Malta may be small, but it will be difficult to feel bored when it offers so many options for entertainment. Malta’s calendar is jam-packed, with organisers taking advantage of its central location and excellent air connectivity to organise a wide variety of events, some aimed at an entirely foreign audience. Isle of MTV, for example, is Europe’s largest free music festival, with upcoming and established artists alike gracing Floriana’s Granaries with their talent.
The scene has grown rapidly as promoters from the UK, Italy, and elsewhere recognise the country’s potential as a festival destination with a difference, while local festivals like Earth Garden and the Farsons Beer Festival now attract as many foreigners as they do Maltese.
The young, or young at heart, will find a thriving party scene that has become a fixture on the tour dates of popular as well as underground artists, with leading clubs like Gianpula and UNO offering an alternative to the nightlife found in Paceville, Malta’s clubbing Mecca.
Comparisons to Ibiza must however be taken with a pinch of salt. Malta also hosts an array of cultural festivals attracting a more refined crowd. The Malta Jazz Festival, for one, has earned its place among Europe’s fine events for the genre, while the Malta Baroque Festival provides those of a more classical persuasion the chance to enjoy more subtle pleasures.
Events like Valletta’s Notte Bianca and Birgu Fest across the harbour are firm favourites with locals and tourists alike, giving them the opportunity to experience these historic cities in a new (candle)light.
More active types may prefer to go diving or take part in water sport activities, and the lush countryside provides ample hiking opportunities with stunning vistas.
There is plenty more besides to entertain the senses in Malta, chief among which, perhaps, is the sea, which there is ample opportunity to enjoy along the numerous sandy and rocky beaches across Malta, Gozo and Comino – many of which boast Blue Flag status.
Whether it’s beaches with amenities ranging from water sports to culinary establishments or secluded ones where the silence is only interrupted by the rhythmic waves, sunseekers and avid swimmers can explore a different spot each day without growing tired of the breathtaking scenery.
