Everything You Wanted to Know BEFORE You Visited Malta

What Americans Should Know Before Visiting Malta

Live from Mdina, Malta! You may think Malta is just a city and country all in one. Malta is actually a few islands put together, and Medina is the old medieval capital. Here are some of the differences between Malta and the U.S., so if you’re thinking about doing some Malta sightseeing, you’ll be better prepared.

English is Widely Spoken in Malta

Malta has two official languages: English and Maltese. The locals do speak Maltese, but Malta has a lot of expats, so English is widely used and understood.

Spending Money in Malta

In Malta, they use the Euro. The Euro comes in several bills (500, 200, 100, 50, 10, 5) and the coins here are actually valuable. The 2 Euro coin is worth more than $2, so keep track of them. You can use cash anywhere, including large bills, and it is preferred over credit cards. You’ll find exchange houses around to exchange your money, but using the ATM is your best value. ATM’s are less common in smaller towns, so get your cash before you leave the bigger cities.

Eating Out in Malta

Lunch is served between 12 and 2, while dinner starts around 7:30. Many restaurants don’t open until dinner time. In Malta, tipping is based on quality of service. If your service is bad, no tip is required. If service is OK, leave a 5-10% tip. Service isn’t great, but the people are super nice.

Rabbit is a very popular dish in Malta. They have pastizzi, a filled puff pastry. Pea mush or ricotta cheese are two of the most popular variations. Or you can have a ftira, which is a sandwich on a special kind of bread. Tuna and goat cheese is the best one! Seafood is also great in Malta.

Store Hours in Malta

If you plan on shopping in Malta, the stores usually close between 6-8:00 at night, so don’t plan on any late-night shopping. Get your shopping done during the day and enjoy the beach bars or restaurants at night.

Weather in Malta

Malta has great weather, it’s a prime reason to visit Malta. However, the wind can be very strong. The sun in Malta is also very strong. Make sure you bring your sunblock, or you’ll pay a premium in Malta.

Prices in Malta

In general, the prices in Malta are very cheap. If you are traveling on a budget, Malta is a great destination. Whether you are going out to eat, drink, party, Malta is more than affordable, especially compared to Western Europe. Definitely take advantage of the great restaurants and low prices.

Water in Malta

Drinking water in Malta is safe.

Electrical Outlets in Malta

Plugs in Malta are the same as the U.K. You will need an adapter for charging any electronics. Your laptop or phone will have a converter built in, so you just need the adapter part.

What to Do in Malta

Overall, I recommend coming to Malta for vacation. A week is plenty of time to see some cool stuff. Valetta is the “new” capital, Mdina is the old capital. You can go to to the Gozo Islands, or see the Blue Grotto on Comino Island. There’s some neolithic structures, similar to Stonehenge but way older.

To learn more, don’t miss our other videos on Malta! Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About Malta and Top Ten Things to Do in Malta.