malta activities

[hat776]

As far as I know you can buy Malta or Mdina Glass from Valletta. There is a shop as you enter Valletta near the Tourist Office , one further down Republic Street and one in Merchants Street just before the turning to St Johns Cathedral. Ta Qli has the advantage that you can actually see the glass being made.

 

The HOHO buses usually have a stop at Ta Qali

- www.supremecoaches.com

http://www.maltasightseeing.com/

I don't think there are public buses that take you directly to Ta Qali. You would have to take a Rabat bus , stop in the main road and then have quite a walk. Not really recommended in your short time. What people normally do is take a taxi that would take you to Mdina, Mosta Dome and Ta Qali.

You get a voucher from a stand near the ship (so regulated)

1. http://www.visitmalta.com/transport

2.

3. Welcome to Malta Taxi Service.com

Tours around Malta and Gozo, walking tours, tours from Malta to Sicily

http://www.touringmalta.com/

http://www.maltatravelnet.com/

[paulita]

Thank you so much Hat776! Purchasing glass in Valetta will be much more convenient than going to Ta Qali given the short amount of time we'll have. I don't especially care for the glass making process so I don't mind not going to the actual site. Just hope the prices are still affordable. And this will give us more time for sightseeing Valetta which I'm really looking forward to!:D

 

P.

[CintiPam]

We purchased some glass at the shop on Merchants Street and thought that it had a nice selection.

[hat776]

You will dock at The Valletta Waterfront - a renovated site dating back hundreds of years. It has restaurants, bars and shops and an outlet selling Mdina Glass

http://www.vallettawaterfront.com/viset/DetailPage.aspx?id=98943

 

also google valletta waterfront

[ajs922]

Your detailed insight has been very helfil. We will not be here untill 9/8/09 but with all of your help we feel we have planed out day.

[Jon&Cheryl]

hat776,

 

Thanks for all your contributions.

 

You've mentioned a tunnel near the waterfront in Valleta which leads to a carpark and an elevator to the town near city gate.

 

But I cannot find the details anywhere about this little gem. Can you please share some pointers about WHERE on the waterfront in Valletta to look for that tunnel? You said that you had posted a photo, too. But I couldn't find it. An address, Google Earth coordinate or some other mechanism would be appreciated.

 

Thanks - Jon

[CintiPam]

hat776,

 

Thanks for all your contributions.

 

You've mentioned a tunnel near the waterfront in Valleta which leads to a carpark and an elevator to the town near city gate.

 

But I cannot find the details anywhere about this little gem. Can you please share some pointers about WHERE on the waterfront in Valletta to look for that tunnel? You said that you had posted a photo, too. But I couldn't find it. An address, Google Earth coordinate or some other mechanism would be appreciated.

 

Thanks - Jon

 

Hi, Jon, although I am not the wonderfully knowledgeable hat776, I thought I could provide some useful info on this question because we used the suggested tunnel on our visit in June. Look to the right before you get off your cruiseship, or after you emerge from the shopping mall/only exit from the cruiseship dock and you will see on the small waterfront street past the taxi line the line-up of charming horse-drawn carriages. Right behind the carriages you will see the opening of the tunnel.

 

Walk inside and then slowly ascend the ramp for a bit over 100 yards, and you will emerge from the tunnel at a low level of parked cars and spot the elevators. When you go to the top floor with the other local parkers, you emerge about 50-70 yards or so west from the southern side of the large round circle with the fountain in the middle that is the bus station just outside the western entrance to Old Valletta. Taxis line up just outside the entrance to the walled city, if you require one for any reason.

 

So, you arrive right where you want to be (for free) without paying for a taxi (I think the price was 10 Euros) or hiking up the slope in the hot sun. At the end of our wonderful day in Malta, we took the winding road back down from the Upper Barracca Gardens, with its great harbor views, but the elevator in the morning was a fabulous tip which I once again thank hat776 for providing.

 

(As is common in many tourist areas, the taxi cabal charges a ridiculous set amount of money for very short trips in Malta. We had the same experience in Sorrento in June when the free shuttle bus from our ship to the main piazza stopped at 4:30 PM, and we paid a ridiculous amount for the five-minute ride down the the dock there.)

[mapsmom]

Thanks everyone for the great info - tell me - how much are the carriage rides, and can we get one around the town of Valletta? How many people can fit into one carriage?

[Jon&Cheryl]

CintiPam,

 

Thanks so much for filling in those devilish details. Big help!

 

Jon

[hat776]

I don't really know how much a ride is but it's not that cheap. I'll try and check.

They usually take 4 pax in the carriage and one can sit near the driver.

Valletta is basically a hill rising from the harbours. The centre is on the top where the important roads are pedestrien zones.

