The beautiful and mythic island state of Malta is rich in history with magnificent cathedrals, palaces, and ancient historical sites. Pleasant sunny climate and crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea offer excellent opportunities for water sports such as sailing, diving and snorkeling in Malta, while the green Maltese countryside with picturesque villages is perfect for long walks and other outdoor activities.
The historic city of Valletta is the capital of Malta and the business centre of the country. Built more than 500 years ago, Valletta hosts plenty of Renaissance cathedrals, Baroque palaces, and excellent museums and galleries. St. John's Cathedral, the Armoury, and the Museum of Fine Arts are the major attractions in Valletta and absolutely worth visiting. Valletta and the nearby towns of St. Julian's and Sliema have lively nightlife and good opportunities for shopping in Malta.
Water sports. The sunny Malta does not have long, sandy beaches but rather small, rocky beaches and lagoons with clear, turquoise waters. These lagoons are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and other water sports activities. The beautiful Blue Lagoon is located on the small and peaceful Comino Island. Diving in Malta is a pleasure as the warm and crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea offer good opportunities for admiring the diverse and unique underwater world with caves, tunnels, and abundant species of fish.
Gozo, the second biggest of the Maltese islands can be easily toured by regular and fast ferries from the main island of Malta. Victoria is the major town in Gozo with a picturesque harbor. The major attraction in the town is the beautiful medieval fortification with cathedral and museums. One of the oldest structures in the world, the spectacular Ggantija Temples are gigantic stones found on Gozo. Gozo is also home to the mythic Calypso's Cave.
Sightseeing & activities. All the major attractions in the country can be viewed by taking one of the sightseeing tours in Malta. There are also numerous companies organizing cruises in Malta which are an ideal way of viewing the beautiful archipelago. The beautiful scenery in the green Maltese countryside with rare and indigenous species of wild flowers, butterflies, birds and animals offer good opportunities for relaxation and outdoor activities such as walking, golf in Malta, biking and horse riding in Malta.
Magnificent architecture, historical sites and lagoons in Malta
Malta is a beautiful archipelago made up of three inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo, and Comino, plus four uninhabited ones. A perfect destination for sightseeing, Malta is rich in history and hosts numerous 7,000 years old temples, interesting museums, and fascinating historical sites scattered throughout the archipelago. The vast majority of the inhabitants in Malta are Roman Catholic and there are numerous small parish churches around the country.The historic city of Valletta is the capital of Malta and the business centre of the country. Built more than 500 years ago, Valletta hosts plenty of Renaissance cathedrals, Baroque palaces, and excellent museums and galleries. St. John's Cathedral, the Armoury, and the Museum of Fine Arts are the major attractions in Valletta and absolutely worth visiting. Valletta and the nearby towns of St. Julian's and Sliema have lively nightlife and good opportunities for shopping in Malta.
Water sports. The sunny Malta does not have long, sandy beaches but rather small, rocky beaches and lagoons with clear, turquoise waters. These lagoons are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and other water sports activities. The beautiful Blue Lagoon is located on the small and peaceful Comino Island. Diving in Malta is a pleasure as the warm and crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea offer good opportunities for admiring the diverse and unique underwater world with caves, tunnels, and abundant species of fish.
Gozo, the second biggest of the Maltese islands can be easily toured by regular and fast ferries from the main island of Malta. Victoria is the major town in Gozo with a picturesque harbor. The major attraction in the town is the beautiful medieval fortification with cathedral and museums. One of the oldest structures in the world, the spectacular Ggantija Temples are gigantic stones found on Gozo. Gozo is also home to the mythic Calypso's Cave.
Sightseeing & activities. All the major attractions in the country can be viewed by taking one of the sightseeing tours in Malta. There are also numerous companies organizing cruises in Malta which are an ideal way of viewing the beautiful archipelago. The beautiful scenery in the green Maltese countryside with rare and indigenous species of wild flowers, butterflies, birds and animals offer good opportunities for relaxation and outdoor activities such as walking, golf in Malta, biking and horse riding in Malta.
Island-hopping in sunny and warm Malta
Malta is a small archipelago located in Southern Europe in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. The Maltese landscape is mostly low and rocky with many coastal cliffs. Malta enjoys a pleasant Mediterranean climate with hot and sunny summers and mild and wet winters.
Photo: kriskaer, used under Creative Commons License (By ND 2.0)
The temperatures in Malta can be unbearably hot in July and August. The best time to visit Malta is in spring and summer, but there is enough sunshine during the winter months, too.
Hotels & services. Malta has excellent facilities for visitors. There are plenty of hotels in Malta, many of them located along the coast and in the biggest towns. To taste the delicious local specialties such as seafood, there are numerous restaurants in Malta to choose from. For such a small country, there is a lively nightlife in Malta, especially on the main island. Malta is a very safe destination where English is spoken by all locals.
How to get there. Malta is easily accessible by air from the European mainland. Flights to Malta arrive at the Malta International Airport located near to the capital Valletta. The country can also be accessed by ferries from Italian, Greek, and Turkish ports.
Local transport. Malta has a good public transportation system consisting of cheap and colorful old buses. The cities of Malta are all small enough to be toured on foot. If you are interested in exploring the destinations outside Valletta on your own, car rental in Malta is a good option and widely available. There are regular ferries between the inhabited islands of Malta and Gozo and even helicopters are used to transfers between the islands. A water taxi service is also available in Valletta. Taxis can be found in Maltese towns but they are often quite expensive. There are both black taxis which must be booked in advance and white taxis which can be hailed on a street.
History and culture of Malta
Malta has been inhabited since around 5,000 BC. The first inhabitants probably came from Sicily and built enormous religious and other structures in Malta. Due to their central location in the Mediterranean Sea, the islands of Malta have always been important ports and cultural centers. Once ruled by Greek, Roman, Phoenician, Byzantine, Arab, French and other empires, Malta became independent from the British rule in 1964.The Maltese culture of today is a fascinating mixture of Italian, Greek, Arab, French, Spanish and other Mediterranean traditions. The local language is close to Arabic, but English is also an official language in Malta. The Maltese are very kind and hospitable and a visitor in Malta is always treated with hospitality.
