malta activities

[UAcruiser]

Has anybody done something in Malta they feel is a must do activity?

[CintiPam]

I have not done it yet, but I have booked the Hypogeum, neolitihic caverns about 15 minutes from Valletta, for our June visit. To me, after extensive research, that is my one do not miss. Only 80 people permitted per day, so definitely must be pre-booked.

[moyaroo]

Has anybody done something in Malta they feel is a must do activity?

We went to the Hypogeum in the morning first off (a very interesting and unique experience) then took the public bus to Valleta proper and strolled around looking at the major attractions and having lunch. Malta was a pleasantly ecclectic place and one to which I would return.

[cruis247g]

Last night we returned from a Western Med cruise in which Malta was our last stop. By this time, we were rather "toured out", so we took the Hop On, Hop Off Bus (30 Euros for adults and 10 Euros for children with a free headset to hear info in your preferred language) that departs from the pier area. The route we took was approximately two hours and included a stop in Mdina, a walled city. This was my favorite place. The architecture was fascinating. It was clean. There were great views and it was great fun to explore the narrow streets! We also enjoyed strolling around Valetta, the main city. We wanted to see the Palace and the Co-Cathedral, but the lines were very long, so we settled for gelato:p! Enjoy your time there!

[daring]

Can anyone tell me how long it would take to get to the Blue Grotto, take the boat ride and get back to Valletta?

[friend of Eeyore]

Can't answer the question about the Blue Grotto, but here was my day (cut from my port review thread here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=601845

 

--------------

Valetta, Malta:

Yesterday, we were on Malta. We decided to brave the bus system here as well, despite the warnings of slow, old buses. We woke up early to watch the ship come in to Malta - a nice harbor. It was lovely. Unfortunately, it was so humid that my camera wouldn't cooperate for a couple of minutes, so I missed us actually entering the harbor. (Though I did catch us leaving at the end of the day.) Then, we went back to the room.

 

We decided to leave around 8:30. We exited the ship, got the required port picture taken, and started to walk towards the port. Then, what do you know, my weak ankle caught the only rough pavement (quite a deep little spot, actually), and down I went. I sat on the ground for a few minutes, sat in a chair a few minutes, and then we went to the room for about 15 minutes. I put an ace bandage on (of course I had brought one with me), and around 9:00, we tried leaving again. (I walked on the ankle all day, with the help of 800mg of Ibuprofen. I didn't have much pain all day, though I felt it. I'm wearing the ace again today, though I think I won't tomorrow.)

 

So, at 9:00, off we left the ship (again). This time, we walked to the nearest bus stop and caught the bus into Valletta. We ended up paying 3.50 Euro each for an all-day pass. We might have paid a Euro or so less by paying each bus driver individually, but Malta hasn't switched over officially to the Euro (from the Maltese Lira) yet, and so it could have been iffy as to whether or not the driver would have the correct change. So, we bought the all-day pass, and just had to show the receipt each time we boarded.

 

From Valletta, we took the bus straight to Mosta, where we saw the Mosta Dome, the 3rd largest dome in Europe. (Or maybe the 4th - the one in Goza is wider but shorter, but bigger in volume, I think. But Mosta claims it's the third largest, no matter what Goza says.) We saw the dome, and a replica of the bomb that pierced the dome in WWII (it didn't explode), and we think we figured out where it went through - you could kind of see the repair. Surprisingly enough, though the books had said skirts and long pants were mandatory, they were letting in people with long shorts. Shoulders did have to be covered, as well as short shorts, and they had scarves to wrap around if you didn't have one. I had brought a skirt and a t-shirt to put over my tank, and used both, but the guy at the entry protested, and said I just needed to cover my shoulders. (It was very hot that day, and I think he knew how hot I'd get.) However, we were trying to be polite, so I wore both. (Just until I got out - it was very hot.)

 

From Mosta, we caught the bus again, catching a "short-cut" bus to another city, which went through the places we wanted to go. On Malta, most of the bus lines go to and from Valletta, but you can catch a few "short-cut" buses that go across. We went to the Craft Village (can't remember the name of it), and watched the potters and glass-blowers at work. Here, I bought a little Maltese glass and Maltese lace, and a couple of postcards.

 

Catching the same bus, we continued on to Mdina, which is the original walled capital of the island (I think the capital. Walled, certainly.) Here, we walked around the city for a while, looked over the walls around the island, and walked back out. The walled city of Mdina is very small - only a long city block long and wide, I'd say. There were several streets each way, but very short blocks. The "walking tour" that the Lonely Planet book gave us was only 1/2 hour. We didn't go in the cathedral here - they wanted to charge for both the museum and the church, and you couldn't do just the church. Outside Mdina is the suburb of Rabat, where the have some underground tombs/catacombs. I've heard that these are interesting, but we didn't go into Rabat, other than to grab the bus.

