Malta - saker att se och göra på medelhavsön

Today we present a guest article

In the centre of the Mediterranean, about 80 km south of Sicily and 280 km east of Tunisia, lies the small island nation of Malta. Since 2004, Malta has been part of the European Union and is visited by between two and three million tourists every year.

In addition to clear blue waters, cheap food and a buzzing nightclub scene, Malta is also known as a tax haven, harbouring a disproportionate number of European gambling companies and online casinos.

High summer in Malta starts at the end of June and lasts until September. During this time, visitor numbers are high and temperatures regularly reach over 40°C. For those who prefer slightly cooler temperatures, fewer crowds and cheaper flights and hotels, late spring and early autumn are a great option. There are plenty of things to do in Malta, and in this article we'll go through some of our favourite places and activities.

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Visit famous Game of Thrones filming locations

Thanks to its well-preserved Maltese architecture, the country boasts a wealth of filming locations from many films and series, most notably HBO's blockbuster Game of Thrones. Visiting these locations is an exciting dive into the country's history, but also provides plenty of opportunities for impressive selfies.

Malta's ancient historical capital Mdina is probably the most iconic Game of Thrones location. The city's ancient gates appear in the show's first season as the gates to King's Landing, and anyone walking around the "Silent City" for a couple of hours will come across several familiar sites, including Littlefinger's brothel!

St Dominic's Priory is the setting for Ned and Cersei's confrontation in The Red Keep's garden, Daenerys and Khal Drogo's marriage took place in front of the now collapsed Azure Window, and the picturesque capital city of Valletta has appeared in films such as Jurassic World: Dominion, Assassin's Creed, Gladiator and Troy, as well as King's Landing. There's plenty for film lovers to see here, to say the least!

Swim and dive among shipwrecks

The coastline along the most populated parts of Malta is mainly sandstone and rocky cliffs, but the country does have quite a few sandy beaches. The most famous and popular is Golden Bay, but Selmun Bay and Paradise Bay also offer sun and sea without the same amount of tourists. However, it may be worth taking a taxi to these more remote locations, as public transport in Malta is very unreliable, and buses are often delayed or cancelled without informing waiting travellers.

The waters around Malta are also a diver's paradise, with the crystal clear turquoise waters hiding a wealth of historic shipwrecks. Everything from the old ferry between the main island and neighbouring Gozo, the Libyan oil tanker Um El Faroud and the World War II destroyer HMS Maori are waiting to be discovered. And that's not even mentioning the biodiversity of marine life!

Take a day trip to Gozo

Malta is made up of three islands; Malta, Gozo and the nature reserve of Comino which lies between the two. Gozo gives a much 'wilder' impression than the main island, and due to its remoteness is only home to around 30,000 of the country's population of 530,000 people.

Here you'll find everything you'd find on the main island, but in a smaller format and with fewer visitors. Sunbathe on Ramla Beach, visit the prehistoric temple site of the 'Tower of the Giant' Ggantija, or explore the island's many caves. Gozo and Malta are also both great destinations for birdwatching.

Spend a night in Paceville

If you like crowds and hustle and bustle, Paceville is the place to be. The vast majority of the country's restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs are found in this district of the city of St Julian's. However, Malta is very small, and even residents of the capital Valletta can get through Sliema to St Julian's, a three-town walk, in just over an hour (!).

Despite a fair number of drunken tourists, Paceville is generally considered very safe, and incidents are very rare. However, visitors should not leave their valuables unattended, and anyone venturing into one of the country's many strip clubs late at night should only pay with cash. We also advise Paceville casino visitors to set a budget in advance and then stick to it.