Mediterranean weather brings short, mild winters and long, hot summers. In the winter months the day temperature rarely   drops below 16C - so there is never frost or snow. Summer temperatures are cooled by sea breezes but often reach the  mid-30C. Annual rainfall is low, averaging 578mm a year and the bulk of that falls between October and March. Malta  has about five to six hours of daylight in the winter but more than 12 hours in the summer months.

COMMUNICATIONS

While an overseas telephone international direct-dialing service connects the Maltese Islands to the rest of the world, there is also a 24 hour operator service. Charges depend on destination and duration of call, but cheaper rates apply all day Saturday and Sunday and on public holidays. Public telephones taking cash or phonecards are dotted about the Islands. Phonecards issued by Telemalta are available from stationers, post offices and card vending machines in prominent locations.Telegrams, telexes and fax can be sent from hotels and from Telemalta branches which are strategically located throughout the Islands. There is satellite and cable television with a wide variety of channels receiving programs broadcast from Europe and further afield. Foreign newspapers arrive daily. There are also local daily and Sunday newspapers in English.

CURRENCY 

Malta recently converted to the Euro (EUR). Maltese banks accept travellers cheques and will exchange all major currencies. On leaving Malta visitors should ensure they have a Foreign Exchange receipt to enable them to change their Maltese money back to their own local currency. In tourist resorts banking hours are extended for exchange services and some have 24 hour automated exchange machines. Major credit cards are accepted by most hotels and restaurants.

CAR HIRE

Cars can be hired on a single day basis or for longer periods and all prices should include fully comprehensive insurance. The conditions state that anyone hiring a car must be 25 or over and hold a national or international driving license. A green card is required if bringing vehicles to the Islands for a stay of up to three months. Driving is on the left and there is a speed limit of 40 miles per hour (64km per hour) or 25 mph (40 kph) in built-up areas. Petrol stations sell leaded and unleaded fuel, and close at 6pm from Monday to Saturday. A select few areopen on Sundays and public holidays in rotation and their addresses are published in the newspapers.

CUSTOMS

Personal belongings are not liable to duty but objects like video cameras and laptop computers ought to be declared. Tax free allowances for adults are 200 cigarettes or the equivalent in cigars or 250 grams of tobacco, one litre bottle of spirits and one litre bottle of wine, and bona fide gifts for residents to the total value of Lm5O. Tax free goods may be ordered from various retail outlets and Air Malta Sales offices. Malta International Air-port has tax free shops in both the Arrival and Departure lounges.

ELECTRICITY 

Standard supply is 240 volts single phase. Standard British 3 square pin sockets are used.

ENTRY PERMIT 

Visitors from most European and Commonwealth countries and the USA do not require visas for stays up to three months for holidays and unpaid business travel.

HEALTH

Standards of health and hygiene are generally high. There is a large government hospital in Malta and one in Gozo, and a number of efficient clinics dotted all over the Islands that are open 24 hours a day. In addition, Malta also has two private hospitals offering high standard care and services.

Pharmacies are open morning and evenings from Monday to Saturday and the few that open on a roster on Sunday mornings are listed in the local press. Pharmacies stock most prescription drugs and some have general practitioners and specialists in attendance.

No specific vaccinations are needed for visitors from central Europe, America and the Commonwealth. Visitors from Mid and South Africa must have certificates of vaccination against Yellow Fever. People arriving from countries of the former Soviet bloc must have certificates of vaccination against diphtheria.

Tap water is safe to drink although purified or bottled water is recommended.

LANGUAGE

 Maltese is a Semitic language based on classical Arabic but significantly influenced by the major European languages. It has adopted many words and phrases from Italian, French and even16th  century Spanish. Officially Malta is bi-lingual - Maltese and English - and English is widely spoken. Due to the popularity of Italian television channels, a large percentage of the Maltese also understand and speak Italian. Most tourist attractions have multilingual commentaries or printed notes for overseas visitors.

RELIGION

Malta is officially Roman Catholic and in Valletta, and some holiday resorts, Mass is said in several languages. There is a Protestant cathedral in Valletta and churches for other Christian denominations. Times of services are listed on church noticeboards and are also available from tourist offices. There is a small mosque and a Jewish community that meets in a private house after their synagogue was demolished.

TIME

Malta is one hour ahead of GMT and two hours ahead when Europe changes to Summer time.

TRANSPORT

Local transport is by bus or ferry. Public buses are bright yellow and, in the main, run to and from a central terminal outside Valletta's City Gate. Several direct routes between major towns and tourist resorts are being introduced. Fares are inexpensive and weekly tickets are available. Buses run fairly frequently but usually stop between 10pm and 11pm when other transport arrangements have to be made. There is a passenger and car ferry service to Mgarr, Gozo from Cirkewwa in the north of Malta that runs from 6am every hour to 1130pm in the winter months but every half hour in the peak summer months when it often runs until 1 am. There is also a helicopter service operating between Malta Interna-tional Airport and the Heliport at Xewkija, Gozo. There are several car hire companies, and bicycles and scooters can also be hired. For more unusual ways of seeing the Islands, try a trip in a vintage bus, a traditional horse drawn carriage (Karrozzin) or a jeep safari.