What to do on your first day in Malta
Located in the centre of the mediterranean sea between South Sicily and North Africa, the Maltese archipelago consists of three main islands which are Malta, Comino and Gozo. The islands of Malta are popular tourist destination due to the warm climate, and breathtaking landscapes that serve as locations for major film productions. From the beauty of the Blue Lagoon in Comino to the ancient buildings of Valletta and the three cities, Malta, Comino and Gozo although small, are packed with things to see and do.
Various lively outdoor festivals, concerts, open air theatre plays and various cultural activities take place on the island of Malta and Gozo on a regular basis as the beautiful Mediterranean climate allows.
Paceville and St Julians are the centre of the nightlife on the island of Malta where various clubs and bars are situated should one wish to have a night out.
Don’t forget some of the local traditional delicacies such as ‘pastizzi’ and ‘Maltese ftira’, the latter is a popular beach snack or whilst exploring the coastline on an excursion around the islands.
Travel Options in Malta
Using the bus service is the cheapest mode of transport in Malta. The service is well-developed and well connected. One can download an application on their smartphone called “Tallinja” which will allow you to access all bus routes.
White taxis are the traditional taxis in Malta, however there are now various applications one can download on their smartphone to use these various taxi services such as Bolt and ecabs which are a very good option to save time on travelling.
Tallinja Pass
This is a personalized card issued by Malta Public Transport. It enables cardholders to have free unlimited rides on Malta Buses and Valletta Ferry Services that connect Valletta to the three cities in the south and Sliema on the northeastern side of the island. The pass is not valid on Tallinja Direct. Fare is deducted as per use.
Who is eligible to apply for the card?
A person between 17-59 years pursuing a full-time course in any institute approved by the Malta Education Board and not falling in any other category can apply for this card. Thus, any international student having a Malta proof of address is eligible for this card. The processing time for the card is approximately two weeks. The application must be done by the applicant either online or in person by visiting one of the offices in Malta.
To apply online for a Tallinja card follow the link below.
https://www.publictransport.com.mt/en/register-now
Explore Flex Card
Explore Flex Card is the go-to travel card for people who want to explore the beauty of Malta. The card lets you travel at your own pace and experience stunning destinations. The recharge of this card starts with 6 euros and is acceptable on all the bus services offered by Malta Public Transport
Visit the link for more information: Malta Public Transport
Ferry Service
Various Ferry services are also on option between Valletta and the three cities, Sliema and Valletta as well as between the three islands of Malta, Comino and Gozo. The ferry services will always depend on weather conditions.
Mobile Phone SIM Card
Malta has multiple telecom operators and it is easy to purchase a prepaid sim card from one of the major operators such as Melita, Epic, or GO.
Melita SIM Cards
Melita Malta has plans just for students and young folks:
Free Internet for Students Plan:
What you get: Unlimited data, 200 minutes for calls, and 200 SMS messages each month.
Extras: Enjoy 24 GB of data per month when you're in the EU and UK.
Cost: Only €25 per month.
Go SIM Cards
Go SIM Card service providers have monthly plans for free local data. Go also offers hybrid plans, smart top-up plans, and play plans. Monthly plans include unlimited data, minutes, and SMS. It costs only €20.99 per month.
Epic SIM Cards
€16.99 per month for the first 8 months.
After the initial 8 months, the price increases to €31.99 per month.
The plan includes 41GB of 5G data.
There is a €2.50 discount per month.