 

From Rabat/Mdina, we caught one of the main lines back to Valetta, where we walked halfway down the main thoroughfare, looking at some of the sights. Again, we didn't go in anything, because of the costs. However, I did buy my required t-shirt :> before we left, catching the bus back to the port.

 

All in all, we did have a long day. We got back to the ship around 3:00, and my ankle had had had a long day. The Lonely Planet book on Mosta/Goza was invaluable, and we also picked up a bus schedule at the main Valletta bus terminal.

 

In the afternoon, I played Trivia again, losing again. Last night we actually went to our first "show" on the ship. There was a comedian, Tom Fletcher (I think). He wasn't the best we've heard, but he wasn't the worst. He kept us entertained enough that I didn't leave to go read my book in the piano lounge, which I was prepared to do. So, good enough.

[ta tommy]

daring: you have a good half hour by taxi to get to Zurrieq ( Blue Grotto ) then you have to wait in line to get on one of the boats. The one who would be on the ship's tour would obviously have priority. i believe the boat trip takes about 45 minutes. If you're not scared of deep sea...it's a nice place to have a swim. If your time is limited, don't take the bus. Mdina( the silent city ) is worth a visit. Whilst you're there go to Fontanella for a delicious piece of cake.

 

 

http://www.maltatransport.com/en/new/publictransport/generalinfo.shtml

 

http://www.eurosis.org/cms/files/location/malta/ChooseMaltaBusMap.pdf

 

 

 

http://www.vallettawaterfront.com/viset/Overview.aspx?id=96910

http://www.vallettawaterfront.com/viset/home.aspx

[CintiPam]

ta tommy, do you know if Fort St. Elmo will reopen soon? We are visiting in June, and Mr. Military History spouse has been unable to tell from any of the official sites.

[herkin]

Last night we returned from a Western Med cruise in which Malta was our last stop. By this time, we were rather "toured out", so we took the Hop On, Hop Off Bus (30 Euros for adults and 10 Euros for children with a free headset to hear info in your preferred language) that departs from the pier area. The route we took was approximately two hours and included a stop in Mdina, a walled city. This was my favorite place. The architecture was fascinating. It was clean. There were great views and it was great fun to explore the narrow streets! We also enjoyed strolling around Valetta, the main city. We wanted to see the Palace and the Co-Cathedral, but the lines were very long, so we settled for gelato:p! Enjoy your time there!

 

Is this the same as the buses on the maltasightseeing website? I ask since the site says 15 euros for adults. Maybe they charge more when cruise ships are in port? I would rather find out now than later, so if anyone can clarify...:confused:

[ta tommy]

ta tommy, do you know if Fort St. Elmo will reopen soon? We are visiting in June, and Mr. Military History spouse has been unable to tell from any of the official sites.

 

 

Unfortunately Fort St Elmo will be closed for a long time due to extensive restoration.

 

There are so many historical and military places to visit in Malt, one that comes to mind is Fort Rinella

 

http://www.nieveler.org/military/Rinella/rinella.htm

 

 

 

 

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081207/opinion/fort-st-elmo-restoration-to-complement-piano-designs

 

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090218/local/government-unveils-multi-million-fort-st-elmo-restoration-job

 

 

The 3 cities

http://www.visitmalta.com/the-three-cities-town

[CintiPam]

ta tommy, thanks so much for the (unfortunate) information. I really appreciate your assistance.

[sillysailor 1955]

We were in Malta last Dec. (one of our stops on NCL Jade) It is a lovely place - make sure you are on deck when it pulls in - it really is very beautiful. We just did the NCL excursion - little bit of sight seeing (Blue Grotto, waterfront , etc.) There really isn't much to do there (at least not what I could tell) but it really is very beautiful. Enjoy.

[GlorHow]

I have not done it yet, but I have booked the Hypogeum, neolitihic caverns about 15 minutes from Valletta, for our June visit. To me, after extensive research, that is my one do not miss. Only 80 people permitted per day, so definitely must be pre-booked.

 

Hi Pam,

Who did you prebook the Hypogeum tickets from and how are you getting there?

Gloria

[CintiPam]

Hi Pam,

Who did you prebook the Hypogeum tickets from and how are you getting there?

Gloria

 

Hi, fellow cruiser Gloria, and Happy 50th Anniversary!

