Introduction |  |
Set in the pristine waters of the Med, this rocky archipelago has a phenomenally rich historical legacy, stretching back to 5000 BC. The islands mark the very southern tip of Europe – on the fault lines between Europe and Africa, Christendom and Islam – and their strategic position has seen them conquered by Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Aragonese and the British.
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 3,600 BC and 2,500 BC, 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, 2182 5579, www.heritagemaltashop.com); the last tour is at 4pm.
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 the collection at the National Museum of Archaeology (Auberge de Provence, Republic Street, 2122 1623), with its prehistoric artefacts; and the National Museum of Fine Arts (South Street, 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, 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 watersports; swimming, sailing, windsurfing and diving are all popular, and there are several diving schools that cater for both beginners and professionals.
• Tourist information: Valletta (Freedom Square, 2123 7747, www.visitmalta.com).
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