Has Anyone Here Ever Been to Malta?

I've been to Malta and Gozo. Don't recall spiders but there were mosquitoes.
Malta is large enough that you can find most things you would want, from nightclubs to ancient monuments, Gozo is very quiet. The roads are OK if you hire a car. A lot of English is spoken. The city of Mdina is worth a visit.

It's been ages since I was there.
I liked Malta a lot and would second Waylander's suggestions. Mdina is fascinating.
There's a Maltese equivalent of Stonehenge that's worth a look on a rainy day. I just can't remember what it's called.

firedrake said:

It's been ages since I was there.
I liked Malta a lot and would second Waylander's suggestions. Mdina is fascinating.
There's a Maltese equivalent of Stonehenge that's worth a look on a rainy day. I just can't remember what it's called.

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These places http://www.missgien.net/stone-age/marvels/introduction.html
The largest is called Ggantija and is on Gozo

I don't think my visit counts since I was a toddler...

My avatar is a picture of a street in Mdina. It's a picturesque island. And I didn't notice any spiders.

And a lovely street it is!

I've been wondering where your av was from, wheelwriter! It is gorgeous!

I had a friend from Isreal in Hungary who used to live in Malta. He loved it. He just said it was beautiful and that I should try to go, but I trust him, so it's a good reference, if vague

Thank you, Cliff face and backslashbaby. I love me some gorgeous scenery.

This is what it looks like, arriving at Malta.


This is a church, carved into a cave. Cool fishing boats.
I just loved something about this. I think there are 365 churches on the island. One for every day of the year.

Wow. Now I want to go.

Perks said:

Wow. Now I want to go.

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Now I want to go again.

*Is glad she's now on right side of Atlantic*

A guy from my high school is now living there and loves it. He posts all the time on FB and it makes me so jealous!

I say, go!

I've never been, but plan to. Not only because of the medieval associations (which are huge), but most especially because of the pre-historic Neolithic stone "temples."

We know almost nothing about the Neolithic residents of Malta, and there's been surprisingly little archaeological work, but take a look at this.

I have been to Malta about 20 years ago - so my information and experience regarding tourist masses aren't exactly up to date. But it is a lovely little country. I was particularly enarmored with how different each of those three Maltese islands looks. While Comino is essentially a large rock, Gozo is all green and lush, while the main island, Malta, is "sandy" and "cave-y" and boasts with gorgeous architecture. We went in August and were lucky enough to witness the annual mule and donkey race in Victoria (capital of Gozo) - probably the single most memorable event of any of my vacations. Malta also offers an interesting and (I believe) unique mix of Western and Arabian influences. Think Sicily with a Moroccan edge. For instance, Malta probably has the highest Catholic population of all of Europe (maybe with the exception of the Vatican... ), but all those Maltese Catholics refer to God as "Allah". I thought that was amazing.

But the whole trip was amazing. Malta offers so much lively and vibrant diversity that I didn't quite expect from a place that tiny.

Oh, and as for spiders: In two weeks (in August) we didn't encounter a single bug, mosquito, spider or any other insect. The main island, Malta, does not have any natural fresh water sources (there's no creek, lake, or river on the island), so I guess the place isn't exactly interesting for insects. Gozo might be different, as it has natural fresh water, but since we stayed at a hotel on Malta and only took day trips to Gozo, I can't really say how bad the bug situation might get there.

Overall, Malta is a wonderful place, and I would love to go again. A friend of mine just wrapped up a three-day gig in Valetta, and he absolutely loved it. I am sure you would enjoy a trip to Malta if spiders are your only concern.