United Travel Malta

If you've read our blog about Maltese Village Festas , you will know about all the preparation that goes on behind the scenes in the run up to the festa and how proud villagers are of their local village feast. You will also know how one of the most important aspects of the village feast are the fireworks. Well, last weekend the southern village of Zurrieq celebrated the feast of St. Catherine, and they really outdid themselves when it came to the fireworks display. All the fireworks which were left off were beautiful, however the highlight came at the end of the display on Saturday night. During the end of the fireworks display, a petard known amongst local fireworks enthusiasts as the "ballun tal-blalen", which translates to the "ball of balls", was let off over the village. The creators of this petard were aiming to secure a place in the local record books for the largest fireworks ball in Malta. The petard weighed 260kg, and was 2.97 metres wide and was...

Until a few years ago Valletta used to be quiet quiet in the evenings and night. This was always a shame as both locals and foreigners alike could never understand how a country's capital city could be so inactive at night, with barely any nightlife except for a few restaurants. In recent years Valletta a new, creative generation saw that there was potential in Valletta, and took over opening a variety of trendy and unique bars. From bars specialising in whisky, gin and wine, Valletta now has a number of bars to suit everyone's tastes. Here are some of our favourite... 1. Bridge Bar Located on the St. Ursula's Steps in Valletta, the owners of Bridge Bar were amongst the first to realise Valletta's true potential. On any day of the week, Bridge Bar is just a normal bar where one can enjoy a drink in a nice surrounding. However, for the past 10 or so years, Bridge Bar has built a reputation as the place to go to on a Friday between May and October to enjoy some loca...

On the 9th of July, the completion of the extensive restoration to the Cittadella in Gozo was inaugurated. The Cittadella rises above the town of ir-Rabat, also known as Victoria, Gozo's capital city. Like Mdina, the Cittadella is strategically perched high on a hill, and from here one can enjoy stunning views of Gozo.  It is believed that the Citadel has been at the centre of activity in Gozo from as early as Neolithic times, what we do know is that it was definitely fortified during the Bronze Ages, which is around 1500 BC. It was further developed throughout the years, and the Romans used it as a complex Acropolis. After almost two centuries of being under attack by the Turks and Berber corsairs, which was in fact Gozo's darkest period, the Knights decided to reconstruct the Citadel between 1599 and 1603. Over the past few years the Cittadella has had some major works done thanks to two restorations and rehabilitation projects which were co-financed by the Europea...

It is no secret that during the Summer months the beaches in Malta can get a little bit noisy and overcrowded, especially during the weekends or on one of the public holidays. We decided to list some of our favourite secluded bays which, although won't be completely deserted, their location makes them a bit quieter than some of the more popular beaches. 1. St. Peter's Pool, Delimara Point St. Peter's Pool is located close to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, on the East coast of Malta. This is a rocky bay, and access to the sea is by jumping from the rocks, or by ladder. Getting there is not easy, and you will need to park your car and walk down to the beach. This beach mostly frequented by locals so it makes a good alternative to some of the more touristy beaches found in the Northern part of the island. The sea at St. Peter's Pool is crystal clear with beautiful shades of blue and light green, and offers excellent snorkelling opportunities. 2. Imgiebah Ba...

In our previous blog post, we recommended visiting a Maltese Village Festa during the summer months. We thought that we would publish a blog post that features the Village Festa, and all they have to offer. In Malta the "Festa Season" starts from the end of May and goes on throughout the Summer months until the end of September. There are a few exceptions of feasts that take place earlier or later on in the year, for example the feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck that takes place on the 10th February every year. Every village has at least one patron saint, with some even having two or three, and it is these patron saints that are celebrated during these feasts. A village feast takes place over an extended weekend, and each feast has it's own annual allocated weekend. In the week before the feast, the respective village will decorate the streets with statues raised on wooden columns, as well as with festoons and banners, all dedicated to their patron saints. The p...

During the Summer months, Malta's events calendar becomes jam packed with all sorts of events, from cultural events, to live concerts, and various themed festivals.  We have compiled a list of some of our favourite events 1. A Village Festa - Every weekend in Summer From the end of May, right through to the middle of September, every town or village in Malta will at some point celebrate the feast of its patron saint or other saints revered in different churches. The streets of the village are decorated with banners, papier mache statues raised on wooden column and festoons are hung along the streets. A typical Maltese festa lasts for 3 days (some even last a bit longer too), and on any of these evenings the streets of the town or village are busy with hundreds of people celebrating! Stands selling traditional Maltese food and sweet delicacies will be scattered around the village square.  If you would like to check which feasts are on during your holiday, you can c...

The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), in collaboration with the National Commission for Persons with a Disability (KNPD) and the Ministry of Tourism, have recently unveiled new measures to make sure that everyone can enjoy a a day at the beach in Malta. At Mellieha Bay (Ghadira), special walkways have been erected leading from the roadside pavement, down purposely-constructed ramps all the way to the sea. After receiving positive feedback about these ramps, the MTA said that they will be looking into adding similar ones at other coastal locations around the Maltese Islands. These ramps and walkways are not only of benefit to people with permanent disabilities, but also to seniors and families with pushchairs or strollers. The MTA has also invested in 10 special wheelchairs, which can be pulled over sand and can also enter into the water. All major sandy beaches will have at least one of these available, giving people with disabilities or elderly people easier access to the sea. In ...