 

Go to the Heritage Malta website, heritagemalta.org/sites (the government outfit which runs Malta's cultural sights), and read all about the Hypogeum. A link in the Hypogeum section will take you to MaltaTicket.com, the outfit which has the monopoly on the ticket sales, where you can choose by date the hour you want to go. I suggest that if you are interested, you book soon because as I look right now, both 3 and 4 PM are sold out and there only are 8, 4, 6, 4, and 6 tickets remaining for 9, 10, 11 AM, 1 and 2 PM, respectively, on our day in Malta.

 

We are going on the 2 PM tour, by either bus or taxi from Valletta, where we are spending the entire rest of our day. (I am married to Mr. Military History, so Valletta is where he wants to be for the day.)

 

Only a bit over a month to wait!

 

Pam

[hat776]

I really enjoyed reading the report above - very informative and useful as you see things from a trourist's point of view. It was also useful for timeframes. It's a pity that some cruise lines are in Valletta just till 3.

 

The War Museum at St Elmo has now reopened after a total reorganization.

 

I just posted this to a thread on this forum and thought it would also answer your question here -

 

If you are on an organized tour or have a taxi at your disposal you can visit a number of places as Malta is small. Obviously, you'll only get a taste of what Malta has to offer.

You have various options on how to get about -

You can take an organized tour

You can take a taxi (tickets from a booth so you know you're paying the official rate) either take a set tour or a tour with a fixed time. Many people take a taxi up to Valletta and then walk down to the ship

You can get a bus (very cheap) up to the Valletta bus terminus. Only a few minutes ride but it's up hill.

You can also walk through a tunnel to a multi storey car park which is just outside Valletta, and get a lift up to street level.

To save time you can get a taxi to Valletta terminus which is just outside the city proper. As you enter, on the right is the Tourist Office.

The entry into the Grand Harbour of Malta is spectacular as you are surrounded by bastions and fortified cities. It’s a completely natural harbour with creeks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1C9oX9287A&feature=channel_page

You will dock at the Valletta Waterfront - http://www.vallettawaterfront.com -

There are taxi's just outside the City Gate. Make sure you go to the Barakka Gardens overlooking the harbour, you'll see your ship. Also St John's Co-Cathedral. You can relax in one of the many cafes.

From Valletta you can get a bus to Mdina = about 35 min away. Of course take in account the time you might have to wait for the bus. (www.atp.com.mt)

whitetaxi@keyworld.net

From Cruise Liners Terminal to Mdina one way Euro 21.00

Cost of 2hrs Tour is Euro 52.00 which gives you enough time to visit Mdina, waiting time & visit another site i.e. Mosta

These sites are very helpful

www.visitmalta.com - the official site with video clips under “views and downloads”. Also e-books and e-brochures

http://www.maltatransport.com/en/ptd/passengertransport/Taxis.pdf

Have a look at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=964968

http://www.touringmalta.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g190328-Activities-Valletta_Island_of_Malta.html

[sl123]

How much is the public transportation cost ? and how to book the Hypogeum ?

[Romeosc]

How much is the public transportation cost ? and how to book the Hypogeum ?

 

 

http://www.heritagemalta.org/hmshop/hmshop.html

[hat776]

The cost of public transport in malta is very cheap indeed - just a few cents.

You would have to get a bus to Valletta bus terminus from the cruise line terminal and then get another bus to Paola - www.atp.com.mt

[CintiPam]

TA Tommy and hat776, thank you for your comprehensive postings which helped us plan our day in Malta. We took the easily-found and recommended tunnel into the car park and elevator up into town and then walked back down to the dock at the end of our visit.

 

We just returned from our cruise this week and spent Wednesday, June 10, in Valletta, beginning with the gorgeous entrance into the amazing harbor around 7 AM. Unlike sillysailor, we ran out of time to do all the things we wanted to do there.

 

I highly recommend a visit to the Co-Cathedral of St. John, a fascinating place and very unique in my cathedral experience; the audioguide is excellent. The Archeological Museum was a helpful stop just preceding our appointment at the Hypogeum. The entrance fees for the Hypogeum recently doubled, so we had a real bargain in our pre-booking. At the time of our visit there, all tickets were sold out for more than two weeks. A brief well-signed walk from the Hypogeum took us to the Tarxien Temples, then we caught a bus back into Valletta. The views from the Barracca Gardens also are very lovely.

 

In my opinion, the two must-sees on a one-day first visit are the Co-Cathedral and the Hypogeum. The rest of your day depends upon your particular interests.

 

I certainly hope to return there someday for a more leisurely visit.

