Malta. Did you enjoy this port?

[mickeysgal]

Can someone point me in the right direction on what site to use to book tickets into the Hypogeum?

 

Thank you! :)

[dfwguy62]

Can someone point me in the right direction on what site to use to book tickets into the Hypogeum?

 

Thank you! :)

 

I used this one. http://www.heritagemalta.org/hmshop/hmshop.html

[CintiPam]

I used this one. http://www.heritagemalta.org/hmshop/hmshop.html

 

Three clicks from that site will take you to maltaticket.com, where you buy the tickets.

[ta tommy]

Kif inti? (to the non speakers 'how are you'!) I was born and lived in Malta till my teens. Have been back a few times but in June I'll have one day on a cruise ship. Unfortunately, it's a Sunday and I was wondering if I'll find a shop open that sells Malta filigree - I'm after a small gold Malta Cross pendant.

Thanks. Vera

 

 

 

Tajba hafna, grazzi. ( Very well, thank you ) http://www.vallettawaterfront.com/viset/GalleryOverview.aspx?id=96947

http://www.visitmalta.com/valletta-town

http://www.vallettawaterfront.com/viset/Overview.aspx?id=96910

 

You will find Sterling Jewellers open at the Valletta Waterfront and some shops do open on a Sunday in Valletta.

[Westaussie]

Tajba hafna, grazzi. ( Very well, thank you ) http://www.vallettawaterfront.com/viset/GalleryOverview.aspx?id=96947

http://www.visitmalta.com/valletta-town

http://www.vallettawaterfront.com/viset/Overview.aspx?id=96910

 

You will find Sterling Jewellers open at the Valletta Waterfront and some shops do open on a Sunday in Valletta.

 

Thanks so much for the info - changed alot since I last sailed out of Malta, there was no pier just a dghajsa (rowboat) out to the ship with all our luggage!

 

Would Malta wine and Kinnie be sold in that area too?

 

Vera

[ta tommy]

Thanks so much for the info - changed alot since I last sailed out of Malta, there was no pier just a dghajsa (rowboat) out to the ship with all our luggage!

 

Would Malta wine and Kinnie be sold in that area too?

 

Vera

 

 

Yes, you'll find Kinnie and Maltese wine........How long ago has it been since you last were in Malta????? Malta has come a long way over the last 20 years especially since we joined the European Community.

[mickeysgal]

Tatommy, hope you don't mind another question.

 

I'd like to go to the Hypogeum as our first stop for the day. From there I'd like to go to Mdina. I was planning on taking a cab to the Hypogeum to save time. What would be the best way to get from the Hypogeum to Mdina? I don't think buses go directly there. Do you know if cabs are waiting at the Hypogeum? Or will I have to travel back to Valetta to get ultimately to Mdina?

[ta tommy]

Tatommy, hope you don't mind another question.

 

I'd like to go to the Hypogeum as our first stop for the day. From there I'd like to go to Mdina. I was planning on taking a cab to the Hypogeum to save time. What would be the best way to get from the Hypogeum to Mdina? I don't think buses go directly there. Do you know if cabs are waiting at the Hypogeum? Or will I have to travel back to Valetta to get ultimately to Mdina?

 

As you said there are no direct buses and to go back to valletta is too time consuming. I don't know if there are any taxis outside the hypogeum as I live on the other side of the Island. Why don't you ask the Taxi driver that takes you there to pick you up again and take you to Mdina. Is it possible to e-mail the Hypogeum and ask if there are any taxis outside?

[ta tommy]

Found these 2 sites that you might find useful....maybe e-mail them with your question.

 

 

http://www.transfersmalta.com/malta.htm

 

 

http://www.hotelraider.com/malta-airport-taxi-transfer/

[shopperwhite]

you commented that the tickets are sold for the blue hop on hop off bus right near the pier. where do you pick up the bus?? can you just walk there? thank you.

[friend of Eeyore]

I loved my day on Malta. We did it all on our own - got a full day bus pass near the port, and hopped on. We had a Malta guidebook (I think lonely planet - my review below tells which one for sure), which was invaluable. We got on and off at will (keep your bus tickets), and got to most of the sites we wanted to see. I'd love to go back - we didn't get close to a couple of the big ones (the old buildings - don't remember details, just that it was way off in nowhere-; the Blue Grotto; the underground site), and we'd like to spend more time there.

 

Here's my review, taken from my port review (click here):

 

---------

Valetta, Malta:

Yesterday, we were on Malta. We decided to brave the bus system here as well, despite the warnings of slow, old buses. We woke up early to watch the ship come in to Malta - a nice harbor. It was lovely. Unfortunately, it was so humid that my camera wouldn't cooperate for a couple of minutes, so I missed us actually entering the harbor. (Though I did catch us leaving at the end of the day.) Then, we went back to the room.

 

We decided to leave around 8:30. We exited the ship, got the required port picture taken, and started to walk towards the port. Then, what do you know, my weak ankle caught the only rough pavement (quite a deep little spot, actually), and down I went. I sat on the ground for a few mintes, sat in a chair a few minutes, and then we went to the room for about 15 minutes. I put an ace bandage on (of course I had brought one with me), and around 9:00, we tried leaving again. (I walked on the ankle all day, with the help of 800mg of ibuprofin. I didn't have much pain all day, though I felt it. I'm wearing the ace again today, though I think I won't tomorrow.)