As Game of Thrones fans all over the world celebrate the eagerly awaited sixth season of the hit TV series, we thought that it would be appropriate to take a nostalgic trip back to the first season. Back to the season that saw Viserys receive his crown of gold, the execution of Ned Stark and the wedding of Daenerys to Khal Drogo. As some fans may know, a lot of season 1 was filmed on location in Malta and Ireland, so we decided to list some of our favourite locations in Malta.  1. Mdina Gate - King's Landing Gate Mdina is a walled hill town found in the centre of the island. It is Malta's old capital city and dates back to around 4000 years ago.  In the first season of Game of Thrones, Mdina's city gate was featured as the gate of King's Landing and saw Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel ride through the gates of Mdina (or King's Landing) to investigate the attack on Bran.  2. Fort Ricasoli - Red Keep Gate Fort Ricasoli is a large fortification ...

Malta has recently received a number of awards and featured on a number of lists in the past couple of months. Earlier this year, it was announced that the Maltese Islands had once again claimed 3rd place in the category for "Best Diving Destination" at the DIVER Awards Ceremony. With Egypt and the Maldives coming in first and second place respectively, this prestigious award also meant that Malta was the most popular diving destination in the Mediterranean. This year saw the 18th edition of the original and most highly valued awards for the UK diving industry. The awards were presented at the London International Dive Show which was held at the ExCel Centre in early February. At the beginning of April, Malta also featured in the BBC's list of "Five Underrated Countries You Need to Visit" . The article which was written by Lindsey Galloway, turned to Quora.com and asked it's community "Which country is the the most underrated?". This list in...

After the battle of the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, Grand Master Jean De La Valette realised that if the Order wanted to preserve its hold on Malta, it had to provide adequate defences. As a result of this realization, La Valette drew up a plan to build a new fortified city on the Mount Sceberras peninsula and obtained financial support from Pope Pius V and Philip II of Spain. And so, in March 1566, work started – first on the bastions, and then on the other, more important buildings. It was decided that the new city was to be called Valletta, in honour of La Valette. Fireworks Festival in Valletta Flash forward to modern times, Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been so since 1980! It plays host to a number of cultural events throughout the year including the International Baroque Festival in January, Carnival festivities in February, the International Fireworks in April, Isle of MTV in June and Notte Bianca in October amongst many others. In 2017 Malta...

Last week, America’s Sports Illustrated released their behind the scenes videos and photographs from their 2016 swimsuits photo-shoot which was held in Malta earlier this year.  The shoot starred some of their popular, bikini-clad models namely Kate Bock, Kelly Rohrbach, Tanya Mityushina, Samantha Hoopes and Robin Lawley who were photographed by Ben Watts.  Here's what Sports Illustrated and the models had to say about the little rock I love to call home... A number of Malta’s gems including Valletta, Birgu, Marsaxlokk and the Azure Window in Gozo provided the perfect scenery for the shoot. On an article about Malta appearing on the Sports Illustrated website, the Sports Media franchise said that they “were drawn more by its broad aesthetic appeal. Its cobblestone streets and limestone buildings offered a quaint urban setting, while the Azure Window, the Dingli Cliffs (which served as a setting for Game of Thrones) and the salt pans on the island of Gozo provided unique...

Nighlife in Malta is always buzzing, and the good Mediterranean climate means that outdoor festivals can be enjoyed for most of the year. The line-up for this year's festival season is looking pretty great so far, and is set to get better. The festivals confirmed so far are the following: Annie Mac Presents Lost & Found Dates: 31st March - 3rd April 2016 This year will see Lost & Found coming to Malta for the second consecutive year. This year's event will see top dance DJs such as Disclosure, Eats Everything, DJ EZ, Jackmaster, The Martinez Brothers and many more for 4 days of boat parties, pool parties, and all night raves in exclusive venues including a castle.  Groovefest Malta Dates: 29th April - 2nd May 2016 2016 sees the Groovefest family hitting a new location, a destination that promises a weekend of sunshine and music. Judging from the line-up, which includes artists such as MK, Kerri Chandler, Detroit Swindle, Hot Since 82 and many more, this e...

The Maltese Islands have made it to the New York Times' list of 52 Place to Go in 2016. Not only did Malta make it to the list, but it also came in third, placing after Mexico City and Bordeaux in France, and beating places like Toronto, Abu Dhabi and Barcelona. The complete list can be seen by clicking here . The list is compiled by contributing writers, many of who are based overseas. Then from a long list of suggestions, 52 destinations are picked for the final cut. The creators of the list aim to have a mix of religions and interests.  The section about Malta is entitled "Malta - The Mediterranean on a Dime" and talks about how Malta is an affordable Mediterranean destination, with "a superb climate, sublime beaches, megalithic temples and a distinctive crossroads culture."  Malta also featured in the BBC's list of Top 7 Places to Retire. They use Malta's "first-rate healthcare system (ranked fifth in the world by the World Health Org...