | 356 |
| Directory Enquiries | 1182 |
| Directory Enquiries (Go Mobile) | 1187 |
| Directory Enquiries (Vodafone) | 1189 |
| Emergency | 112 |
| Emergency Rescue by Helicopter | 21244371 |
| Emergency Rescue by Patrol Boat | 21238797 |
| Flight Enquiries | 21249600 |
| Government Information Service | 153 |
| Gozo Channel Co. Ltd. | 21556114 |
| Hospital – Malta | 21241251 |
| Hospital – Gozo | 21561600 |
| Lost Property | 21224781 |
| Overseas Operator | 1152 |
| Passport Office – Malta | 21222286 |
| Passport Office – Gozo | 21560770 |
| Time Check | 195 |
| Weather Forecast | 50043848 |
HEALTH
Government Hospital Services in Malta:
St. Luke’s Hospital
Guardamangia Hill, Guardamangia, Malta
Tel: +356 2124 1251
www.slh.gov.mt Malta’s general hospital
Sir Paul Boffa Hospital
Harper Lane, Floriana, Malta
Tel: +356 2122 4491
http://www.health.gov.mtThis is a cancer, skin and convalescence hospital
Mount Carmel Hospital Services
Notabile Road, Attard, Malta
Tel: +356 2141 5183
Responsible for the coordination of all mental health professional services
Zammit Clapp Hospital
Reggie Miller Street, St. Julian’s, Malta
Tel: +356 2349 5000
This is a specialised geriatric hospital
Gozo General Hospital
Victoria, Gozo, MaltaTel: +356 2156 1600
http://www.health.gov.mt/health_services/hospitals/hosp.htm#ggh General hospital catering for GozoSt.
Vincent de Paule Residence
Luqa, Malta
Tel : +356 21224461/2/3 http://www.health.gov.mt/health_services/hospitals/hosp.htm#svprA residence for the elderly
Private Hospital Services in Malta:
St. James Hospital Group
Head Office, St. James Square, Zabbar, Malta
Tel: +356 2169 2055
Private hospitals, clinics, and lab services
St. Philip’s Hospital
Psaila Street, Sta. Venera, Malta
Tel: +356 2144 2211
Private hospitalCare Malta Group of Companies
St. Dominic’s Square, Rabat, Malta
Tel: +356 2143 4342
Operators of homes for the elderly
Pharmacies can be found in all the towns and villages. Some have clinics annexed to them, and medical practitioners and specialists receive patients in them. Pharmacies are normally open from Mondays to Saturdays from 09:00 till 13:100 and from 16:00 till 19:00. On Sundays and National Holidays, pharmacies are open till noon on a roster basis (which is announced to the public through the local press).