United Travel Malta

Maltese cuisine is very similar to other Mediterranean cuisines and is a result of the long relationship between the locals and the many civilisations who occupied the Maltese Islands throughout history. Traditional Maltese food is very rustic and relies on local produce such as honey, tomatoes and olives, it also varies according to the season. Wondering what typical foods you can taste in Malta? Here's a list of some of our favourite local items... 1. Pastizzi Pastizzi are the most popular savoury snack in Malta amongst the locals. They look a bit like small croissants and are traditionally made of flaky pastry and are filled with ricotta cheese or mushy peas, however nowadays one can find them filled with a variety of ingredients. If you would like to try the best pastizzi in Malta we suggest visiting Crystal Palace in Rabat, known amongst the locals as Tas-Serkin (the owner's nickname). This shop is popular, not just because they serve the best pastizzi, but also bec...

So the weather has finally cooled down a little bit, and summer is slowly reaching an end. If you're wondering what to do this October in Malta, here are a few events that we suggest going to: Notte Bianca  Where?: Around Valletta When?: Saturday, 3rd October 2015 Notte Bianca, is one of Malta's most popular and well attended cultural events and will be celebrating it's 10th anniversary this year! This year's event is set to be that little bit more special, with the organisers promising to have something lined up for everyone's tastes - from Drifting to Flamenco, to Maltese cuisine with a twist and gravity defying acrobats. The newly restored Fort St. Elmo will also be open for visitors during this event. For more information, you can visit the official Notte Bianca website by clicking here. Paqpaqli Ghall-Istrina Where?: Malta International Airport When?: Sunday, 4th October 2015 Paqpaqli Ghall-Istrina, is the annual car show held in aid of charity. ...

Travel + Leisure Magazine, the monthly travel magazine published by Time Inc, recently published the results for their 20th Annual Poll . The pool asked their readers to cast their votes for the hotels, destinations and companies that define the very best in travel. The different categories included Hotels, Cities, Islands, Cruise Liners, Airports, Airlines, Family, and more. Each category was then divided into sub-categories according to region with an overall list, summarising the other categories. Malta came in 10th place in the Top 10 Overall World's Best Island. The beautiful Galapagos Islands, Bali and the Maldives took the top 3 places, with islands such as Santorini, Maui and the Greater Barrier Reef also making the list.  The lovely island that we love to call home also appeared in 2nd place in the Top 5 Best European Islands. Santorini took the f irst place, with Crete, Mykonos and Majorca also making the list.  According to the official ...

Last week Malta was celebrating the end of the Great Siege of Malta that took place in 1565. During this time Malta was ruled by the Knights of Malta, also known as the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. Many historians describe the siege as the climax of an escalating battle between the Ottoman Empire and a Christian Alliance for control of the Mediterranean Sea and Malta's location right in the middle of the Mediterranean meant that it was an important strategic position for both sides. The history books tell us that the Ottomans had hundreds of ships and an army that was made up of around 40,000 soldiers. While the Order only had an army of 700 knights and around 8000 regular troops mostly made up of peasant soldiers. Being so greatly outnumbered meant that Grandmaster Jean Parisot De La Vallette had to keep his troops motivated because despite the odds, he refused to accept the Ottoman's terms of surrender.  This battles is said to be...

This week's blog is inspired by Vogue, the international fashion and lifestyle magazine because last Thursday they posted an article on their website entitled "Eight Unexpected Honeymoon Spots That Will Make You Rethink Your Plans" and Malta featured in fifth place so we decided to recommend some of our favourite romantic places.  1. A Karrozzin Ride Around Valletta Valletta is Malta’s capital city and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is quite busy during the day, but in the late afternoon and evening it gets a little bit quieter. When visiting Valletta, I would suggest taking a ride on a karrozzin, Malta’s version of a horse-drawn carriage, around the outskirts of Valletta. Then I would suggest having dinner at Giannini restaurant, or maybe visiting Strait Street where you can choose from a variety of trendy wine bars.  2. Dining in Mdina Mdina is Malta’s old capital city and is known as the “Silent City”. As its nickname suggests Mdina is...

Emirates is an airline that most people fantasize about travelling with, this might be because their marketing campaigns are always very original and nearly always feature dream destinations as they connect the East with the West. Their campaigns portray the airline as being one of the world's most luxurious airlines and are not only aimed at business travellers but also at the everyday holiday makers. Emirates' latest campaign has been given the title "Be There" and it's aim is to motivate  "travellers to explore more of the world through the eyes of our very own travel experts." They chose seven members of their staff who have a passion for travelling the world and exploring different places, and gave them the task of creating a short video highlighting their favourite places from the countries they are visiting. These videos encourage travellers to "take the road less travelled and be there." Travellers are then encouraged to post pictur...

As most people around the world know, last month the youngest member of the British Royal Family was christened amidst a lot of fanfare in England. Undoubtedly Princess Charlotte has received a shower of gifts from all over the world, including from Malta. Last week, almost a month after the official christening, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his wife Michelle presented the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with a traditional Maltese lace summer blanket on behalf of the Maltese public. The design for the blanket was adapted from old, traditional patterns. The centre piece was worked using the English stitch with sprays of small flowers and leaves scattered on it. The eight-pointed Maltese Cross is also included in the centre of the blanket. Another feature of the blanket are the Princess’ initials CED – Charlotte Elizabeth Diana - that are monogrammed on the blanket. The lace used is fine pure silk ordered from silk manufacturers in the UK.  Dating back to the reign of the Knig...