Logistics and general information for classroom phase (RPP104) in Malta.
Location for this course is the seaside
town of Birzebbuga, Malta.
Birzebbuga is located in the south of the
island.
This area is quieter than other popular tourist
spots in Malta, particularly in winter.
You will find many amenities close to hand,
including shops, bank, restaurants, coffee shops, bars and, of course, the beach.
Birzebbuga also is the location of the main
shipping port of Malta.
When the port was built, a sandy beach
was constructed in Pretty Bay. The combination of beachfront living with port
views is an interesting one! For more information about the area, click here or here.
Classroom Location
Pretty Bay, Birzebbuga, Malta
Click the link for the
exact location in google maps.
The street name is Triq Il-Profs. Anton Tabone.
There is no house number to
guide you, but the street is short and you simply need to walk up towards the
top of the street (away from the beach). You will find the classroom on your
right.
Course Timing
- Lectures
begin at 8am sharp. - Lectures
will end around 5pm. - Each
day there will be a one-hour lunch break. - Lunch is not provided, but
can easily be sourced nearby.
Equipment to bring
- Notebook/
Paper / Pens / Laptop (according to preference, for note taking) - A
watch with a seconds hand - Personal
sundries and medication, as applicable - Clothing
choices: Malta is well-known for being a hot country, but the climate is humid,
which makes the heat difficult to be deal with
in summer. – And it also means that houses are not built for winter conditions
and can be difficult to heat. – You will want to bring at least some warmer clothing (long sleeve
fleece, pullover or jacket). – Think ‘layers’. - Practice sessions will include live casualty scenarios. You will need to bring one set of clothes that you don’t mind getting
a bit dirty and stained
Accommodation
To source accommodation,
use any of the usual bookings sites, such as Booking.com, Airbnb
and Expedia.
Tip Nr. 1: When you have found a
location you plan to book, it can be worth checking whether the same location
is also advertised on one of the other booking sites. Prices can vary, for the
same accommodation provider, from one site to another.
Tip Nr. 2: A convenient budget-level accommodation option
exists. In the best-case-scenario, it works out at €22 per
person, per night. For this option, you will have to arrange to share an apartment with one
or two other students in your class. You can contact them through the forum here on this page. – For more information on this option, please see the document link at the end of this post.
Arrival in Malta
You will arrive into Malta International Airport (MLA).
This
is the only
airport on the island.
Journey time from the airport
to
the Seabreeze Hotel is approximately ten
minutes by taxi or
twenty minutes by bus.
Taxi
As you leave the luggage collection
hall
and enter the ‘arrivals’ area, head straight ahead and keep left. Find a taxi ticket booth on
your
left hand side just before you leave the airport
building.
You need to purchase
a ticket there. They
only
accept cash. A ticket
to
Birzebbuga costs around €18.
If you prefer to pay by
credit card, book an eCab (before you leave for
Malta). If you book with them, a driver will be waiting for you at arrivals,
holding a sign with your name on it.
Bus
Buses are available just outside the airport. Take Bus
Nr.
X4 towards Birzebbuga.
(Busstop Nr.
3 — all the way
over
to the right, as you leave the building.) Tickets cost
€ 2.
(Access the
Malta Public Transport website here)
Shopping and Eating Out
- Most shops in
Malta close at midday, from 12 to 4. - Shops generally
open at 7 am. – And close, in the evenings, at 7 pm. - Shops generally
stay closed on Sundays. Some small shops, however, will always open for limited
hours, to cater to tourists. Especially in Valletta, many shops stay open on
Sundays.
Tip: At least one
shop in Pretty Bay (Bay Food Store)
has extended opening hours and is open at midday and late at night. – Two larger shops with more choice are located here and here.
There is a large number of restaurants and take-away options in Birzebbuga. – In Malta generally, as in many locations around the world that depend heavily on tourism, the quality of restaurant food can suffer. – If you pick
carefully, you can get good food, and plenty of it, for very reasonable prices.
– You will want to exchange tips on where to eat with other students. – Or
check online reviews
of restaurants.
Medical Care
Many pharmacies
have general practitioners work from their premises. Contact them for an
appointment.
Taxis
You can order
taxis from eCabs. They
offer satellite-tracked taxi services with automated notifications. Book via
the website or download
the eCabs app.