MALTA YACHT CHARTERS

Taking a yacht charter in the Mediterranean is always a wise  choice offering a rich assortment of exquisite sailing destinations and  exciting itineraries to be explored. With 12Knots you are provided with  the top-class yacht charter services in a number of breath-taking  locations boasting the best sailing facilities. Malta may become one of  such sailing destinations you probably highly appreciate, both skippered  and bareboat, depending on your wish and budget.

Conveniently located in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is an island  country occupying a group of five islands, which form the Maltese  archipelago. Three of those islands are populated, they are: Malta,  Comino and Gozo. Also, they are the biggest islands of the archipelago.  The rest two islands are Cominotto and Filfla.

Generally, Malta is geographically positioned between Sicily and the  north of Africa. Due to the mentioned position, Malta, just like many of  the Mediterranean countries, was largely influenced by cultures of both  Europe and the Middle East. That also makes the image of Malta very  much attractive on the cultural side, representing a diverse mixture of  ancient traditions that used to dominate the country during many years.

Valletta is the capital of Malta, the city located on the Island of  Malta, and considered to be the main island of the archipelago. Total  length of the coastline is approximately 197 kilometres (122 miles),  excluding the 56 kilometres belonging to the Gozo island. 

Yacht charter in Malta may be a great chance to take the most of the  country’s rich culture, stunning nature, and warm, always significantly  welcoming atmosphere, as well as the kind attitude of the local people.  Absolutely, with a number of cosy marinas and luxury bays, Malta is for  those, who love sailing. Its crystal waters call to set up sails and  start exploring the Maltese islands. Besides, the area has much to offer  for those who love snorkelling and diving. So one should not miss a  great opportunity to explore the magical underwater world with its  outstanding beauties to be definitely seen.

Malta is the country of various landscapes with its picturesque  tranquil bays and magnificent views of the white cliffs, rocky coastal  areas, always accompanied by the sky-blue waters and pleasant sunshine.

Despite its relatively small area size (316 km²), Malta boasts  history dating back to the ancient times. Strategically located on the  crossroads of the European and African-Asian cultural and trade  connections, Malta’s harbours had been attracting an array of nations  for many years. As a result, a number of cultures, including the Greek,  Roman, Arab, French and the British, used to rule the country up to the  1960's.

The capital city, Valletta, was established in 1571 by the Order of  Knights of Malta, who used to control Malta since 1530. Valletta still  has the ancient stone walls, which were erected in the mid-1560’s when  the fleet of the Ottoman empire lead by Sultan Suleiman attempted to  conquer the Maltese. Those impressive walls survived the both World Wars  and still are the sites to see, if enjoying sailing vacations in Malta.

The major and the official religion of Malta is Catholicism, that is  stated by the country’s Constitution. The Maltese have diverse  traditions due to the same cultural variety caused by various cultural  influences. National and religious holidays are commonly celebrated all  over the country, some towns and villages also celebrate the memorial  dates of their patron saints. One of the symbols generally associated  with Malta is the Maltese Cross. Its four points with eight arms in  total represent the eight lands the knights of the Maltese Order  belonged to.  

So set sails to the Grand Harbor of Malta and enjoy your yacht  charter in the perfect Mediterranean surrounding. Feel free to explore  the passionate Malta and its unique coasts offering all of the local  charm and hospitality. Take a cruising trip to the rich ancient history  of the Maltese islands and walk by the age-old buildings and the famous  protective walls of Valletta, that is absolutely worth it!

As a part of the Mediterranean culinary  scene, Malta also offers a wide range of the most delicious foods and  dishes one can even dream of on a sailing vacation. During your yacht  charter in Malta you definitely must try local cuisine that has strong  Mediterranean cooking traditions and includes many vegetables and  olives. However, a number of the Maltese recipes and meals have the  influence of different cultures that used to be predominant in the  region. French, British, Sicilian and African impacts in food are still  present: people on Malta like to drink tea with milk and enjoy French  bakery.

Generally, the local food can be presented by different soups and  pasta or risotto with a variety of toppings. It can be simply fish,  grilled or baked, and served with fresh tomatoes, capers and a slice of  lemon. Visit one of the waterfront restaurants and try the most fresh  fish served from the night’s catch. There can be a list of recommended  places you may wish to check out when sailing around the Maltese  coastline:

• Located in Valletta, it offers a spectacular interior and cozy  atmosphere. This place is also interesting for being somewhat the museum  of history of the Valletta city.
• Palazzo Preca. Also in Valletta, famous for its seafood servings.
• Ta’ Frenc. Restaurant, situated on the Gozo island. Known mostly for  its locally-oriented cuisine, which uses mainly traditional Maltese  ingredients.

Ta’ Frenc. Restaurant, situated on the Gozo island. Known mostly  for its locally-oriented cuisine, which uses mainly traditional Maltese  ingredients.

The climate of Malta tends to be generally Mediterranean, but more  likely subtropical, warm and mild even at winter season. The  temperature is usually around 23ºC (74°F) during the months from May to  October, and the sun shines bright mostly during the whole summer. The  hottest months are July and September, while there can be cold breezes  from the sea in the night time. But generally, in Malta it is warm even  in winter, which are not long and not so wet as well. Rainfalls may  happen in the period from October to March. In winter the average  temperature is around 14ºC (57°F). The sailing season starts here in  April and lasts to October, while the best period to sail is probably  June-October, when the weather is blessed with steady winds and  agreeable temperatures.

Definitely, taking a yacht charter in Malta is one of the best  ways to explore the rich and diverse cultural heritage of this  Mediterranean land. For those, who consider sailing to be the main  reason to sail, Malta offers a great choice of natural lagoons to be  discovered: the Dwejer Lagoon, the Crystal Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon,  as well as a number of magnificent bays and beautiful beaches in the  areas around the islands of Gozo and Comino. Drop an anchor in Comino to  enjoy swimming in the day-time, or make a stop to stay for a night.  Basically, all the bays of Malta are considered to be safe, and the  coasts are picturesque and worth to be explored. Navigate your itinerary  around the Maltese islands, quite easy at the point of sailing, which  at the same time does not make it worse. The northern part of Malta is  famous for its luxury beach resorts:

1. Golden Bay
2. Mellieha Bay
3. Ghajn Tuffieha