[paulita]

I would really like to purchase maltese glass. I saw some awesome pieces in vallettaglass.com in Ta Quali craft village and think this could be a great first stop in our short visit to Malta. Their website doesn't give any clues on how to get there so I was hoping one of the malta experts on this forum could help me figure out the best and least expensive way to get from the waterfront (or the Valletta bus station) to Valletta glass and back! After that, some sightseeing around Valletta. Hope I have enough time for everything! :p

[TourDeCruise]

We will be in Malta for the second time in 2010. In 2006, we walked all over the lovely city and visited the Archaeology Museum. We saw the pre-historic gems including the "Fat Ladies" collection. Unfortunately when we were there, the Greco-Roman wing of the museum was closed for renovations. Has this wing re-opened? We are big into Greek and Roman antiquitities and archaeology sites and are hoping to see this wing on our 2010 cruise.

 

Pam: I'm glad you mentioned the prebooking. I forgot about that from our 2006 cruise as we did not go to the Hypogeum which we plan to do this time. We plan to take the public bus to the Hypogeum and Tarxien Temples. Did you take the public bus to the Hypogeum? Is it easy to tell when to get off the bus at the site, or do we have to inform the bus driver to let us know when to get off? How long of a bus ride to the site? Does the bus accept euros? How much time should we plan for this trip including the bus to Hypogeum to Tarxien Temples and back to Valleta? Will 1/2 day be enough?

 

The HOHO bus is a possibility too if time permits, but first priority is the Hypogeum & Tarxien Temples and the Greco-Roman wing of the museum.

 

There was a nice outdoor market when we were there. Is the market every day? DH and I each bought cotton 3/4s (capri pants) for around 8-10 euros a few years back and still use them for our European travels. They rinse out quickly and surprisingly don't wrinkle easily.

 

Last time we also took the horse & carriage ride at the end of the day for a reduced price, but we had already seen everything by foot.

 

We walked into old town from the ship versus the elevator. It was a steep, uphill climb but not a long distance.

 

Kathy

[Luv_to_Cruise]

Can anyone recommend a private tour company that they have used in Malta? We'll be in port 11AM-6PM and would like to see as much as possible including the Hypogeum. Thanks

[CintiPam]

We will be in Malta for the second time in 2010. In 2006, we walked all over the lovely city and visited the Archaeology Museum. We saw the pre-historic gems including the "Fat Ladies" collection. Unfortunately when we were there, the Greco-Roman wing of the museum was closed for renovations. Has this wing re-opened? We are big into Greek and Roman antiquitities and archaeology sites and are hoping to see this wing on our 2010 cruise.

 

Pam: I'm glad you mentioned the prebooking. I forgot about that from our 2006 cruise as we did not go to the Hypogeum which we plan to do this time. We plan to take the public bus to the Hypogeum and Tarxien Temples. Did you take the public bus to the Hypogeum? Is it easy to tell when to get off the bus at the site, or do we have to inform the bus driver to let us know when to get off? How long of a bus ride to the site? Does the bus accept euros? How much time should we plan for this trip including the bus to Hypogeum to Tarxien Temples and back to Valleta? Will 1/2 day be enough?

 

Kathy

 

Kathy, sorry to report that the Greco-Roman area (a higher floor, I believe) is not open; only the earlier antiquities.

 

A 1/2 day should be enough for both the Hypogeum and Tarxien Temples; it probably took about three hours alltogether with transportation. The Hypogeum is one hour only, the Temples are just a five-minute walk away, and will probably take you even less time to tour, depending on your guidebook. We tried to take a bus to the Hypogeum, but after waiting a while at the bus circle hub just outside the Old Town, the bus numbers we needed simply were not there for us to be sure to arrive in sufficient time for our scheduled visit. We eventually ended up walking over to the taxi stand and paying a taxi an exorbitant amount for the 10-minute ride there.

 

However, we took the bus back from the Tarxien Temples; the cost was less than a Euro each, and when I opted mentally to average cost the two transportation methods I felt a lot better!:)

[TourDeCruise]

Pam,

 

Thank you for your helpful information. We'll try to do the bus and try to arrive early. If we are too early, we could go to the Tarxien Temples first.

 

Maybe the Greco-Roman section will open by next year. If not, there will be plenty to do walking around town, visiting some of the other highlights in Valletta, or going to Mdina by local bus or HOHO.

 

Kathy

[hat776]

If you go to the site www.visitmalta.com = it's the official tourist site and they have a good customer care service. They will also help you out with buses etc.

I would ask the passengers near you to tell you were to stop when you reach Paola rather than rely on the driver.

The bus terminal is confusing - the site is http://www.atp.com.mt/atp/servlet/ControllerServlet?action=listWinterBusRoutes

click on the route for the bus schedule

There are buses that pass by the Tarxien Temples so maybe you could also take those buses. There are ticket offices that would help you out (on the left of the City Gate as you face it)

If you do decide to take a taxi, it would be better to get it from the Cruise Terminal as from there you get a voucher from the official stand and fares are regulated.

The market is still there (in Merchants Street)