Valletta Shopping

Just inside Valletta's main gate (Bieb il-Belt in Maltese), lies Freedom Square. All around the square you will find small shops and people selling souvenirs of Malta. Maltese lace is very popular. I think the lace is beautiful.

In the Square as you enter the gate the wall continues to the left and is attached to large buildings supported by large columns. In the portico areas here are shops with interesting items which is where I found the perfect souvenir of Malta for me--- wonderful watercolor prints of sights in Malta! These beautiful, pastel watercolor washes over pencil drawings were irresistible finds, and inexpensive too. The only difficult part was bringing them home without defects.

There were prints of varying sizes but all that I remember were that they were 5- 8 euros apiece.

What to buy: If I am ever lucky enough to visit Malta once again, I would shop for prints again to bring home for gifts as they are easy and inexpensive to frame. (However, I would bring a mailing tube to store them in so they would not get damaged!!)

Two of the prints I brought home from this trip are now hanging in my living room!

Charles Grech & Co. Ltd. is the place to buy locally produced liqueurs... theo nly problem is to find this store, as it is easily missed: in fact it is located downstairs from a perfume shop. This shop is historic, as it opened its door way back in 1881.

What to buy: Buy local Maltese Zeppi liqueurs: Bajtra (Prickly Pear), Lewza (Almond), Honey, Rummiena (Pomegranate), Buzbieza (Fennel), Tina (Fig) and Harruba (Carob). The pricky pear one is particularly tasteful.

What to pay: about 12-14 euros a bottle

Only local beer in Malta is CISK. The can of small CISK in the shop is 0.5 cents of pound = 1.1 euro.
Try it, it's a good beer!

If you like beer, you can buy something cheaper! In almost evry tourist shop you can find 4 large cans of some German beer for 1 LM = 2.2 euros.

Here i'm going to list some prices in souvenir shops:

Postcards 0.25 LM + stamp 0.16 LM
Large postcards 0.50-0.75 LM
T-shirts with Malta prints 4-6 LM
Beer glass with Malta print 3-5 LM
Small flag of Malta 3LM
Beach towel with Malta print 3.5 LM

The old city pedestrian street is also the main shopping street of course. Here you can do your shopping for fashion, souvenirs or whatever, it just tent to be crowded on Saturday and on peak holidays.

There is an open air market every day in Valletta. During the week it is held in Merchants Street and on Sundays it is held outside Valletta, instead of the bus terminus and it is larger as well. They start about 8.00 in the morning and at 12.00 they start packing! You can find some really good bargains from the markets, but beware of the fakes.....

Photo coming soon :)

At the Embassy Shopping Complex, you will find many different good quality shops all under one roof and also six cinema screens, a food court and also a large games room. Some of the shops are Benetton, Blue Spirit, Terranova, Agenda Book Shop etc

Each item by the Mdina Glass is handmade and truly original and unique and would make a great souvenir. You can also see them being made at the Crafts Village in Ta' Qali. They have a great variety of items there and also at their shop in Valletta.