|
In this page: About the book | Reader's updates & corrections | IMP UPDATE - Malta changes its telephone numbers in May 2002.
About the Book
Even at 432 pages jammed with facts and commentary, getting under the skin of the Maltese islands is no easy task - I set out to write the most perceptive guidebook on Malta and Gozo. In my research I found that other guidebooks on the market were lacking in some blatant ways - some displayed a jaded, condescending and at times dismissive attitude towards Malta, and, on the other hand, all of them filled the background history without setting a sense of place, an immediacy of culture - the flavour of Malta today. Many guidebooks only mention the obvious restaurants or bars or clubs, and they skimp on some interesting sights: everyone largely overlooks Comino; no one covers wildlife or the development of architecture; no one delves deeply into the Neolithic Era and the modern-day pilgrimages to these ancient temples. Not only did I watch out for these pitfalls, I also tried to deliver an understanding of the islands' present cultural outlook. Mine is not the longest guidebook, but it is the most complete and best informed; and the research is superlative.
Besides covering the main visitor sights, I looked for little-known but absorbing sights - such as Fort Rinella, the Dominican Monastery, out-of-the-way coves and creeks in Gozo, Comino that has its own chapter, the Manderraggio district in Valletta. Among the Listings, I cover outdoor pursuits from scuba diving to rock climbing to bird watching; there is a long feature on town feasts, and a beach guide that directs people to the beaches that would suit them. In cafes, nightlife and entertainment I look beyond the obvious resort-type or waterfront spots to find the memorable places known to insiders and regulars. The accommodation listings review the best crop of outfits across price ranges and geography. In eating, the sixty restaurants reviewed are the best places across price ranges: in fact, I can confidently claim that the restaurant section is the most authoritative and accurate restaurant guide available on the market, better than any published in Malta. The Contexts section builds the larger picture - the readable history of the Maltese islands (30 pages long) is followed by long essays on Wildlife and the Environment which details the kind of flora and fauna one could encounter on land and at sea, and an essay on architecture that discusses the development of the distinct Maltese architecture, including the impressive military architecture developed by the Knights and the British.
Table of Contents
Read an excerpt: the essay on Architecture in Contexts
Sales Info
For readers everywhere:
Readers' Recommendations, Updates and Corrections:
Things change - restaurants shut, clubs empty, telephone numbers change - so if you notice that listings in the Rough Guide to Malta & Gozo are out of date or accounts in the guide need updating (a museum might change its displays, or open a new wing), write to the Rough Guides, marking letters or emails Rough Guide Malta and Gozo and send to Rough Guides, 62-70 Shorts Gardens, London WC2H 9AH or Rough Guides, 4th Floor, 345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. Alternatively, send letters to the author. Emails should be sent to rgmalta@victorborg.com and enclose a copy to mail@roughguides.co.uk.
Likewise, corrections and comments are much appreciated.
Thank you for your help!
|
