To give the Knights of Malta their correct title, they should be called Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, and they were originally established in 1085. Membership consisted of a federation of monks responsible for looking after the sick and injured at the Hospital of St. John in Jerusalem. Later on, they evolved into a military order, defending crusader territory in the Holy Lands of the Middle East and safeguarding Medieval Pilgrims journeying along treacherous routes from Europe. Throughout history, these Knights were recruited exclusively from the noble families of France, Italy, Spain, England and Portugal, with the Order gaining vast wealth from these aristocratic sons of the most wealthy and powerful families that Europe had to offer at the time.

In 1522, the Knights were expelled from their home-base which at the time was the island of Rhodes. The Emperor, Charles V, gave them the choice of Tripoli or Malta and in 1530; they took up residence on Malta, staying for a further 268 years, transforming what they called a rock into a flourishing island-fortress with impenetrable defences, and the symbol on their flag became known as The Maltese Cross. The Order was ruled by a “Grand Master” who answered directly to the Pope. They built a new capital city, Valletta, which was named after Jean Parisot de la Valette, the Grand Master at the time. In Valletta, they built the “Sacra Infermeria”, a hospital that could accommodate 500 patients of different classes, and was essentially the world-leading, free-clinic of its day.

In 1798, the French took control of Malta and the Knights left Malta, scattering widely throughout Europe. Today, there are around 12,500 members of the Order of Malta worldwide. These modern-day Knights and Dames are devoted to the exercise of Christian virtue and charity, and committed to achieving Christian spiritual perfection and to using their energies caring for others. They are presided over by the Grand Master and Sovereign Council based in Rome. Several websites and wiki sites are dedicated to research and history of these ancient orders.

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Film producers have been using Malta as a location for the past four decades for two main reasons: The Mediterranean Film Studios at Rinella has a purpose-built, 300-foot wide water tank blending with the horizon.

At the Rinella movie park, there is also a deep water tank which are often used to shoot scenes “at sea”, and Malta’s unspoilt scenery can, in effect, “double” as many different countries. In the late 1970s, Alan Parker’s epic, Midnight Express was filmed partly on Malta, with the barracks at Fort St Elmo doubling as a Turkish prison. In 1980, the film Popeye starring Robin Williams was shot on location at Anchor Bay, with the “village” of Sweethaven being purposely constructed for the set. Sweethaven still stands to this day, and has become a children’s theme park called “Popeye Village”.

Other movies filmed in Malta include Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning Gladiator, which was filmed over a 3-month period using a replica of the Colosseum which was specially built at Fort Ricasoli in 1999. Actors Russell Crowe, Joaquin Pheonix, Richard Harris and Oliver Reed starred in the massive production, with Reed sadly passing away in a bar in Valletta during a break in filming. Birgu’s Couvre Port was also used whilst filming night-time scenes close to the climax of the storyline.

In 2003, work on a vast set for the film Troy began with the building of the “city”, the “gates” and the “King’s palace” constructed at Ricasoli using hundreds of Maltese craftsmen. Actors Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Saffron Burrows, Eric Bana and Peter O’Toole starred in the movie which had a budget of $150 million and was one of the most popular films of 2004. As well as using the specially built sets, scenes for the film were recorded at Golden Bay, Mellieha, The Blue Lagoon and Riviera Beach.

The Mediterranean Film Studio’s water tank was used for a number of movies including:

• U-571 starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton and Jon Bon Jovi;
• Raise the Titanic starring Alec Guinness;
• Swept Away produced by Guy Ritchie and starring Madonna;
• Cuttthroat Island, a pirate adventure starring Geena Davis.

In the past few years, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and The Count of Monte Cristo were filmed on Malta’s sister islands of Gozo and Comino. The most recent blockbuster to be filmed in Malta was Agora in 2009.

If you happen to know about more movies filmed in Malta, please leave a mention below, thanks!

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Swinging was considered part of the sexual revolution that took place in the 1960s and 1970s, although its origins took root in ancient times.

One writer, Terry Gould, claims that swinging started during World War 2, when it became popular with US Air Force pilots and their respective wives.

However, it was unusual for Air Force wives to accompany their husbands on tours of duty, and other sources claim that the original participants were those posted to the California Desert, beginning in military communities in the 1950s, before gaining popularity in suburban society. In a Rome, group sex and orgies were depicted in mosaics and artwork of the time, so “swinging” was indeed popular in early European society.

