Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0234/02349.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 14KB | 377 lines

$Unique_ID{COW02349}
$Pretitle{430}
$Title{Malta
General Information}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of Malta, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Embassy of Malta, Washington DC}
$Subject{malta
tel
lm
gozo
service
air
maltese
per
british
minutes}
$Date{1990}
$Log{Cathedral of Mdina*0234901.scf
}
Country:     Malta
Book:        Malta General Information
Author:      Embassy of Malta, Washington DC
Affiliation: Embassy of Malta, Washington DC
Date:        1990

General Information

[See Cathedral of Mdina: Courtesy Embassy of Malta, Washington.]

How to get there

By air:

     Air Malta and major international airlines operate regular scheduled
flights between Malta and most major European cities.

     From the U.K., Air Malta, Air Europe, British Island Airways and Monarch
Airlines operate scheduled services to Malta.

     Air Malta flies from Heathrow Terminal 4 every day of the week and from
Gatwick at least twice a week. Air Europe and British Island Airways fly from
Gatwick and Manchester. Monarch Airlines fly from Gatwick and Luton.

     In addition, charter flights to Malta are operated from seventeen UK and
Irish regional airports. The frequency and the choice of regional airports
increases considerably during the summer.

     Flying time is around 3 hours 15 minutes.

Airline addresses in the UK

AIR MALTA
Air Malta House, 314/316 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, LONDON SW15.
Tel.: General [phone] (3 lines); Reservations: [phone] (7 lines),
[phone] (2 lines);
Telex: 923.213 MAL MOV; Fax: [phone]

Booking Office: 23/24 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5LP, Tel.: [phone]; (01)
930.2612.

Heathrow Airport (Terminal 4)
Room 2526, Terminal 4, Tel.: [phone]

Gatwick Airport
c/o Service Air Ltd, Room 230, Concorde House, Gatwick, West Sussex, Tel:
(02 93) 502.093

Manchester Airport
c/o Service Air Ltd, Manchester International Airport, M22 5WX, Tel: (8 61)
489.3233

Air Europe
The Galleria, Station Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH01 1HY
Tel. [phone] Fax [phone]

British Island Airways
Apollo House, Church Road, Lowfield Heath, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 OPQ
Tel.: [phone]. Fax [phone]

Monarch Airlines
Luton Airport, Luton, Beds LU2 9NU
Tel.: [phone]. Fax [phone]

By Sea:

     Passengers travelling to Malta by sea have a choice of three
alternatives:

     (a) The Gozo Channel Co. operates a weekly service between Malta and
Catania in Sicily from April to June, increasing to twice weekly July to
September. Cruising time is around 8 hours and the cost about LM 12 per person
and LM 26 for a 4.5 metre car.

     Agents for Gozo Channel Co. and for Virtu Rapid Ferries Ltd are:

Multitours
21 Sussex Street
London SWIV 4RR
Tel: [phone]

     (b) Virtu Rapid Ferries operates a high-speed passenger-only catamaran
service from Naxos (Taormina), Catania and Syracuse to Malta. Two services are
operated daily between June and September, decreasing to one daily between
October and May. Journey time is 1 hour 40 minutes.

     Indicative fares are LM 18 for an adult single, LM 36 open return and
LM 25 for a day return. There are senior citizens, family and child
reductions.

     Further information on the catamaran service may be obtained from Virtu
Rapid Ferries Ltd, 3 Princess Elizabeth Terrace, Ta'Xbiex, Malta,
Tel.: 317.088, Telex: 1214 SHIPAZ MW, Fax; 314.533.

     c) The Italian line, "Tirrenia," operates a thrice weekly service from
Malta to Syracuse, Catania and Reggio Calabria and a weekly crossing from
Naples.

     An indicative fare for the Malta-Catania crossing is about LM 12 per
passenger and LM 26 for a 4.5 metre car.

     Agents for Tirrenia in the UK are:

Serena Holidays,
40/42, Kenway Rd.,
LONDON, SW5 ORA.
Tel: [phone].

Passport and visa regulations

     British nationals may travel to Malta on a Visitor's passport. No visa
is required for a stay of less than three months. Where a stay longer than
three months is envisaged application should be made, in Malta, shortly
before the three months are up, to the Immigration Police, Police
Headquarters, Floriana.

Customs

     Personal belongings and clothing intended for own use are not liable to
duty. The duty-free allowance for adults is 200 cigarettes or the equivalent
in cigars or tobacco; one bottle of spirits and one bottle of wine; and a
reasonable quantity of perfume and toilet water.

Currency

     Malta's currency is decimal. The Lira (LM) is the unit of currency and
is divided into 100 cents; each cent is again divided into 10 mils.

     There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency visitors may bring
into Malta, providing it is declared upon arrival. However, the maximum
amount of Maltese currency that may be brought into Malta is LM50.

     Visitors may take out of Malta any unspent foreign currency but no more
than LM25 in Maltese currency.

Importation of animals

     Importation of healthy pets from the U.K. is allowed, but they must first
be kept in quarantine for a period of three weeks.

Banks

     Usually open 8.30 am to 12.30 pm Mondays to Fridays and up to 11.30 am
on Saturdays. Foreign exchange facilities are available at Luqa Airport on
a 24 hour basis all the year round and up to 4 pm at most banks.

Baby requisites

     All well-known brands of baby milk powder, nappies, medicines and other
baby products are available from chemist shops in Malta.

Shopping

     Shops are usually open between the hours of 9 am and 7 pm with a three
or four-hour lunch break. Shops are not open on Sundays and Public Holidays.
There are open-air markets, one day a week, in most towns and villages. The
largest is the Valletta market on Sunday mornings. Major Credit Cards,
Travellers' Cheques and Eurocheques are accepted at most leading shops and
restaurants.

Time

     Malta time is one hour ahead of GMT.

Electricity

     Electricity supply is 240 volts, single phase, 50 cycle. The
square-fitting standard three-pin British plugs and sockets are used.

Water

     Tap water is perfectly safe for drinking.

Religion

     Malta is Roman Catholic but the Maltese Constitution guarantees freedom
of worship. There are also churches belonging to various other religious
denominations.

Language

     The official languages are Maltese and English. Almost all the Maltese
speak English. Maltese is a semitic language written in the Roman script
comprising a vast element of words of Italian, French and English origin.
Italian is also widely spoken.

Accommodation

     The Maltese islands offer varied accommodation in hotels, guest houses,
holiday complexes and in self-catering apartments and villas. These are all
officially classified according to international standards and are expected
to exhibit a certificate confirming their official classification.

     The Malta National Tourist Office, College House, Suite 207, Wrights
Lane LONDON W8 5SH, Tel: [phone]  can provide comprehensive
information on accommodation in Malta.

Camping

     There are no organised or official camping or caravan sites on Malta.

Beach facilities

     There is a number of sandy beaches, especially in the north of the
Island, the best known being Mellieha Bay, Golden Sands and Armier. In the
south the best sandy beach is at Birzebbugia. Ramla Bay in Gozo stands out for
its beautiful red sand. Rock bathing is possible at most other beach sites.

     Bathing is safe anywhere around the islands; there are no tides. Sea
temperatures average 22.8C in summer. Beach facilities in the high season,
between March and October, include bars, restaurants, changing cabins,
showers and umbrellas. On some beaches, it is possible to hire self-drive
speed boats, dinghies, rowing boats, water skis, surfboards, etc.

     Topless bathing is not permitted on public beaches. Holidaymakers are
kindly urged to respect the feelings of the Maltese people.

Public transport

     Malta's