Midsea Books

Midsea Books is the place to go if you want to read about Malta rather than simply visit it. The group publishes and sells books on the island's history, archaeology, art, architecture, language and literature, and it is also home to a long list of children's titles and novels in Maltese. For British readers curious about the Knights, the wartime siege or the temples, it is a more specialist source than the usual holiday bookshop.

Its office and shop are on Carmelites Street in Santa Venera, in the middle of the island, and you can find it with the other bookshops in Malta in our directory.

A Maltese publishing house since 1969

Midsea Books Ltd was set up in 1969 by Pawlu Mizzi, a graduate in history and librarianship, who was honoured by the Maltese government in 1993 for his enterprise. The group now includes three imprints: Klabb Kotba Maltin, Midsea Books and Heritage Books. Each has its own editorial focus, and together they produce about 50 new titles a year, mostly in history, art and language.

Klabb Kotba Maltin, the Maltese book club, began with a book-a-month scheme and now numbers over 200 titles in Maltese, from children's literature and textbooks to novels, poetry, drama and reference. Midsea Books publishes scholarly works in English, including two major dictionaries, and Heritage Books produces popular English reference titles in partnership with museums, trusts and other heritage bodies. The group's first outlet opened in Valletta in 1975.

What you can browse

The online shop lists several hundred titles, around 340 in English and around 460 in Maltese, with a handful in French, German, Italian, Arabic and Dutch. History is the biggest category, with sections on archaeology, classic and medieval Malta, the Knights of Malta, colonial history, the Second World War and contemporary history. Art and architecture cover Baroque Malta and photography, and there are biographies, lifestyle books and a Maltese novels section.

Prices are in euros and include VAT. Large scholarly volumes can be expensive, with examples at €100.00, €220.00 and €335.00, while some smaller titles cost €10.00 and sale items are marked down. Children's books are grouped by age, from five to twelve, and there are eBooks and a bargains section too.

Using the books on your trip

A good book can shape a visit. Before a day out, our Valletta city guide pairs well with reading about the Baroque city, and our Knights of Malta history page gives the outline that the specialist titles fill in. If you are heading to the temples, the Hypogeum guide and Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum listing pair well with the archaeology list.

For a wider plan, see things to do in Malta and our about Malta page. For another independent seller, compare Agenda Bookshop.

Ordering, delivery and opening hours

The office is open Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 16:00. At weekends it is closed and customers are asked to order online. Delivery on the mainland is free for online purchases, on a first availability basis, and postage to other countries is added at checkout according to the destination you choose, which suits UK readers who want to order a title and have it sent home.

Please note that any contract or agreement with the company is entered into in English. The shop also runs seasonal promotions, such as summer offers on children's books and Father's Day selections, so it is worth looking at the sale and super value sections before you buy a gift.

If you are building a reading list for a longer stay, the Maltese-English dictionaries, the Maltese novels and the history volumes are good places to begin, and the age-banded children's shelves help parents choose a title for a young reader learning Maltese.

Getting in touch

If you are looking for a particular title, a rare edition or advice on where to start with Maltese history, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the business.