Swinging is generally an organised activity, with over 3,000 clubs and organizations existing worldwide; over 1,000 of which have an online presence. Most European cities have at least one swinging club, although they aren’t really publicised amongst the general community. You have to be “in the know” and be introduced by a friend or associate, or sign-up to a website.

In Malta, with the country having an outwardly-conservative society, there are no publicly advertised swingers clubs per se. In the past, when a lot of military were based on the island, Strait Street in Valletta could well have provided an opportunity to take part in more adventurous sexual activity, but today, the scene is more underground. An online search gives the details of several sites with the details of swinging couples and groups – rather than clubs – in Malta. One site mentions “Couples (both bi and straight) and bi-females most welcome.” Single males, however, are generally discouraged from joining in with the activities. Obviously, safe-sex is important, and anyone partaking in such activity is implored to practice this by the couples taking part.

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However, delve a little deeper, and you will come across a thriving local music scene, with a variety of genres; a couple of the most popular being death and heavy metal. Malta has hosted it’s own Extreme Metal Festivals with a good number of local bands taking part, and these events have been attended by both local and international fans.

Doom metal fans in May last year, attended the Malta Doom Metal Festival at Poxx bar, Paceville. Other bars that feature some of the best heavy metal bands in Malta are Rookies and Remedy.

Several bands from Malta have featured in overseas festivals and have toured extensively, and one thing that seems to stand out with the Maltese bands is the quality and artistry, with excellent reviews in the media. One of these bands is Forsaken, formed back in the early 1990s. Their albums, Dominaeon, Evermore and Anima Mundi were released on cd and vinyl and were very well-received in Germany, UK, USA and The Netherlands. Their most recent album “After the Fall” was released on April 1st 2009, this is Forsaken’s first collaboration with I Hate Records based in Sweden. They also took part in the Martial Arts vs Rock Bands festival in Floriana, Malta in January 2010.

Another local heavy metal band experiencing success internationally is Loathe, who have toured the UK over the past few years, playing venues in London, Birmingham, Manchester and other cities. In 2009, Loathe recorded their first album, Despondent by Design, to be released in 2010. Loathe have played on the same bill as SLIT, Sabbat, Let ‘Em Bürn, SLAB and Detonation.

Knockturn Alley is another popular Maltese metal band who, in 2009, toured Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and played their closing date in Finland, whist promoting their album Medusa. Knockturn Alley was formed in 2004 and has a good-sized following on Facebook too.

There are several other heavy metal bands involved in the local scene such as Dark Quarterer, Seismic, Nomad Son and Deluge of Sorrow. The next Metal event in Malta is the Pre-Valentine Massacre on 9th February 2010 featuring Loathe, Knockturn Alley and Seismic at Remedy Club, Paceville.

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This modern Malta airport is situated between Luqa and Gudja, 5 kms southwest of Malta’s capital city, Valletta, and the terminal was opened in 1992.

There was an older passenger terminal built in the period 1956-58 and that was in use from 1958 until the new terminal was opened; the old terminal is now used as the base for Air Malta cargo services. Historically, the British military forces based in Malta built several airfields for use during wartime, these were based at Hal Far, Ta’Qali, Safi and Luqa. These were severely bombed during WW2, so a new airport was built at Luqa to cater for the incresing numbers of passengers using airliners from the 1950’s onwards.

Air Malta is the national airline and its base is at the Malta International Airport, flying mainly European routes with a fleet of Airbus aircraft. With Malta being a popular holiday destination, many airlines fly to Malta, with more flights operated in the summer months. The budget carriers easyjet and Ryan Air operate flights on a year-round basis to Manchester, Gatwick, Luton, Dublin and others and new routes are being added in 2010 to Bornemouth, Liverpool, Leeds/Bradford, Rome and Milan. Other European airlines flying routes to Malta include Lufthansa, Alitalia, Vueling, Thomson, Thomas Cook and Jettime. Non-European routes include Dubai via Larnaca with Emirates, Tunis with Sevenair and Tripoli with Libyan Arab Airlines.

