Malta - Your next destination for sun and history

It has been said that the Maltese islands are the 'open air museum of the Mediterranean', offering 7,000 years or more of history to explore with numerous cultural, historical and megalithic sites unique in the world. The islands boast prehistoric ruins older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt, and are steeped in the legacy of the medieval order of the Knights of St John, who used the island as their stronghold for defending Christendom.

The main island of Malta, covering just 95 square miles (246 sq km), is also a popular holiday destination because of its secluded bays and sandy beaches, washed by unpolluted clear blue waters. Set against the backdrop of the island's scenery and its honey-coloured stone buildings, Malta is alluring and fascinating.

Malta and its little sister island, Gozo, are not stuck in a time warp, however. The islanders enjoy life to the full, and the calendar is filled with summertime 'festas' with fireworks and revelry in every little parish in honour of the village patron saints, as well as the major carnival in early spring every year. The capital, Valletta, besides offering some awesome Baroque buildings and fortifications as its main sightseeing attractions, is bustling and bursting with restaurants and cafes. The island's compact size is also a plus for visitors; it takes no more than an hour to drive between any two points on the main island, and there is very little open space. The dense population means that the island is virtually one large urban area, with buildings occupying every inch.

Malta lies about 60 miles (97km) south of Sicily and 160 miles (257km) north of Libya, a strategic position in the Mediterranean that has made the islands a crossroads of history. The last occupiers were the British, who granted Malta independence in 1964, but the biggest and most unique influence was left by the Knights of St John, to whom the island was donated in 1530; the Knights reigned supreme over the island for 270 years, building magnificent churches and monuments to themselves.

Malta has its mysteries too, in the form of 30 prehistoric sites boasting massive Neolithic temples, considered to be the oldest freestanding stone buildings known to man.

Attractions

While on holiday in Malta, there are various things to see and do, as well as beautiful island beaches to enjoy. Visit St John's Co-Cathedral to see Caravaggio's painting and the inlaid tombstones covering the Cathedral floor. Still in Valletta, the Malta Experience illustrates the history of Malta at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. The Three Cities are home to architectural displays of the island's maritime history, while Hagar Qim has a prehistoric temple complex with the oldest human structures in the world. Dive into the 'blue hole' at Dwejra's secluded pebbled bathing pool, and visit Marsalforn for great restaurants and bars. Malta offers visitors warm summers and mild winters.

St John's Co-Cathedral

Valletta's magnificent medieval cathedral is famous for the painting by Caravaggio, which hangs in its oratory, and the 369 inlaid mosaic marble tombstones that cover its floor. Each tombstone depicts the lives of the Grand Masters of the Order of St John, buried beneath.The facade is rather severe and militaristic, but inside the cathedral is lavishly splendid in the grandest tradition of high Baroque, with every inch of wall covered by carving, while the vaulted ceiling sports paintings depicting the life of St John the Baptist, patron saint of the Knights.

Malta Experience

A dramatic presentation that illustrates the history of Malta, from Neolithic to modern times, can be enjoyed at the Mediterranean Conference Centre at St. Elmo's bastion in Valletta. This building itself has been impressively restored, having been built by the Knights in the 1500s as a hospital. The wards, which are great sweeping halls with vaulted ceilings and marble floors, now serve as exhibition areas. A modern theatre has been added where the Malta Experience audio-visual show is offered in 10 languages.

Mdina

Mdina, known as the noble city, was the original capital of Malta before the arrival of the Knights of St John in the middle ages. It was originally a Phoenician town but spent periods under Roman, Arabic and Norman occupation. The elegant walled city, with its suburb, Rabat, can trace its origins back more than 4,000 years, although today all that remains is the medieval town, which has been largely restored. Mdina is situated on a rocky outcrop about nine miles (15km) west of Valletta. At the heart of Mdina is its landmark Baroque Cathedral of St Paul. Mdina has a conservative atmosphere, in keeping with its noble past. While the Knights reigned over Malta the city became the home of the Maltese nobility, who lived there under autonomous rule, not being deemed worthy to be invited to join the Order of St John. The descendants of some of these families live here still. Mdina and Rabat not only offer some fascinating and valuable sightseeing opportunities, but the old city is particularly inviting at night when it is lamplit and visitors can enjoy the ambience of restaurants tucked away in its bastions and palace courtyards. Motor vehicles are off-limits inside the city walls, and pedestrians have free reign to walk the streets and take in a glimpse of life in the middle ages.

Three Cities

Malta's main maritime towns have merged into a fortified conglomerate known as the Three Cities, resting on the promontories opposite Valletta. Walking tours of the area are popular. Vittoriosa is the oldest town in Malta after Mdina. It features plenty of historical architecture, including  several of the Inns of the Knights of St John, as well as a hospital built by the Order in 1672, which is still a Benedictine convent inhabited by devout nuns. Fort St Angelo, the oldest fortified part of Vittoriosa dating from 1274, stands at the tip of the promontory, and the Museum of Maritime History is also well worth a visit. The youngest of the Three Cities, Cospicua, dates from 1717 and features some interesting churches, while Senglea, designed by Grandmaster De La Sengle in 1551, is an important place of pilgrimage. Senglea's parish church contains a statue of Christ the Redeemer that is said to have miraculous powers.

