Markets
Local markets are a big part of Maltese life, and islanders enjoy their weekly dose of shopping
at the Sunday markets. Markets are the heart of the Maltese week and a cultural tour of their own, with almost every town and village having its version. They are the time and place for socialising, catching up with neighbours and local news as much as for buying daily necessities.
You'll find them a strange assortment of household goods, clothing, music and toys. For treasure hunting, search the bric-a-brac at the Sunday market, Il-Monti, just outside Valletta's city gate. For more mainstream goods, try the daily market in Merchant Street, Valletta. A weekly market is held on Tuesdays on the outskirts of Cospicua, one of the Thee Cities. Then there is it-Tokk the charming, daily market in the main square in Victoria Gozo at which you'll find everything from fishing pots to beach towels.
For local colour, nothing beats Marsaxlokk fish market. You'll need an encyclopedia to identify the weird, wonderful and exotic but also very edible and tasty fish on display. Many Malta tour operators organise trips to Marsaxlokk, but be prepared for an early start if you want to see the best of the catch. Supermarkets or mini-markets are the best place to pick up groceries if you plan to self cater on your trip, but it is hard to beat the fish market for the best catch.
Jewellery
Local jewellers are renowned the world over for their fine work and superior quality of craftsmanship. You can pick up a piece or two in gold or silver. The earrings, bracelets and filigree brooches are especially beautiful.
Fashion and music
If fashion interests you, head to St. Julian's or Sliema for European designs at Maltese prices. Here you will find modern shopping centres with international designs, music stores, perfume shops, shoes and more. Cafes and restaurants as well as fast food outlets cater to the hungry shopper, making these destinations a mecca for the shopaholic.
Tower Road and Bisazza Street are the shopping hubs of Sliema, but do wander a while into the quieter side streets if you'd like to pick up some more unusual clothes, shoes or even knick knacks for your home.
Antiques
With its rich cultural history, Malta has some great antiques on offer. You'll find fine examples of work from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, and pieces that once belonged to aristocratic families here.
Stores selling antiques are located in most major towns and cities and have high-end antiques dating back several centuries as well as smaller items that are unusual and fun to collect. Another place to hunt for old artefacts and antiques is at the open air markets. Victoria's market in Gozo has some wonderful little antique shops.
Remember, if you pick up any item dating back beyond 50 years, you will have to get an export license for it from the Museums Department.
Local Handicrafts
Handmade glass is a Maltese speciality and factories welcome visitors for tours of their premises and demonstrations of their work. A vase or a figurine with a tinge of Mediterranean blue may be just the thing to adorn your mantelpiece when you get home.
Wickerwork and basketwork are local crafts born of necessity and products made include cane blinds known as hasira, which work well in local homes to keep out strong sunlight in summer. Tourists, though, are more interested in smaller items that can be carried home as souvenirs and craftsmen have developed a number of little items for just this purpose.
Woven woollen rugs and heavy sweaters may seem out of place on a sunny island in the Mediterranean, but Gozo has some great bargains in pure wool that are worth picking up. Also famous locally is the fine handmade lace.
To watch the master craftsmen at work, head to the Ta' Qali Crafts Village where you can also pick up an item or two. Tours are also organised to this village en route Mdina. Gozo also has a wonderful crafts village in San Lawrenz - the Ta' Dbiegi Crafts Village.
To understand more of the Gozitan past and their dependence on cotton, wool and agricultural production, you could visit the Gharb Folklore Museum.
Shopping in Valletta
Over the years, more art and craft stores have come up in renovated precincts around Valletta. For those who like markets, the biggest market in Malta that is held every Sunday morning at St James Ditch just outside the city walls is a must visit.
Valletta has many family owned businesses. Some of them handcraft fine gold and silver filigree jewellery and you can watch it being made on the premises. The Silversmith's Shop at 218 Republic Street is one such workshop where you can see the craftsmen work on the very designs displayed in the window.
Valletta also has a fine selection of Italian shoes made of high quality leather. You can get them at very reasonable prices. The waterfront has some wonderful pottery and glassware shops, which are great to spend time at. For more contemporary shopping, you may want to visit the Forni Shopping Complex, which stocks merchandise from many designer names and chains.
The Embassy Shopping Complex on St Lucia Street has retailers like Benetton and Terranova. Like a typical mall, it has a movie theatre, a food court and an arcade. Another place to shop at is the Savoy Arcade on Naxxar Road. Here you can find clothes, accessories and artefacts.
Street shopping in Valletta is quite exciting, especially if you are looking for souvenirs. Republic Street has quite a few major retailers. Since it is right in the town centre, Republic Street is accessible on foot only.
The best souvenir shops in Valletta are around Manoel Theatre. Check out the Malta Experience and the Great Siege Experience for some elegant mementos. Whether you want to carry a book on Maltese history back with you or choose CDs with local music, these are the places to go.
Sliema and its urban neighbour, coastal St. Julians, are the place for international-style shopping at reasonable prices. There are shopping centres with music, continental European, UK and American fashions, perfumeries, shoes and brand names together with fast-food outlets, restaurants and cafés.
Shopping Hours
Most shops in Malta open at 9 am and close at 1 pm. They are open again from 4 pm to 7 pm. Only a few shops re-open on Saturday afternoons and all of them remain closed on Sundays, which is a day of rest.
