Heart of sophisticated

Wonderful climate and the purest sea attract crowd of tourists in Malta. In addition to the excellent conditions for the rest and fantastic beauty of the landscapes of Malta offers its guests all sorts of services on the organization of business meetings at any level.

In 1989, Malta had a historical meeting of Mikhail Gorbachev and George Bush-senior, who not only put an end to the process of confrontation and "Cold War", But also opened a new tourist route for the emerging Russian business.

Since then, more than 30 thousand Russians have been here, and most of our compatriots came here as participants in corporate meetings, conferences and intensive programs.

Let’s start with things of the most prosaic, but nevertheless important. There are no problems with visas, since in recent years in relation to citizens of Russia, Ukraine and a number of other CIS countries there is a lightweight visa regime. Visa will be issued right at the airport. It is enough to present on the passport control a confirmation of the right to enter the Russian travel agency or the host of Maltese firm. Moreover, local authorities flexibly approach even the replacements of names in group lists, in which the changes are made up to the date of arrival. Flight from Moscow to Malta takes about four hours.

The climate is mild and wet. In November-April, average air and water temperature +16 degrees. This is the Maltese spring, during which the islands literally bloom. Crowds of tourists are noticeably radically, and prices in hotels are decreasing. This time is ideal for work and outdoor activities (in the summer, when the heat exceeds 30 degrees, it is difficult to even think about the many hours of staying in the open air).

The Mediterranean Islands of Malta Malta, Gozo and Comino, forming Malta as a state, are a total of a few more than 300 kV. KM. Malta itself is 27 km long and 15 – width (less than the diameter of the Moscow ring road), Gozo is twice as smaller, and Comino – only 2 km long. Because of so modest sizes, Malta is often called a toy country. In Malta, you can hear the joke that the island has a geographical law "seven minutes". It is believed that seven minutes is the average duration of moving on the island from one point to another.

So, I and my colleagues in Malta. The girls in the national costumes met us at the aircraft ladder at the airport, and the buses were delivered to the Great Harbor Valletta – the capital of Malta, built after the Great siege, when surrounding the island of the 40-thousand Army of Turkish Sultan Suleiman’s magnificent was not able to achieve victory. The first stone of the future city laid in 1566 the Grand Master of Orden Hospitallers. John Jean Pariso de la Vallett, who led the defense of the island.

In a big harbor, our group relocated on a yacht, which, rich Valletta and Slim, brought us to the bay. George in St. Julianse. As soon as a ladder, we got the keys to the hotel’s rooms, where we were expected to be delivered from the airport luggage, a basket with fresh fruit and a bottle of young Maltese wine.

Large delegations in Malta take more than ten hotels (level 4 and 5 stars) located close to each other.

Breakfasting the next day on the outdoor terrace (champagne, fresh juices and fruits), we went to the adventures in the village go. It was a pre-planned event for cohesion of a group of 70 people – regional managers of our corporation – called "Pursuit of treasure". The group broke into small commands. Everyone had to show a seamless (to find an old card) and resourcefulness (to go to an independent sea campaign on the yacht). Embedded to "Treasure Islands", We took the fortress defending pirates. Overcoming obstacles that waited for us at every step, we still found treasure.

After lunch in a village, stylized under the Wild West, we went to Mdin and Karen made an excursion to "Silent city".

The next day in the conference room, equipped with the latest technology, we spent a direct video conference with the company’s head office and a number of its regional units.

The most famous venue for business events is a Mediterranean conference center in Valletta. It is in the historic complex "Sacra Infermeria", built knights of the ordinary. John back in 1574. According to the Maltese Tourism Department, 65 thousand people visited the country last year to participate in various business events. This is about every 20th guest.

In one day, we made a flight of islands on helicopters and landed on Goo. We again divided into several teams and moved to jeeps equipped with radio communication, navigation cards, as well as food and water reserves. Jeep safari passed on the route designated on the map. One of the stop points was a small restaurant "Ta Ricardo", Located directly to the Citadel. In fact, the restaurant is a typical home of the Maltese family. The menu is uncomplicated: tomatoes, onions, capers, seasoned with olive oil and local goat cheese, which is called Jbaine here. For dessert – honey.

In the evening, on the eve of the departure, in the ancient castle, a dedication ceremony in Knights. We witnessed the medieval act with the participation of the Grand Master of the Order and its closest associates.

History

Today you can only guess relative to the motives, which led to Malta in the era of neolithic settlers, mixed with the indigenous population and built impressive megalithites. The remains of these temples dated by the fourth millennium BC.NS., Scientists recognized the most ancient facilities on the planet.

In the first millennium BC.NS. Islands settled the Phoenicians who are considered to be the ancestors of Maltese. It is said that his name Malta is also obliged to the Phoenicians who in a word "Male" called quiet, calm harbor. In subsequent centuries, Malta moved from one conqueror to another, while in the XIV century they did not settled here with the Turkish Sultan Knights of the Order of Hospitallers of St. John. Having got Malta for a symbolic fee from the Spanish king Karl V, the knights began to establish life on the island in accordance with their beliefs and principles. They built a charity hospital (now there is one of the most famous European Congress centers), wonderful palaces, temples, fortification facilities.

But the chief monument to the knights became Valletta – the capital of the island, today is one of the smallest, but romantic and picturesque European cities. Unfortunately, calm and safe existence in wealth and luxury weakened the martial spirit of the knights, and in 1798 they passed the island without a combat Napoleon Flot. However, the French rule lasted for a long time: in the Paris Treaty of 1814, Malta became the colony of Britain and retained this status before independence in 1964.