Facilities at the airport include a range of land and air side shops, cafes and bars. Landside, there is KFC, Burger King, Fat Harry’s pub, Samsonite, an Agenda newsagent and bookstore, a late-night pharmacy and a viewing gallery with a restaurant. Once passengers have gone through passport control and security, there is a large duty-free shop with a range of spirits, cigarettes and perfumes, a Hard-Rock cafe/bar, jewellery stores and designer outlets. There is also a cafe with a large outdoor terrace.

For passengers arriving in Malta, there is a duty-free shop in the arrivals hall, cash-machines and a bank/exchange bureau. Car-hire is available at the Airport, and the bus number 8 runs to Valletta every 20 minutes. Taxis are available to any destination in Malta or Gozo 24 hours a day.

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Situated on the water’s edge, right on the quay of the yacht marina, Mamma Mia affords diners with some excellent views over to Valletta in the distance. There’s seating available outside on the terrace or in the restaurant which benefits from ample natural light and contemporary design throughout.

Mamma Mia Restaurant was originally located in Sliema, where it opened its doors in 2001, but soon outgrew the size of the premises. In 2004, the team moved Mamma Mia to its current location, where there is adequate seating for 240 people. Service is quick and efficient, with a highly experienced team looking after the front of house operations. In the 2009 edition of The Definitively Good Guide to restaurants in Malta and Gozo, Mamma Mia was rated highly in the lively, child-friendly, business categories, and was the most-mentioned restaurant by readers of the book.

There’s an absolutely massive choice on the menu. Starters include a selection of homemade soups, chicken liver pate, garlic bread, octopus in garlic and an excellent Caprese. Mains include salads, such as Parma ham and rocket, Chicken Caesar and the House salad which is a combination of nuts, feta, melon and seasonal greens, there’s also a great variety of pizza and pasta dishes. For meat lovers, there are a number of options including ribs, steak, lamb and chicken specialities. Although portion sizes are on the large side, try and leave some room for one of the delicious desserts, such as Tiramisu, Banoffee pie or the Cassata Siciliana.

There’s no doubt that the restaurant gives patrons excellent value for money, with starters ranging from €1.50 to €6.95, main courses from €6.50 to €18.95 and desserts from €3.00 to €4.00. There’s a decent range of local and foreign wines, with some half-bottle sizes available, a pint of local lager is reasonable at €2.75 and of course, a full range of soft drinks, coffees and shakes are on offer. Many customers return to Mamma Mia regularly, whether it’s with their families, friends or business associates.

Mamma Mia Restaurant Malta
Ta’ Xbiex Seafront, Ta’ Xbiex
Tel: (+356) 21337248
Tel: (+356) 27337248

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With a residential population of almost 13,500, the town is also a popular tourist resort with numerous hotels, bars and restaurants. Shopping in Sliema is centred on Tower Road where there is a wide variety of local shops, international high-street and designer outlets and a choice of supermarkets. Many of the hotels and cafes line the harbour along a stretch of road known as The Strand.

The boats moored on the waterfront here offer a selection of excursions. These include harbour cruises, day and evening trips to Comino and The Blue Lagoon and days out sailing around Malta and Gozo. There is also a regular ferry service across the harbour to Malta’s capital city, Valletta.

The town’s motto is “Celer ad Oras Surgo” (hastily from the coast arisen), which refers to the fact that Tas-Sliema map grew rapidly as a residential area in the late 19th century. Once known as il-Qortin, the burgeoning town’s Stella Maris church was declared a parish in its own right in 1878, when it was separated from that of Birkirkara. Wealthy Valletta residents built summer houses in Sliema Malta around this time, and some survive to this day.

Accommodation caters for both the holiday and business traveller, with a variety of 3 and 4 star hotels including The Preluna, The Park and The Metropole. In addition there are two 5-star hotels, The Fortina Spa Hotel near to Tigne Point and the Palace next to St James Capua hospital. Both the 5-star and some of the 4-star establishments offer a range of gym and spa facilities, as well as massages, facials and other beauty treatments. All the hotels have good dining outlets; some have a wide choice of restaurants providing a variety of cuisines including Japanese, Thai, Indian and Mediterranean. Most Sliema hotels offer Sunday buffets, especially popular with families.

