United Travel Malta

For our third post in this series, I will be focusing on the village of L-Imgarr which is located in the northern part of the island. This village is surrounded by rich farmland and vineyards, meaning it is quite isolated. Most of the locals work in the agriculture industry, and throughout the years the village has managed to retain it's charm and tranquillity. The rustic environs surrounding Mgarr provide a number of picturesque spots ideal for a nice walks (and even a couple of pretty beaches). These include Bingemma, Wardija, Fomm Ir-Rih, Gnejna Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha. Although Mgarr is quite a remote village, it has quite a long history with many of Malta's historical rulers leaving a footprint in Mgarr. For example one can find some examples of megalithic temples, punic tombs, ancient quarries, Roman remains (specifically the baths situated near Golden Bay) and the two towers left by the Knights of St. John.  What to See & Do: Festa Frawli 2015 Festa Fr...

Naxxar Parish Church Although it is not easy to determine when Naxxar started to become a village, it is considered to be one of the oldest villages in Malta. Cart ruts that can be found on the outskirts of the village date back to the Bronze Age and are proof at how old Naxxar actually is. Nowadays, Naxxar is more like a town rather than a village as it has grown to around 11sqkm in size and has a population of over 13,000. As a whole, the village, or town, is divided into 8 districts - Naxxar centre, Sghajtar area, San Pawl Tat-Targa, Birguma, Maghtab, Salina, Bahar ic-Caghaq and part of Madliena. According to tradition, the people of Naxxar were amongst the first to help St. Paul when he was shipwrecked in Malta. For this reason, it is thought that the name Naxxar comes from the word "nassar" (Nasra) which means "conversion to Christianity". Other scholars believe that the name comes from the words "nsara" or "nazaroei" which mean ...

Since we are at the start of the cooler, rainy season in Malta I have decided to write a series of blogs that talk about a number of smaller villages that are not usually busy with tourists, and that will give visitors an insight into village life in Malta. To start this series, I have decided that my first blog will be about what locals call the Three Villages. The Three Cities found in the southern part of the Island are quite well known amongst tourists, and a trip to Malta will generally include a visit to the Three Cities; however the Three Villages are not as well known. These villages go by the names of Attard, Balzan and Lija, and although they are now a bit bigger than your typical village, they are still too small and not busy enough to call them towns. These three villages merge into each other, however each one has it's own parish church and village square complete and their own parish church means that they also have their own village feast at some point during th...

Valletta, the city which we proud to call our capital city, is often described as a big open-air museum. It is a living experience of Baroque architecture, a monument donated by the Knights of St. John's four and a half centuries ago. The Baroque feel and structure is what truly defines Valletta, and it is really worthy of a celebration.  This is where the Valletta International Baroque Festival is just that, a celebration of all that is Baroque. The festival is now in its fourth edition and will this year, like in the previous ones, incorporate "an eclectic variety of music including pianistic transcriptions and 20th Century orchestral music inspired by the baroque idiom." The festival will take place between the 16th and 30th January 2015, and besides the beautiful Baroque music, visitors can also look forward to seeing the finest Baroque buildings come to life.  Some of the venues that will host the concerts are the following:  Manoel Theatre  1. Mano...

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. ...