Hi Emily, sounds to me like you would be best staying in Sliema, it's a nice traditional town by the sea, it has good bars and places to eat with Il-Merill on St Vincent Street being our favorite, Sliema still has a sedateness about it although you will find everything you need there, it is also a short ferry or bus ride from the magnificent capital of Valletta which was built by the knights of St John after there expulsion from Rhodes, Valletta is a UNESCO world heritage city with great buildings, museums, views, harbours & bastions, it also has good shopping and places to eat and drink, please feel free to ask me as many questions as you want about Sliema, Valletta, or Malta in general, I can assure you there is no where quite like Malta it is very unique and I am sure that you will love it.

Inselli ghalik (best wishes)
Sliema2

Hello emily, the bus is the cheapest way but all buses go via Valletta so this would mean two buses so I would plum for a taxi, but before you get in make sure you fix a price that you are happy with.
The one resort I would say you would like is Sliema it has all the things you have put down on your list and is easy to get around from here.
The buses on the Island are cheap to use and even cheaper if you get a 3 or 5 day pass.
The list of things to see would take as long to write as it would to go round and see them, so here are a few web sites to have a look at, and for a better idea of the sites of Malta a travel guide is always a help.

http://www.maltahotel.net

http://www.searchmalta.com

http://www.visitmalta.com

There are lots more and I am certain others will give you some more, have a great time and don't forget to Gozo. (A, Mark) Hope this is a help.

Dave

Dave

I was getting worried until I saw the end of your post - isn't it forum rules thst Gozo must be mentioned atleast once every post ??? - as for Sliema2, shame on you !

Emily, Gozo sounds perfect for what you want, apart from the "fairly easy to get to from the airport" part. However, you could catch the helicopter to Gozo from the airport - not cheap at £80 pp - but only 20 mins - yeh, I know, probably the same as the value of your free airline tickets ! Alt, taxi to ferry terminal, ferry, then stay at Grand Hotel, Mgarr - walking distance from ferry terminal in Mgarr (total travelling time - taxi 40 mins, say 30 mins wait for ferry, 30 mins ferry, 5 mins walk, so just under 2 hours). Loads of good restaurants at Mgarr. From Mgarr, can use buses to explore Gozo. How long are you going to stay in Malta, and which month ?

normally I'd also recommend Ta Cenc hotel in Sannat, Gozo, but I and alot of others have "issues" with the owners who have applied for a massive development which "we" are opposing - they want to build the following at Ta Cenc

double size of hotel, and build another, three story 80 room hotel
build 59 bungalows
build an additional 56 villas
restrict public access

for those of you who have walked at Ta Cenc, you will know its one of the most beautiful, unspoilt areas of Malta. Oh yes, the same developer also owns St Patricks Hotel, Xlendi and Cornucopia Hotel, Xaghra, so I won't be recommending those for now either. If anyone wants further info, post here or send me a pm. Politics over

I would definetly recommend the Grand Hotel in Mgarr Gozo so much so we are going back to stay there for a few days(19th-22nd feb).Medhotels have some fantastic half board offers on for the Grand at the mo

well worth e-mailing the hotel direct to see what rates they will offer

http://www.grandhotelmalta.com/english/location.htm
info@grandhotelmalta.com

Agree about Gozo, its perfect. I think it will have to be The Grand now the I'mgarr has gone. Sad to hear about my other choice at Sannat.
Sorry Mark, but half expected to hear something about the Ta Cenc, stayed there for my honeymoon 6 years ago, it was just perfect, surely the area is a presevered area what with the cart tracks etc, best of luck at stopping the development, afraid my hubby said that will be developed when we heard who had bought it, if ...... .... loves the island he should respect its beauty.
Jay

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and the links

I can't beleive what I just read about the Ta Cenc, stayed there in 2002 and have vowed that when the kids grow up we would go back. (won't be able to afford it till then ). I hope the owners don't spoil it and the surrounding area which is all part of its charm.

Hi Jayjaya - all ...... .... loves is money and himself !

Hi doepsmc - only way of stopping him spoiling it is by stopping it ! Once develpoers get the go-ahead to a project here, the controls are minimal, especially for a big developer like this

for anyone wishing to read more, this is an excellent article, that appeared in The Times of Malta, but read it within the next few days as after that you cannot access the article for free

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=210819&hilite=ta+cenc

Hello Mark, what a shame about the Ta'Cenc hotel it looks like it is going from one of the best hotels in the archipel-ago to just another big hotel, I have always wanted to try this hotel but if it does get to big, then it will be one more off the list.

http://www.vjborg.com

dave

Oh yes and of course I should add that you must visit Gozo it is a fab liitle island especially when it is open Ciao Mark u prosit

Sliema2

Well if its like that then, what about Filfla if it ever opens.
Dave

Ta Cenc decision should be taken in the next couple of months - in 6 weeks time, the local council elections are held in Sannat, where Ta Cenc is. Should be very interesting - of the three parties

Nationalist - in favour of development and a golf course
Labour - against development but in favour of golf course
AD (green) - against development and a golf course

so atleast its a clear choice (and as its a local election, foreigners who are resident can vote if they are EU citizens)

oh yes, didn't I mention the developers want a golf course as well.... so in a country short of land and short of water, the 2 main parties agree on the first thing in years, that they want more golf courses - bonkers

Emily - sorry for the hijacking

Yeah sorry Emily the hijack was my fault

As well as Gozo, we stayed in St Julians in Malta and just thought I would say that although we had a good time, it was a huge contrast to Gozo with it being very busy and lively. I knew this when I booked and it was what I wanted as I needed to keep my kids entertained and could only get away with Gozo for one week. If you like quiet then St Julian's is probably one to avoid.

Hope you manage to book something suitable and have a great holiday.

Hello Emily,

I can't believe that no one had mentioned Mellieha. http://www.mellieha.com.

It will cost by taxi from the airport no more than 10Lm and should take no more time to get to and from the airport than 40 mins.

From here you can easily visit Gozo as the ferry port is a mere 10 minute bus journey. Valletta and Sliema are around a 30 min bus journey and also you have St Pauls, Buggiba and Qawra ten minutes away. There are plenty of fine restaurants and the walks and views from around this area, not to mention the beaches! are simply fantastic.
Also as well as all this there is Mellieha itself.

Hi Emily,the reply about buses was not up to date.Not all the buses go via Valleta, you can now take a bus from Sliema all along the coast road up as far as the ferry in the far north of the island. You can also now go direct from Sliema inland to Mdina via Mosta and Ta Quali craft village.These run about every half hour . You may be able to get a timetable from the hotel or failing that you will pick one up at the tourist office in Valleta. From Sliema it is nice to take the ferry to Valleta. It is more expensive than the bus but only takes a few minutes and these sail every half hour. there is a steep hill from the ferry but not very far. it brings you into the middle of Republic street, the main shopping street.

Hope this is of some use to You

Sue's Mum