Megaliths, medieval dungeons and Calypso's Cave - Malta is positively mythic. The narrow cobblestone streets of its towns are crowded with Renaissance cathedrals and Baroque palaces, while its countryside is dotted with the oldest-known human structures in the world. Maltas position in the centre of the Mediterranean has made it an important strategic base since the earliest days of navigation, and thus has been visited by many cultures. The first significant civilisation here flourished in the third millennium BC, leaving behind fascinating megalithic temples. Later the island was occupied by the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians and the Romans.
The Maltese islands have indeed been described as one big open-air museum. It is easy to delve into the islands' mysterious prehistory, retrace the footsteps of St Paul or see where the Knights of St John defended Christendom. Visitors can explore medieval walled citadels and splendid baroque churches and palaces. However, history alone does not draw the annual summer influx of tourists, who manage to triple the population of Malta. Visitors also come for the beautiful clear blue waters, secluded bays and sandy beaches, and also to glimpse the tranquil traditional villages that still speckle the landscape, celebrating lively fiestas.
The Maltese archipelago is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean, with the largest inhabited island, Malta, lying 93km (58 miles) south of Sicily and 290km (180 miles) from North Africa. Gozo and Comino are the only other inhabited islands. The landscape of all three is characterised by low hills with terraced fields. Malta has no mountains or rivers. Its coastline is indented with harbours, bays, creeks, sandy beaches and rocky coves. Gozo is connected to Malta by ferry and is more thickly vegetated, with many flat-topped hills and craggy cliffs. Comino, the smallest island, is connected to Malta and Gozo by ferry and is very sparsely populated.
Malta's independence from Britain was achieved in 1964, and 40 years on Malta joined the EU in May 2004.
KEY FACTS
Location: Mediterranean, south of Sicily.
Population: 401,880
Capital: Valetta
Language Spoken: Maltese (a Semitic language) and English are the official languages. Italian is also widely spoken.
Country Dialling Code: +356
Currency & Money: Euro (EUR; symbol €)
Money can be changed at banks, bureaux de change, some hotels, and larger shops and restaurants. Automated foreign exchange machines are available at various locations on the islands. Exchange bureaux are often open 24 hours a day. Many hotels, larger shops and restaurants accept foreign currency. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted. ATMs are available. Travellers cheques exchanged in the normal authorised institutions.
Weather: Malta's hot, dry summer can sometimes be uncomfortable, owing to the winds, but is otherwise a sunny Mediterranean treat. July daytime temperatures hover around 36°C (97°F). Conditions are also pleasant during winter with January averaging a mild range of 10-14°C (50-58°F). The rain is heaviest in winter, but is still only moderate, with most days dry. In November and December, expect daytime temperatures of 12-18ºC (54-64ºF) and a fair amount of sunshine between showers (the total annual rainfall is low, around 580mm/23in, and falls mainly between October and February). January and February are the coldest months. Winds are a feature of Malta's weather. The stiff sea breeze is cooling in summer. In winter, however, the northeasterly griga can whip up the waves, occasionally disrupting the ferry service from the island of Malta to Gozo. In spring and autumn, the southeasterly xlokk (sirocco) sometimes blows in from North Africa, bringing humid and occasionally foggy conditions.
WHEN TO GO
The best time to visit Malta is during the lull from April to June, between the rainy season (such as it is) and the hot Mediterranean summer. This is also when room rates drop by as much as 40%. For fine weather, September and October are also good months to visit, but the pleasant weather can sometimes be interrupted by a hot and humid xlokk (sirocco) wind. Beware the uncomfortably hot temperatures of July and August.
The Christmas and New Year period is a mini-high season in the middle of winter, when many Maltese emigrants return home to visit friends and family, and European tourists come looking for a spot of winter sunshine. Otherwise, you can find some very cheap flight and accommodation deals between November and March.
The main season for festas (feast days) is June to September, but if you want to catch a festa out of season, there's the Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck in Valletta on 10 February, and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Cospicua on 8 December. Two of the liveliest and most popular events, marked by public holidays, are the Carnival Week in early March and the L'Imnarja festival on 28 and 29 June.
TOP THINGS TO DO
• On Malta island, see performances of opera, theatre, music and ballet (between October and May) at Valletta's Manoel Theatre, the second-oldest theatre in Europe.
• Go scuba-diving or snorkelling, which is possible year-round. On Malta, the best sites are in the north - caves and steep drop-offs, such as Qawra Point and Cirkewwa, being popular; Wied Iz-Zurrieq is good for night dives. On Gozo, one of the most spectacular sites is Dwejra Point.
• Hit the beach. On the north coast, the best beaches are at Paradise Bay, Golden Bay, Mellieha Bay, Armier Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha Bay. Il-Qawra is better known as the inland sea, with a secluded bathing pool, crystal-clear water and sheer cliffs. For an unspoilt sandy beach, try Ir-Ramla il-Wamra.
• Fit in some Windsurfing, which has become very popular in Mellieha Bay, St Pauls Bay or Bahar Ic-Caghaq.
• Attend rowing regattas, held in the Grand Harbour during April and September. The Valletta Yacht Club is at Couvre Port, Manoel Island, in Marsamxetto Harbour (temporary members accepted).
