About Malta

Malta is a small but historically rich archipelago in the centre of the Mediterranean, just south of Sicily. It comprises three inhabited islands — Malta, Gozo, and Comino — covering roughly 316 km² with a population of around 560,000. Don’t let the size fool you: there’s a remarkable amount packed into it, and a lot of the best parts are only accessible by sea.

A history written into the stone

Malta’s strategic position has drawn rulers for millennia — Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, the Knights of St John, the French, and the British each left their mark. The result is a country with three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, the capital city of Valletta, and seven Megalithic Temples — some of the oldest free-standing structures on earth, predating the Pyramids and Stonehenge.

Climate & seasons

Malta has a Mediterranean climate: mild winters, warm-to-hot summers, and roughly 3,000 hours of sunshine a year — among the highest in Europe. Rain mostly falls in autumn and winter; summer is dry. Charter season generally runs from late April to October, peaking in July and August.

Language & culture

The national language is Maltese, but English is also an official language and is spoken everywhere — including on boats. Many locals also speak Italian, and you’ll find restaurants and operators with French or German speakers too. Malta is predominantly Roman Catholic, and that history is visible in the 360-plus churches dotted across the islands and the colourful village feasts (festas) that take over towns from June to September.

Practicalities

Malta has been an EU and Schengen Area member since 2004 and uses the Euro (€). Driving is on the left (a holdover from British rule), the calling code is +356, and electrical sockets use the British BS-1363 three-pin plug at 230 V / 50 Hz. The local bus network (Malta Public Transport) is the cheapest way to get around; Bolt ridesharing and white taxis are also widely available.

For a boating holiday, Malta’s draws are simple: clear water, hundreds of bays and coves, short sailing distances between the islands, and weather that stays warm and stable through the summer.