New Member Traveling to Malta Fall of 2024

From Toronto in 1974 in our mid 20's we had our first vacation in Malta, with a car toured the whole island, we had a great time.  50 years on we are going back to Valetta 2-12 September 2024 for some R&R. We have an itinerary with a specific plan of things to do, places to see, places to eat. We shall also spend a day in Gozo.

Using public transit, hi-speed boat to Gozo 12 euro/person, then a bus to Victoria, spend a couple hrs, then bus it to Ramla beach for some sun, sand. On another day we'll take the standard ferry Valetta to Sliema spend a day. Will walk around Valetta, try to get to a few other towns by bus.

let us know If there is anything specific you'd like us to find out about or give you some feedback on?

@porticoman Thank you so much for your offer.  Sounds like you will have a wonderful trip.  I am particularly interested in what you think about Victoria…neighborhoods, restaurants, stores or anything you find interesting.  I will have time to explore places but always nice to hear what others think. 

I am a German retiree living in Malta since 2013. Malta is very small, but public transport is available. However, in Gozo it is often once an hour. I have a car. I need it for shopping and driving to Italy and beyond. For me and I guess for many people from bigger countries Malta is a different world. Without saying much I say seeing is believing. Visit Malta to see the difference. USA people who go to the south of Italy often compare Italy with Mexico. Malta you can compare with Sicily and Calabria. When you visit Victoria the capital of Gozo you will know a lot about life in Malta. You may like it or hate it. There are reasons in favour of Malta and reason which speak against this tiny country. We have no forest in Malta and parking is a disaster  for car drivers. However our crime rate in Malta is far below the crime rate of the USA and we have no wild animals apart from a few drunkards, who are often tourists from other countries.

@hanselmar5

Thank you so much for your perspective.  I have lived many places in the U.S. and now 9 years in Hawaii.  So I have an understanding of island living and the differences.  I totally agree it is necessary to visit any place to see what it is like.  I often tell people who come here not to get ”vacation syndrome”…thinking living here is just like being on vacation all of the time.  Anyway it is fun to explore places.  I appreciate your input.  Thank you!

Victoria is small and lacks most things - though once you are settled into your home and have sorted those things out it tends to have what you need.

We live in both Malta and Gozo and much prefer life in Gozo - shops are more caring about keeping clients happy, service is better etc (of course you still get bad businesses as everywhere but fewer here).

Life is relaxed, its small, its limited, it gets crowded and can get boring after a while but I find anyway after a few years in a new place you get over the explorers mindset and settle into a rhythm, gozo is a good place for that as its small and everything is accessible.  Beaches are good and couriers from Malta are fine and affordable.

I hear access to specialist medical care can also be a huge problem and requires trips to Malta (and even there its limited).

You have to be very relaxed and patient with everything though, which is part of the charm.

As you know already how it is in islands its probably stating things you know - but island life is much harder than otherwise, difficult access to everything, short supply, crowded, high costs due to transport - its not at all what the TV suggests

@volcane

Thank you so much for this detail on Gozo and life there.  I had to smile when reading as it sounds pretty much like I suspected but always so helpful to hear from a resident.  I totally understand the island living issues so good to be reminded. Especially about easing into life after you have explored things.  I’m looking forward to visiting at any rate and very grateful for all the input.  Appreciate it very much!

@Melle1313

To make the adventure perfect I recommend getting a driving licence in Malta. We drive on the left and our roads are very narrow. Our sidewalks are often just wide enough for 2 people walking side by side. The world is so different over here. I remember some years ago I gave some Americans a lift in my car. One of them asked me if the road is a one way street? I said no and soon after a bus approached us. However, there were a few inches left on either side and we could manage. These stories happen in Malta every day, but people get used to it.