Malta

Malta is the largest island in the Maltese archipelago, followed by charming Gozo and tiny Comino. Gozo is renowned for its diving sites, which are reputed to be some of the Mediterranean’s best, and its Neolithic sites. The latter – along with the sites on Malta – are the oldest stone-built structures in the world, constructed between 3,600BC and 2,500BC, and are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The suburban town of Paola also boasts a UNESCO site with its Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, an enormous subterranean structure excavated in the Neolithic period and consisting of three levels of halls, burial chambers and passages. It is advisable to book your visit well in advance (Burial Street, Paola, +356 2182 5579, www.heritagemaltashop.com).

Malta’s capital city Valletta – another UNESCO World Heritage site – is the administrative and commercial heart of the archipelago. Built by the Knights of St John for defence against the Saracens, this extraordinarily beautiful city glows against the aquamarine of the Grand Harbour. Take some time to wander its streets, before looking in at the collection at the National Museum of Archaeology (Auberge de Provence, Republic Street, +356 2122 1623), with its prehistoric artefacts; and the National Museum of Fine Arts (South Street, +356 2122 5769, www.heritagemaltashop.com), housed in stately Admiralty House, which showcases paintings by Maltese and Italian artists from the 15th century onwards. In the vicinity is St John’s Co-Cathedral (St John’s Street, +356 2122 5639), built in 1573. Its façade is unadorned but its interior is a baroque masterpiece and houses Caravaggio’s Beheading of St John the Baptist in the Oratory.

Central Malta is dominated by the medieval walled city of Mdina, the Maltese capital until 1570. Maltese nobility still live there, and some have opened cafés and restaurants in their homes.

The Maltese waters are clear, warm and ideal for water sports: swimming, sailing, windsurfing and diving are all popular, and there are several diving schools that cater for both beginners and professionals.

Local history

Forever a colony, Malta has hosted myriad cultures and peoples on its small landmass at the crossroads of history: Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, the Knights of St John, and lastly a brief stay by Napoleon before it became part of the British Empire. The island suffered greatly during World War II, under heavy bombardment from Axis forces. Cultural influences from every era, including its strong Catholic faith, are still visible to this day.

Local politics

The Maltese have been searching for new pastures ever since the last British soldier left the island in 1979. An EU member, today the Maltese are looking towards Brussels in a bid to rejuvenate their island. In the past three years, immigration from North Africa has become a hot issue for the Maltese, who are divided over how much hospitality a small island should give to those claiming refugee protection.