Leisure

NIGHTLIFE:
The mainland thrives on being a leisure destination and night spots abound. The main area is Sliema/St. Julians where most language schools are located.  
 
OPENING HOURS:
Shop hours in Malta are generally 9–12am. Shops close for the afternoon and re-open between 4pm until 7pm. Supermarkets and some souvenir shops stay open all day.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
1st January, 10th February, 19th March, 31st March, 1st May,  7th June, 29th June, 15th August,
8th  September, 21st  September, 8th  December, 13th December, 25th December.  As well as Good Friday during Easter time.
The school is closed only on Christmas Day, Good Friday and the 15th August. Group lessons are not made up for on these days, however Individual tuition lessons can be made available.

RELIGION:
95% of Maltese are Roman Catholic.

RESTAURANTS:
An abundance of restaurants are available for all tastes and budgets from gourmet dining to fast food. There are a number of restaurants specialising in typical Maltese food, such as fresh fish and Malta's national dish: rabbit cooked in garlic, wine and tomatoes. Malta also offers a   choice of Italian, Chinese and Indian cuisine. 

SAFETY:
Malta is a relatively safe place. Even so, we advise all our students not to take passports, flight tickets and large sums of money with them to the beach or when they go out in the evening. It is a case of ‘better to be safe than sorry’, so caution is recommended and an awareness that Malta is a holiday destination.

SHOPPING:
Gold and silver jewellery, glass, handmade lace, hand-knitted sweaters, copper and brass doorknockers, wine.

SIZE:
Malta is 27 km in length from the most south-eastern point to the most northern point and 14.5 km in width in the east-west direction. 

TELEPHONES:
The easiest way for students to call home is by purchasing a telephone card available from various shops around Gozo and Malta, or from Maltacom Head Offices, in Victoria or Valletta. Cards are available from LM 2 - LM 5. (€5 - €12.5) These cards can all be used to make both local and international phone calls from various telephone boxes around the islands. Telephone boxes which accept coins are not very common in Gozo. From a fixed phone you can save money by using VOiP technology – dial 1021 before the international access code “00” and talk via the internet for €0.0375per minute.