The cab can take you round the perimetre harbours. It can drop you off near the centre.

[hat776]

Basically, as you exit the terminal you turn right and the tunnel will be on the opposite side. If you ask anyone they will help you out. However, there are buses that only cost eur 1 which should be more practical.

I'll try and find the details you need.

[Jon&Cheryl]

Thanks to both CintiPam and hat776 for responding to my question about the "tunnel" and "lift" in Valletta.

 

Another question, please - If I DO NOT take the tunnel and lift up to Valletta, but I DO want to take it down to the seaport... How do I recognize the lift from a town-level street? Also, what level would I get off from to go back through the tunnel to the seaport? Is it the lowest level?

 

CintiPam: In another post you mentioned taking a winding road down from the Upper Barrakka Gardens to the Seaport. I've looked at the area on Google Maps and Satellite view but I'm not sure I know which route you were referring to. Can you fill in some details? Like the street name? From inside or outside of the Gardens themselves? Are there signs? To what? Once at port-level, do you still walk a ways before getting to the cruise ship terminal?

 

Thanks to both of you - Jon

[CintiPam]

 

Another question, please - If I DO NOT take the tunnel and lift up to Valletta, but I DO want to take it down to the seaport... How do I recognize the lift from a town-level street? Also, what level would I get off from to go back through the tunnel to the seaport? Is it the lowest level?

 

CintiPam: In another post you mentioned taking a winding road down from the Upper Barrakka Gardens to the Seaport. I've looked at the area on Google Maps and Satellite view but I'm not sure I know which route you were referring to. Can you fill in some details? Like the street name? From inside or outside of the Gardens themselves? Are there signs? To what? Once at port-level, do you still walk a ways before getting to the cruise ship terminal?

 

Thanks to both of you - Jon

 

1. Parking garage entrance: it's on the south (harbor side) of the major east-west street which runs into the Triton Fountain circle which is the bus terminus just west of the walls surrounding Valletta. So maybe 50 yards walk west from the Fountain circle. If you get the small Valletta map from the Information people just inside the gate, it is marked with a large P (I also assume you get this when you download a map from the visit malta dot com website.)

 

Yes, you take it to the lowest level, and then follow the tunnel, which I assume is a car harborside exit from the parking garage.

 

2. The winding street we took back down to the harbour from the gardens is Girolamo Cassar (between the Ganado Gardens and the St. James Bastion), and then down Crucifix Hill and Telgha Ta-Kurcifiss to the wharf. The street is outside the Gardens, which have only one exit to the north, not down to the harbor. It's all open, so you can see where you want to end upt. Once down on harbor level, it is a bit of a ways west to the cruise ship terminal, where everyone has to funnel through, maybe 200 yards.

 

A much slower route than the tunnel, but Mr. Military History wanted to admire the bastions and the views as we descended.

[hat776]

From the Barakka Gardens you will see your ship so you'll easily get your bearings.

The Road Girolamo Cassar is wide and with good views and leads down from Castille Square to Floriana near Boffa Hospital. From there you go down it-telgha tal-Crucifix. It's down hill but not what you call a winding road and gets you down to the Port level. From there it's about a 5 min walk to the terminal.

A much more pleasant walk than going through the car park. There'll be lots of people taking that route to the ship so really you just go with the flow.

[hat776]

The post regarding the road from Barakka Gardens to Port makes me realise how important CC is.

It is so easy to get from the Gardens down to the Port, that I don't realise that for someone who has no idea of Malta it's difficult to imagine what I'm describing.

When I'm travelling, there are so many of these `obvious` questions that I ask and feel very grateful when people take the trouble to answer them.

Guide books and online sites are all very good but they don't answer all your queries.

http://www.malta-map.com/ - www.maltastreetmap.com

Both are good sites

[Jon&Cheryl]

Thanks again to CintiPam and hat776 for timely and helpful responses. I agree that CC is a great resource for Qs & As like these.

 

Jon

[Vampzzzgirl]

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.

 

what time should someone be on the deck when it pulls in? 7am?

[hat776]

Normally, the captain advises people what time to go on deck .

I should imagine a bit before 7 would be better.

I think I had given the web cam of the Grand Harbour - anyway it is

www.visitmalta.com - just click on Web Cam. It's fascinating seeing the liners sail in and out.

Also go to e-brochures and downloads and there is a videoclip of the Harbour.

[CintiPam]

what time should someone be on the deck when it pulls in? 7am?

 

On our June visit on Oceania Nautica, we were scheduled to arrive at 8 AM; I went out to our balcony at 7 AM, and it was just about the right time to enjoy the views of our entrance to this incredible harbor. (I had previously downloaded the harbor screensaver from the visitmalta website, so I was really revved up to enjoy the reality after months of watching this film.) I also watched the departure, but the sail-in truly was the highlight.