 

So, at 9:00, off we left the ship (again). This time, we walked to the nearest bus stop and caught the bus into Valletta. We ended up paying 3.50 Euro each for an all-day pass. We might have paid a Euro or so less by paying each bus driver individually, but Malta hasn't switched over offically to the Euro (from the Maltese Lira) yet, and so it could have been iffy as to whether or not the driver would have the correct change. So, we bought the all-day pass, and just had to show the receipt each time we boarded.

 

From Valletta, we took the bus straight to Mosta, where we saw the Mosta Dome, the 3rd largest dome in Europe. (Or maybe the 4th - the one in Goza is wider but shorter, but bigger in volume, I think. But Mosta claims it's the third larges, no matter what Goza says.) We saw the dome, and a replica of the bomb that pierced the dome in WWII (it didn't explode), and we think we figured out where it went through - you could kind of see the repair. Surprisingly enough, though the books had said skirts and long pants were mandatory, they were letting in people with long shorts. Shoulders did have to be covered, as well as short shorts, and they had scarves to wrap around if you didn't have one. I had brought a skirt and a t-shirt to put over my tank, and used both, but the guy at the entry protested, and said I just needed to cover my shoulders. (It was very hot that day, and I think he knew how hot I'd get.) However, we were trying to be polite, so I wore both. (Just until I got out - it was very hot.)

 

From Mosta, we caught the bus again, catching a "short-cut" bus to another city, which went through the places we wanted to go. On Malta, most of the bus lines go to and from Valletta, but you can catch a few "short-cut" buses that go across. We went to the Craft Village (can't remember the name of it), and watched the potters and glass-blowers at work. Here, I bought a little Maltese glass and Maltese lace, and a couple of postcards.

 

Catching the same bus, we continued on to Mdina, which is the original walled capital of the island (I think the capital. Walled, certainly.) Here, we walked around the city for a while, looked over the walls around the island, and walked back out. The walled city of Mdina is very small - only a long city block long and wide, I'd say. There were several streets each way, but very short blocks. The "walking tour" that the Lonely Planet book gave us was only 1/2 hour. We didn't go in the cathedral here - they wanted to charge for both the museum and the church, and you couldn't do just the church. Outside Mdina is the suburb of Rabat, where the have some underground tombs/catacombs. I've heard that these are interesting, but we didn't go into Rabat, other than to grab the bus.

 

From Rabat/Mdina, we caught one of the main lines back to Valetta, where we walked halfway down the main thoroughfare, looking at some of the sights. Again, we didn't go in anything, because of the costs. However, I did buy my required t-shirt :> before we left, catching the bus back to the port.

 

All in all, we did have a long day. We got back to the ship around 3:00, and my ankle had had had a long day. The Lonely Planet book on Mosta/Goza was invaluable, and we also picked up a bus schedule at the main Valletta bus terminal.

 

In the afternoon, I played Trivia again, losing again. Last night we actually went to our first "show" on the ship. There was a comedian, Tom Fletcher (I think). He wasn't the best we've heard, but he wasn't the worst. He kept us entertained enough that I didn't leave to go read my book in the piano lounge, which I was prepared to do. So, good enough.

[Westaussie]

Yes, you'll find Kinnie and Maltese wine........How long ago has it been since you last were in Malta????? Malta has come a long way over the last 20 years especially since we joined the European Community.

 

Thanks for this very important information! We can buy Chinotto here but doesn't taste the same! Last time I stayed in Malta for a couple of weeks was about fifteen years ago. Still have cousins and friends I'll be getting together with on my one day there in June. Lived in St Julian's till my mid-teens.

 

Vera

[hat776]

Nowadays you don't have to haggle with the taxi driver.

Just as you disembark, there is a stand from where you pay for a voucher to cover your taxi trip. You just give the voucher to the taxi driver. At least you have your mind at rest that you are paying the official fare and as the price is per taxi, if there are four of you it works out pretty well really.

There is another booth which sells the ticket for the hop on bus and they will show you from where you pick up the bus. If the liner is in Malta for around 7 or 8 hours, they sell the normal 3 hour tour. If the liner is in for only 4 or 5 hours they sell the 2 hour tour.

http://www.maltasightseeing.com/

[Why Knot Me]

I'm reading with interest. We just booked yesterday so I have much catching up to do to get our plans in order. What is glass jewelry, filigree jewelry and the Hypogeum? Thanks!

[avacruiser]

You might like the audio visual Malta Experience -

http://www.themaltaexperience.com/

[detwings]

what would be the price for a private taxi tour of the island via taxi and stopping at St Johns co catherdral for a visit (having them wait for you?) and back to the port for three people? Any help would be appreciated' Thanks

[CasaM]

We will be in Malta on a Sunday. I saw on their website that St. Johns Co Cathedral is open for services but not for tours. I wonder if the cruise lines have special arrangements to get in for tours on Sun. I'd prefer to go on our own, but also don't want to miss it, if we can't get in on our own.

 

Has anyone been there on a Sunday?

[daring]

If we arrive in Malta at 8AM, how soon can we get off the ship? If the ship departs at 3PM, do we have to be onboard at 1PM? I scheduled a taxi for 4 hours and now I'm concerned that we won't be allowed 4 hours if we didn't book with the ship. What ya think? :eek:

[kingart55]

We were in Malta last June on the Noordam. It was easy to get around.

At the entrance to the port we got on the local bus to the terminal at the

entrance to Valletta. It was about 50 eurocents.

We first took the local bus to Mdina and then back to Valletta. Both walled

towns were interesting and the island is very easy to get around by bus on your

own. Malta was never on my list of places to see but now I would highly

recommend it.