Malta, an island country in the Mediterranean Sea some 93 km south of the Italian island of Sicily across the Malta Channel is an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being populated. The smaller islands, such as Filfla, Cominotto and the Islands of St. Paul are uninhabited. The climate is Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. There is no real thermal dormant season for plants, although plant growth can be checked briefly by abnormal cold in winter and summer heat and dryness may cause vegetation to droop. The national language of Malta is Maltese, a Semitic language which descended from Arabic, with many borrowings from Italian and, in particular, Sicilian.

The theatres currently in use for live performances in Malta and Gozo range from historic built structures to modern constructions. They host local and foreign artistes, with events including modern and period drama in both national languages, musicals, opera, operetta, dance, concerts and poetry recitals.

The long, warm summer nights of Malta are vibrant and thrilling, with contrast to Malta's traditional conservatism and the staunch Catholicism of older generations. Clubbing and pub-crawling - especially in the traffic-free zones of Paceville near St. Julian's, and Bugibba - is a rite of passage for Maltese teenagers and young adults, which tends to prevail well into their 30's and 40's. Clubs habitually have large outdoor patios, with local and visiting DJ's spinning a mix of Euro-beat, House, chill-out, R&B, hardcore, rock, trance, techno, retro, old school, and classic disco. Pubs, especially Irish pubs, are often the meeting place of choice for the start of a night of clubbing. Despite rapidly increasing tolerance and acceptance of alternative lifestyles, Malta offers its gay and lesbian locals and visitors less nightlife options than other Southern European destinations.

Local festivals are commonplace in Malta and Gozo, celebrating weddings, christenings and, most importantly, saints' days, honoring the patron saint of the local parish. On saints' days, the festa reaches its apex with a High Mass featuring a sermon on the life and achievements of the patron saint, after which a statue of the religious patron is taken around the local streets in solemn procession, with the faithful following in respectful prayer.

In the weeks leading up to a local festa, the main streets around the community are richly decorated, with brocade banners, ornate religious sculptures mounted on pedestals and, all around the zuntier of the parish church, hawkers set up stalls stocked with traditional Maltese food and the local variety of nougat. The parish church itself is typically illuminated at night.

Several festi take place in different towns and villages across Malta every weekend in the summer. Some of the seaside towns feature a inimitable and well-liked medieval game known as the gostra, though has little in common with medieval jousting, and is in fact derived from the Neapolitan game of the Cockaigne pole. It involves a 10-metre long greased pole, mounted on a barge out in the bay, perched on a precarious angle out over the sea. Competing youths scramble up the pole, in an attempt to snatch a pennant, flag or other trophy from the top of the pole.

Car ownership in Malta is the fourth highest in Europe and like UK, follows left-hand driving system.

The old Maltese buses, which are actually ex-British Armed forces vehicles, are -the main domestic mode of transportation. There has also been a railway in the past between Valletta and the Mtarfa army barracks.

A regular ferry system joins the two main Maltese islands, though the harbours of Cirkewwa and Marsamxett in Malta, and Mgarr in Gozo. There are also regular ferry services between the Grand Harbour and neighbouring Sicily. A busy cruise liner terminal has been set-up on the Valletta side of Grand Harbour. Though, Malta's airport at Luqa connects it to the outside World.

Past Line Ups Cubanismo
Diane Reeves
Dominic Galea's Heritage
Shorter featuring Brian Blade, John Patitucci & Danilo Perez
Septeto Roberto Juan Rodriguez featuring David Krakauer
American Voices:
Coco York & Mike del Ferro
Tania Maria & the Viva Brazil Quartet
Jorge Ben Jor
Sandro Zerafa