 

Enjoy your visit to this fascinating island.

[hat776]

You see land just as dawn is breaking and the sail in is surprising.

It is so quiet and luckily , apart from some cranes in some inlets, the bastions are largely untouched and there aren't any modern buildings towering over them. It's almost an eerie feeling especially when you realise that throughout the centuries, the harbour played such an important part in Malta's history.

Who knows how many died defending Malta.

During WWll Malta was on the brink of surrender. A convoy was sent to save Malta. Most of the ships were sunk (at a high cost of lives) but the tanker although badoly hit was towed into the harbour at great risk for the people involved.

The anniversary of this event is 15 august which happens to be the feast of Santa Maria. Each year a documentary is shown of the event and each year I am moved when I see the harbour with people cramming every view point cheering when the tanker appears.

Nowadays, there aren't any war ships and the harbour is used for festivities but it means such alot to the Maltese.

[gramwii]

Seeking input. First time in Valetta/Malta. First time Europe.

Think we can "do it on our own" for this port.

I also have a history buff as a hubby... w/bum knees, so it's a slow go.

 

-Plan to see Malta Experience and St John Co-Cathedral.

-Sorry to learn Fort St Elmo closed!

-Is the War Museum OPEN?

-Working on do-it-yourself itinerary WITHIN the City.

-Using bus system from port. But sounds like that's an uphill walk?

-Would it be better to walk through parking garage and take lift up, then catch the bus (if so, where specifically).

-Does bus run in a circle around town?

-Best if we start with Malta Experience, or end with it?

-Trying to decide how to plan about 4-5 hrs. No more.

-Would be nice to have lunch in town. Suggestions? Thx in advance!!

[hat776]

Yes the War Musuem is open - recently completely refurbished.

Have a look at these articles from Trip Advisor Valletta Malta Forum regarding 'Arriving by cruise ship - what should I see and do ?' -- See Top Questions on the right.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g190328-i1499-Valletta_Island_of_Malta.html

 

 

Bus no. 198 runs from just near the exit of the Cruise Terminal. It is a circular route round Valletta and takes you to near the City Gate. It also passes near the War Musuem.

 

I've used the lift when parking at the Car Park and going to dine at the Valletta Waterfront at the Cruise terminal. Visitors who have used the lift have found it useful.

 

There is a good itinary for a short visit to Valletta in the Trip Advisor I advised you to read. I would start off by going to Barakka Gardens, then visiting the sites round the main streets sgoing to the War Musuem which is at the very bottom of Valletta. The Malta Experience is nearby. You could then walk to your ship - no hills. It would be about a 20 min walk.

 

Another option if you get tired is to phone up citicabs. They are a fleet of chauffeur-driven electric vehicles that go all round Valletta. You can either stop one or phone 00356 79333321 or 00356 21333321.

 

There are alot of open air cafes where you could have a light meal in the area of St Johns Cathedral and the Palace.

[gramwii]

Thx Hat776. Tripadvisor was great reference for us.

 

Decided to take the bus for 1 Euro. WHERE can we exchange money?

We go directly from airport to ship, so figure no time to exchange $.

Anyone know if we can we get Euros on NCL Gem?

They are registered in Bahamas so expect only US$ available.

Soon as we get off ship in Valetta/Malta we'd like to get on bus to city.

Our local credit union doesn't exchange US for Euros. AAA is not a good rate. What do travelers w/some experience in this suggest?

[CintiPam]

Thx Hat776. Tripadvisor was great reference for us.

 

Decided to take the bus for 1 Euro. WHERE can we exchange money?

We go directly from airport to ship, so figure no time to exchange $.

Anyone know if we can we get Euros on NCL Gem?

They are registered in Bahamas so expect only US$ available.

Soon as we get off ship in Valetta/Malta we'd like to get on bus to city.

Our local credit union doesn't exchange US for Euros. AAA is not a good rate. What do travelers w/some experience in this suggest?

 

Use the ATM machines at the airport where you land. No need to exchange any money, just use your card as you do in the US.

[hat776]

There are foreign exchange facilities at the terminal but I don't know if it is an Exchange Machine or actualy staffed. There are also ATM's at the airport and there are foreign exchange agencies there as well.

Have a look at http://www.vallettawaterfront.com/viset/content.aspx?id=96879. That is the terminal you will berth in. There is also a webcam but I don't know if it is the same one as of http://www.visitmalta.com

There is a good section on Cruises. As far as I know you can also exchange your $ on the ship - no idea if the rate is good.

You could ask on the NCL forum of CC - there are lots of very knowledgeable folk there

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=107