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

The Hypogeum, just southwest of the Three Cities in the suburb of Paolo, is a labyrinthine complex of man-made chambers hewn out of limestone, extending about 36ft (11m) below the surface. Experts believe it was used as a burial site and temple by 

 Neolithic man, who used antlers and stone picks to carve out the labyrinth in semi-darkness nearly 5,000 years ago. The site has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Archaeologists have recovered numerous statues, amulets, figurines and vases, many of which are on display in the Archaeology Museum in Valletta.

Hagar Qim

The prehistoric temple complex discovered in 1839 at Hagar Qim in western Malta dates from about 3,800 BC, and has the oldest known human structures in the world. The Hagar Qim and nearby Mnajdra ruins are close to the village of Qrendi,iles (15km) southwest of Valletta. The megalithic temple complex carved from giant limestone slabs is adorned with carved animals and idols, sacrificial altars and oracular chambers, all fashioned with flint and obsidian tools. The largest megalith is 23ft (7m) high and weighs about 20 tons. Many of the relics recovered from the site, including the famous 'fat lady' statues, are on display in the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. 

Ggantija Temples

Two massive megaliths were carved into temples by the pre-Phoenician Gozitans somewhere between 4,100 and 2,500 BC, and now stand on the island as mysterious monuments to a bygone age. Legend has it that they were transported to the island  by a giantess called Sansuna, hence the name of the site, Ggantija, which means 'giant'. Large stone balls in the area, however, have led archaeologists to conclude that the massive blocks were rolled into place atop these. The two temples have a common façade but each has a separate entrance; one is larger than the other. It is believed both originally had roofing made of wooden beams, and that sacrifices of animals were made in the temples during rituals. The temples, along with other similar temples on the main island of Malta, have been documented as the oldest free standing structures in the world. 

Dwejra

Dwejra, with its secluded pebbled bathing pool and crystal clear water, is known as the ‘inland sea’ and provides the enjoyable experience of diving into the ‘blue hole’ near the Azure Window. It is an area with strange rock formations causing interesting swimming holes.It’s most famous rock is Fungus Rock, which was apparently heavily guarded during the era of the Knights of Malta because a special plant with healing properties grew upon it, and stealing the plant was liable to earn the thief the death penalty.

Marsalforn

The tiny fishing village of Marsalforn on the north coast of Gozo has become the island's most popular summer resort. It offers various spots for swimming and water sports, and is well supplied with restaurants, bars and accommodation establishments.

Toy Museum

Located in Valetta, the Toy Museum showcases three floors of Maltese and international toys dating back to the 1950s, including matchbox cars, planes, dolls, train sets and an impressive Corgi car collection.

Playmobil Funpark

The second largest Playmobil factory in the world is located here in Malta and the Playmobil Funpark is a must for children of all ages. Children can view the full range of Playmobil and run around in the play park. Tours of the  factory are also available. There are both indoor and outdoor play areas so it's a great option for those rainy days.

Splash & Fun Park

The Splash & Fun Park is a great place to take the kids on a warm summers day where they can swim and ride the water slides to their heart's content. There is also a large whirlpool where adults can relax and unwind while the kids get rid of their energy on rides such as the Black Hole, Super Bowl, Side Winder, Hippo Slide and Children's Splash Land.

Popeye Village

Also known as Sweethaven, Popeye Village is the actual set that was used for the 1980s musical of Popeye that starred Robin Williams and Shelly Duvall. Children can wander round the authentic wooden buildings such as the bakery, pot office and school house. During the summer months, visitors to Popeye Village can enjoy a boat ride or even water trampolines and meet their favourite cartoon characters.

Mediterraneo Marine Park

At the Mediterraneo Marine Park, children will be able to enjoy learning about marine animals by watching Black Sea Dolphin shows and the exciting and entertaining show by South American Sea Lions. Parrots and Iguana are also on display here. There is even  a 'swimming with the dolphins' programme available for those wanting to get a little closer. 

Azure Window

One of Malta's most picturesque sites, the Azure Window is a distinctive rock formation that forms a large arch over the brilliant blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Formed when several enormous caves collapsed, the arch has been featured in several films, including the 1981 Ray Harryhausen epic Clash of the Titans, the 1997 miniseries The Odyssey, and the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo. Located in Gozo near the tourist village of Dwejra, the Azure Window is a popular scuba diving site in Malta now, although tourists are no longer allowed to walk across the arch due to erosion. In fact, the site is considered in danger of falling apart altogether, in which case the laid-back Maltese are prepared to rename it the Azure Pinnacle.