• Buy some of the local crafts, lace and knitwear, from the doorways of houses and on the streets of Gozo island, the second-largest island of the archipelago.
• In summer attend a festival with fireworks and horseracing in the streets of Gozo.
• Chill out on the barely inhabited island of Comino. Paths winding through unusual rock formations provide the only communication links. A few small bays, such as Blue Lagoon, are the main attractions. The St Marija Caves offer interesting cave diving.
• Visit typical Maltese fishing communities such as Marsaxlokk, Birzebbugia and Marsacala, which sprawl along the coves and inlets at Malta's southernmost tip. Eat fresh fish at the family-run tavernas while enjoying the sight of nets and colourfully painted boats crowding the waterfronts.
TOP THINGS TO SEE
• In Valletta (Malta island), see some of the finest examples of Maltese-style baroque architecture in the islands in Merchants Street. Also visit the Co-Cathedral of St John, and the Grand Master's Palace which houses tapestries designed for Louis XIV and an extraordinary armoury collection.
• If you've still time in Valletta, explore its museums: the National Museum of Fine Art, housed in an 18th-century palace; the Church of Our Lady of Victories and at the nearby Auberge de Provence; and the National Museum of Archaeology.
• In Mdina (Malta island), witness the citadel, which is one of the finest surviving examples of a medieval walled city. Of particular interest is the Norman-style Palazzo Falzon. From Bastion Square, see breathtaking views of the surrounding area and St Paul's Bay.
• In Rabat (Malta island), see fine baroque churches, St Paul's and St Agatha's Catacombs and the Roman Villa.
• Wonder at the Blue Grotto where, legend reports, sirens bewitched seafarers with their songs. Four caves reflect the brilliant colours of the corals and minerals in the limestone. The most spectacular is the Blue Grotto itself, best viewed in the early morning with a calm sea.
• Visit the impressive archaeological sites near Paola: Tarxien, with its neolithic temple; Hypogeum, a three-level complex of ancient underground burial chambers dating back 3,000 years; and Ghar Dalam (Dark Cave) where the remains of now-extinct birds and animals have been found (website: www.heritagemalta.org).
• In Hagar Qim on the south of the island, see a neolithic temple from 3,000BC, constructed from huge closely fitting stones decorated in a very ornate style.
• At Marsaxlokk, find your way to the recently discovered Temple of Juno, which was originally used by the Greeks as a place of worship to the goddess of fertility.
TRAVEL TO MALTA
Flying
The national airline is Air Malta (KM) (website: www.airmalta.com). From London to Luqa is 3 hours 10 minutes.
Main Airports
Malta International (MLA) (Luqa) (website: www.maltairport.com) is 5km (3 miles) south of Valletta (journey time – 15 minutes). To/from the airport: Buses depart regularly to and from Valletta City Gate. There is a regular service to the main bus terminal in Valletta. There is a full, 24-hour, taxi service to all parts of Malta; fares are charged at a fixed rate. A shuttle service also runs to Circewwa to connect with ferries. Facilities: Incoming and outgoing duty-free shops, car hire, bank, bureau de change, left luggage and restaurant/bar.
Ferry
Main ports: Valletta, Marsaxlokk and Mgarr/Gozo.
Services operate to the Sicilian ports of Catania and Pozzallo. These routes are served by high-speed hydrofoils and catamarans (journey time – 1 hour 30 minutes) and car ferries (journey time – 3 hours).
There are also sailings to Italy (to Reggio Calabria, Genoa and Salerno). For information on the ports in Malta, contact the Malta Maritime Authority website: www.mma.gov.mt).
TRAVEL AROUND MALTA
Flying
A seaplane service by Harbourair (website: www.harbourairmalta.com) links Grand Harbour in Valletta to Mgarr Harbour in Gozo.
Ferry
A passenger car ferry operates several times daily between Cirkewwa in Malta and Mgarr in Gozo (journey time - about 25 minutes). Services to Comino operate from mid March to mid November. For further information, contact the Gozo Channel Company; website: www.gozochannel.com). The Comino Hotel (website: www.cominohotel.com) runs a ferry service to the island from March to November. Paradise Diving (website: www.paradisediving.com), in Cirkewwa, offers a daily service to Blue Lagoon from May to October.
Road
Traffic drives on the left.
Bus: Good local services operate from Valletta and Victoria (Gozo) to all towns.
Taxi: Identifiable by their all-white livery. Although taxis are under meter charge at government-controlled prices, it is best to agree prices before departure. Taxis from the airport have fixed prices.
Car hire: A number of car hire firms offer self-drive cars. International firms are represented at the airport. Rates on Malta are among the cheapest in Europe.
Regulations: The speed limit is 80kph (50mph) on highways and 50kph (30mph) in residential areas.
Documentation: Valid international driving license required.
POPULAR PLACES TO VISIT
Valletta: is set at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, and is one of the best-preserved fortified cities in the world and one of the architectural showpieces of Europe. Valletta is tiny. It measures less than 1 sq km (0.4 sq miles) and you can walk across its widest point in less than 20 minutes. Within that space, however, shady atmospheric alleyways link grand squares, and glorious baroque palazzi sit alongside bars and shopfronts that have hardly changed in over a century
