Friday, 11 November 2011

A Rough Guide to Malta

Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, you’ll find a place that will make you appreciate vintage like no other. The walls of most of their residential areas simply scream art and history combined. If you love archeology and you have a deep passion for knowledge in learning things from the ancient past, then I highly recommend that you visit Malta.

But I think before hitting the road to explore this amazing country, it’s only wise to be aware of the common expenses you’ll need to cover upon your arrival so you won’t have trouble on getting stuck and miss the fun and adventure just because you ran out of money.

The average price that you can pay to get an inexpensive meal is around €9 to €10. When it comes to transportation, a one-way ticket using their local buses and trains ranges from € .50 to €1.30. And if you are planning to stay for more than a month or more, I’d suggest you rent an apartment because it will save you a lot of money than staying in a hotel where you’ll pay on a daily basis.

Malta’s usual 1 bedroom apartment ranges from €230 to €550 which is located in the city centre. Apartments outside the city area are more inexpensive as they only range from €180 to €450. Now if you want my take on where is the best place to rent if you’re planning to stay long, I’d definitely choose the one outside the city. Aside from being affordable, you won’t really feel the difference of not being in the city because they almost have the same atmosphere plus it wouldn’t take you that long to travel downtown.

One of the great things about Malta is the friendliness of their locals. Their smiles will make you feel at home and comfortable in their land. Touring this place won’t be a problem especially with their double-deckers just like the busses in London. But if you want to do the driving yourself, you’d have to learn how to drive on the left lane just like in the UK.

When it comes to communication, I’d say it won’t be that hard to talk to their people since their locals use English although their national language is Maltese and its what usually dominates their population. Their native tongue originated from the Southern part of Italy. They have a lot of dialects but you don’t need to learn them all unless you’re passionate on becoming a linguist but learning basic Maltese will definitely work to your advantage.

Now let’s talk about some serious food! I would encourage you to taste their famous Pastizzi. They’re light unless you eat too many because they are really tasty! For a bread, this will break the record of you wanting more of it. And since Malta has a strong Italian influence, you can expect that their cuisine is rich and absolutely world-class.

Malta is also bursting with culture. From their sports, media, religious practices, and traditions; it sure will surprise you learn more about their ways and lifestyle. It’s pretty laid back staying here but for a place surrounded by an amazing body of water and such historical artifacts, you won’t find yourself slowing down as if you’d want to be on holiday forever. Their culture and arts will even inspire you to progress by not stressing too much about it.

This country has a lot of festivals to celebrate and one of their biggest events that they are really seriously in celebrating is the Holy Week. Roman Catholism is their most practiced religion and I would say that their locals are really devout. Before the Holy Week, they also have an Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday, which is the start of this event. Expect that their streets are quiet and serene during these days until Easter Sunday.

Malta will surprise you in so many ways so it’s best to prepare yourself for a trip that would enrich your cultural knowledge and experiences. This place will inspire you to be creative and most importantly, have a deep appreciation for the current and the past. It’s time to pack your bags and book for an adventure that could change your whole outlook in life.

Written by Guest Writer Mike Paton, who writes for his web site http://www.worldwidetravelguide.co.uk

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