Insight Guide Malta (Malta, 4th Ed)

Rating:
Summary: This review of the larger 310 page book
Review:
As usual, the Insight Guide relies heavy on photography for a visual feel of the country, probably 40% of the book is photographs, the quality of which is good to very good. With 80 pages of Maltese history, you will get more in depth history here than with any of the other travel guides.
The text does not pull any punches with discussing Malta & its people when it comes to their love of killing birds, leaving trash around, stealing car parts, overbuilding the island, being stubborn, or being horrendous drivers. But there is also an understanding and appreciation for the natives. The essays on Maltese people, their vehicles, the architecture, and superstitions are good. The last 20 pages of travel tips are helpful, the hotel recommendations adequate, the description of the various areas of interest detailed.
This book is too cumbersome to take along, this is more for pre-trip research. A good book if you are heavy into the history end...

Rating:
Summary: This review of the larger 310 page book
Review:
As usual, the Insight Guide relies heavy on photography for a visual feel of the country, probably 40% of the book is photographs, the quality of which is good to very good. With 80 pages of Maltese history, you will get more in depth history here than with any of the other travel guides.
The text does not pull any punches with discussing Malta & its people when it comes to their love of killing birds, leaving trash around, stealing car parts, overbuilding the island, being stubborn, or being horrendous drivers. But there is also an understanding and appreciation for the natives. The essays on Maltese people, their vehicles, the architecture, and superstitions are good. The last 20 pages of travel tips are helpful, the hotel recommendations adequate, the description of the various areas of interest detailed.
This book is too cumbersome to take along, this is more for pre-trip research. A good book if you are heavy into the history end...

Rating:
Summary: This review of the Compact Guide
Review:
The Compact guide is useful if you think you may want to go to Malta, know nothing about it, and are looking for some feel and basic information. This compact book will give you an idea whether you want to pursue Malta travel further, without spending too much money up front. It is too compact to be of much use for anything else

Rating:
Summary: This review of the Compact Guide
Review:
The Compact guide is useful if you think you may want to go to Malta, know nothing about it, and are looking for some feel and basic information. This compact book will give you an idea whether you want to pursue Malta travel further, without spending too much money up front. It is too compact to be of much use for anything else

Rating:
Summary: Better than your average Insight guide
Review: I'm generally anti-Insight Guides because of the typically shallow, boring way in which they try to tackle large countries. But Insight does a pretty good job with its regional and small-country series. I can imagine better ways to learn about Malta, but this is a nice, functional book if you don't know much about the place.

Since Malta is so small, the authors can go into a reasonably good deal of detail on the history of the islands, their people, and their sights. There's even enough space for a couple of short sections on Maltese architecture, superstition and lore, and classic Maltese automobiles. While this isn't the kind of guidebook you would actually sit down and read for pleasure, it's full of interesting anecdotes on the culture and history of the place.

I'm afraid many of its hotel and dining recommendations are rather elitist, but why not splurge for once?

Rating:
Summary: Better than your average Insight guide
Review: I'm generally anti-Insight Guides because of the typically shallow, boring way in which they try to tackle large countries. But Insight does a pretty good job with its regional and small-country series. I can imagine better ways to learn about Malta, but this is a nice, functional book if you don't know much about the place.

Since Malta is so small, the authors can go into a reasonably good deal of detail on the history of the islands, their people, and their sights. There's even enough space for a couple of short sections on Maltese architecture, superstition and lore, and classic Maltese automobiles. While this isn't the kind of guidebook you would actually sit down and read for pleasure, it's full of interesting anecdotes on the culture and history of the place.

I'm afraid many of its hotel and dining recommendations are rather elitist, but why not splurge for once?

Rating:
Summary: Malta in Miniature
Review: Probably the best available guide book about Malta, written by natives of the island and others with close connections. as usual with the Insight Guides, it succeeds in giving an authentic flavour of the place in miniature, and I have found it very useful throughout several trips there. Photography is very atmospheric, and almost faultless, though my only gripe is that the latest edition has replaced the Passionist 'cover boy' and his lantern - so typical of religious processions on the Island -with an ordinary, though very attractive, Maltese lass. The boy seemed to sum up perfectly the mixture of youth and devout Catholic faith of Malta. This apart, you will not need another guide to the Island if you have this one.