At Tigne Point, a large project is underway to build a luxury integrated leisure, retail and residential complex. Office space will also be available and this contemporary development will also ensure the restoration of Fort Tigne, built in 1792 and one of the few defences built by the Knights that attempted to block Napolean’s invasion in 1798.

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Both apartments have been recently built and are fully furnished as you can imagine, since my friends are still living in them. The two bedroom apartment is situated just off the main Tourists Street in Bugibba and the three bedroom apartment is located in a quiet area in Mellieha, yet still very close to the centre of the village too.

These locations are two of the most popular touristic areas in Malta, host to the largest sandy beaches and packed with restaurants, bars, shops and other entertainment facilities, including a cinema in Bugibba, casino, etc. These Malta apartments are ideal for small families as well as expats moving to the Maltese Islands.

3 Bedroom Apartment for Sale in Malta (Mellieha) – €160,000

A freehold first floor flat, serviced by a lift. This three bedroom apartment consists of a kitchen/dining area, bathroom, main bedroom has a shower ensuite and include ownership of half the roof. Being sold fully furnished, it includes two 42″ LCD TVs, skirting throughout and pine doors too. Contact owner directly by phone on (+356) 99872941 or 21521544 or email for more photos, details or to arrange viewing.

2 Bedroom Apartment for Sale in Malta (Bugibba) – €105,000

This two bedroom apartment is located on the highest floor (3rd) in a peaceful residential complex. All floors are serviced with a lift. It consists of an open-plan spacious kitchen/dining and living area, a bathroom equipped with automatic washing machine, a fully air-conditioned main bedroom with an ensuite shower and a balcony overlooking the main street. This property is being sold fully furnished and includes a 36″ flatscreen TV with satellite reception, designer dining and coffee table as well as Natuzzi six seater corner sofa. A one car garage, situated next to the apartment, is available for rent or sale too. For more details contact owner by email or phone on (+356) 99888400 or 21570636.

If you’re interested to know more about the above apartments for sale in Malta, feel free to leave a comment below or contact the owners directly.

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Daytime temperatures average 15 degrees Centigrade, with a daytime temperature of 18°C considered warm and 11°C considered cold. Night-time temperatures average 9°C with 5°C classified as unusually cold. Together with November and December, January is one of the wettest months in the Mediterranean and Malta is no exception, with an average of 95 mm falling during the month. January however, feels much colder than December and there is a Maltese saying, “Qabel il-Milied, la bard u lanqas ksieh” which roughly translates as “There’s no cold before Christmas”.

January and February are usually the coldest months of the year in Malta. Up until 2008, the coldest day on record was on 31st January 1999 with a maximum temperature of 8.5°C. This record was broken in 2008, when temperatures only reached 7.9°C at the Balzan weather station, with other localities recording temperatures as low as 6 or 7°C. Compared to Northern Europe though, Malta in January is much warmer, and temperatures never fall below freezing, so snow never falls on the islands.

The sea has a surface temperature in January of around 15°C, so diving is still possible on calmer days. One activity that is becoming more popular is kite-surfing, and breezy days are ideal for lovers of the winter sport to take to the blue waters of Mellieha Bay. The sea though, can get rough in January and care should be taken at all times if indulging in such activities.

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Situated in St Julians at the Portomaso Marina, one of the most exclusive addresses in the country, Buffalo Bills is decked out like an old Saloon with an indoor capacity of 125, with an outside terrace seating an additional 75 patrons. There is another similar steakhouse in Bugibba, in the north of Malta.

Being a steakhouse, that’s what customers can expect; freshly imported AAA grade steaks, including Fillet, T-bone, New York Striploin and rump. Steaks are mainly Angus beef flamed over an open grill to your liking. In addition there is a range of kebabs, and main-course options for the more adventurous palate include ostrich and kangaroo.

There are a variety of side dishes, a salad bar, but be warned, portions can be huge, so you may not be able to manage a starter or dessert. There’s a variety of new and old-world wines available by the bottle, and a good selection of beers and spirits to choose from.

Buffalo Bill’s is a family-friendly restaurant, and is open daily for lunch and every evening except Tuesday for dinner. Booking is recommended.

Buffalo Bill Malta
Portomaso
St Julians
Malta

Telephone: (+356) 21 389290

Write your own review of Buffalo Bill restaurant here!

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