The Maltese people may not be interested in local cultural activities but they will go out of their way to seek sophistication on holiday.

Figures compiled in a Eurobarometer survey found that half of the Maltese people who went away last year sought cultural destinations above anything else.

This contrasts sharply with figures published by the same statistics agency last November, which placed the Maltese at the bottom of the European league in a number of important cultural activities.

For instance, the study had found that the Maltese were the least interested in going to the theatre and concerts and the second least interested in visiting museums and art galleries.

This, however, does not seem to be the case when the Maltese are deciding on holiday destinations.

In fact, the survey found they were so preoccupied with cultural capitals that they were the most likely to return to a country for more of the same.

European culture topped the list with Paris and Rome featuring right on top.

Sun and sea, on the other hand, were the least popular attractions. Only 12 per cent said they wanted a seaside trip, the lowest among all 28 member states.

Not all Maltese travelled, however. Those who remained home mostly did so due to financial reasons, with 39 per cent saying they couldn’t afford to take a four-day trip. This tallies with the findings of another survey, by the National Statistics Office, which revealed that half of Malta’s households could not pay for a one-week vacation.

But it’s not all work and no play for the Maltese. In fact, 89 per cent of those who did not holiday abroad reported going on a break somewhere on the island.

Once they book, the Maltese appear to have high expectations. The Eurobarometer survey found they were the second most likely to lodge a formal complaint when on vacation.

Although only seven per cent filed complaints, this was still four per cent over the EU average. And it was middle-aged Maltese women who did most of the complaining (70 per cent).

Accommodation topped the list of their holiday irritations (41 per cent), followed by transport mishaps (22 per cent) and problems with restaurants (17 per cent).

The vast majority (86 per cent) of Maltese would not venture outside Europe for their holiday.