| Malta officially the Republic of Malta is a small and densely populated island nation comprising an archipelago of seven islands, three of which are inhabited. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea in Southern Europe.The three main islands are Malta and Gozo, which attract a large number of visitors each year. Many tourists visit the island of Malta for its rich history and culture but most of all for its sunny and warm weather and great resorts to spend holidays. The rugged northern part of the island of Malta is home to the largest beach and holiday resorts, such as Bugibba, Qawra and St Paul's Bay, and boasts Malta's largest sandy beach at Mellieha. Valletta, the Capital of Malta, is the commercial, administrative, and tourist center of the country. Slimes and St. Julian's are the two leading coastal resort areas on Malta, just to the northwest of Valletta. St. Julian's, once a quiet fishing village, is the more scenic of the two areas and merges with Paceville, a popular area featuring of nightclubs, dancing and a number of good restaurants. Malta's two main shopping districts are Valletta and Sliema. Shops in Malta are generally open from Monday to Saturday and from 09.00hrs - 13.00hrs and from 17.00hrs - 19.00hrs. Some shops also open all day in Summer and most shops accept payment by major credit cards. There are also a number of shopping arcades which Malta feature a number of shops selling a wide variety of goods. Fashion in Malta is closely linked to English and Italian brands. Jewellery shops selling gold and silver, Malta blown glass and handmade lace are also favourite purchases. There is a very good choice of restaurants and cafes from deluxe to fast food (hamburgers and fish & chips), including Chinese, fish and beachside bars. Pork and fish dishes are recommended and vegetables are excellent. The best Maltese fruits are oranges and grapes; also delicious are strawberries, melons, mulberries, tangerines, pomegranates and figs |
