| Island of Malta | |
 | |
Location  | |
| State | Malta |
|---|---|
| Surface | 246 km² |
| Inhabitants | 388.232 (2007) |
Island of Malta is an island region of Malta.
To know
The Island of Malta is the largest of the three islands that make up the archipelago of the Calipsee Islands and the Republic of Malta, belonging to the geographical region Italian.
Geographical notes
Malta is located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, directly south of the Italian coasts and north of the Libya.
Territories and tourist destinations
Island of Malta: full screen map.Urban centers
- Buġibba
- Cottonera (Three Cities) - Name used to refer to three ancient and historic cities: Birgu (Vittoriosa), Isla (Senglea) and Bormla (Cospicua). The three cities merged in the 16th century to create a single line of fortifications called Cottonera.
- Valletta - National capital which owes its name to the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller Jean de la Valette, a French noble of the order of St. John and leader of the defenders during the Turkish siege of Malta in 1565.
- Marsa Scirocco (Marsaxlokk) - Traditional fishing village located in the south-east of Malta.
- Marsascala (Marsaskal) - Small Maltese town built around the small port of Marsaskala Bay. An enchanting promenade will ensure pleasant evenings.
- Medina (Mdina) - The well preserved old capital.
- Mugiarro (Mgarr) - Typical rural village located in an isolated area, south-east of Mosta.
- Rabat - Located near Medina, it hosts many historical attractions such as the catacombs of St. Paul and the Roman Villa.
- Saint John (San Gwann) - San Giovanni has an ancient history interconnected with Maltese national history.
- San Giuliano (St. Julian's) - Known for tourism based on night clubs and restaurants centered in the Paceville area.
- Sliema ( Tas-Sliema) - Located on the north-east coast of the island, a few kilometers north of Valletta.
Other destinations
- Golden Bay - One of the most beautiful sandy beaches on the northwestern coast of the island.
- Hagar Qim (Ħaġar Qim) - Archaeological site whose name means "stone of worship".
- Temple of Menaidra - Prehistoric archaeological site heritage ofUNESCO, located in the vicinity of the temple of Hagar-Qim, built around the third millennium BC.
How to get
From Gozo is Comino it can be reached through one of the many tourist services (10 € A / R - August 2013). While from Gozo it can also be reached via the economical Gozo Channel boat (€ 4.65 round trip - August 2013).
How to get around
By bus
Maltese public transport allows you to move around the entire island in an economical way. Sometimes, depending on the routes, they can be very crowded. Tickets purchased on the Island of Malta are not valid on Gozo (and vice versa).
What see
1 Hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni, Triq Ic Cimiterju, Paola (Reachable by any bus line up to Paola (for example, Route 1,2,3) and a few steps from the bus stops.), ☎ 356 2142 4231, fax: 356 2124 4231. 
€ 35 full, € 20 reduced, € 15 children. 
09:00-16:00. The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is an underground structure excavated in 2500 BC. Thought to be originally a sanctuary, it became a necropolis in prehistoric times. It is the only prehistoric underground temple in the world. To ensure its conservation, the microclimate of the site is strictly regulated. For this reason, the site is open to a maximum of 80 visitors per day. Each tour is limited to ten visitors with eight tours each day. A tour of the site begins with a short introductory exhibition and a multilingual audiovisual film focusing on the peoples building the temple and the hypogeum's relationship to Malta's temple sites. Advance booking on the Heritage Malta website is highly recommended. If you are unable to book in advance, tickets for the next day's tours at 12pm and 4pm are sold at Valletta Museum of Fine Arts the day before. They are sold on a first come, first served basis. Plan to queue half an hour to an hour and a half in advance to guarantee your ticket purchase.
€ 35 full, € 20 reduced, € 15 children. 
09:00-16:00. The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is an underground structure excavated in 2500 BC. Thought to be originally a sanctuary, it became a necropolis in prehistoric times. It is the only prehistoric underground temple in the world. To ensure its conservation, the microclimate of the site is strictly regulated. For this reason, the site is open to a maximum of 80 visitors per day. Each tour is limited to ten visitors with eight tours each day. A tour of the site begins with a short introductory exhibition and a multilingual audiovisual film focusing on the peoples building the temple and the hypogeum's relationship to Malta's temple sites. Advance booking on the Heritage Malta website is highly recommended. If you are unable to book in advance, tickets for the next day's tours at 12pm and 4pm are sold at Valletta Museum of Fine Arts the day before. They are sold on a first come, first served basis. Plan to queue half an hour to an hour and a half in advance to guarantee your ticket purchase.- Another possibility is to virtually visit the site through an audiovisual support of 20 minutes for € 5.
What to do
At the table
Safety
Although in the past the island was more "lively", today it is considered a quiet destination for families.
The island's main hospital, Mater Dei Hospital, can be contacted on 356 2545 0000.
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Island of Malta
Commons contains images or other files on Island of Malta
