Malta (population 520,000 on an island of 316 km²) is the smallest EU member state, one of the most densely populated countries in the world, and one of the most historically layered destinations in the Mediterranean. It sits 93km south of Sicily, speaks a language descended from Arabic with heavy Italian and English influence, and packs more UNESCO sites, prehistoric structures, and fortified history into its small area than almost anywhere on Earth.
History in Every Stone
The Megalithic Temples: Malta has some of the oldest freestanding structures on Earth — the Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, and Ġgantija temples were built between 3,600–2,500 BC, predating Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. They are UNESCO-listed and remarkably preserved. The solstice alignments at Mnajdra (the rising sun illuminates the altar at the winter solstice) suggest sophisticated astronomical knowledge. Who built them: a megalithic culture that disappeared around 2,500 BC — there is no cultural continuity with later inhabitants. The Knights of St John (Order of Malta): after being expelled from Rhodes by the Ottomans (1522), the Knights received Malta from Charles V of Spain (1530) and transformed it into one of the most heavily fortified places in the Mediterranean. The Great Siege of Malta (1565): the Ottoman Empire (under Suleiman the Magnificent) attempted to take Malta with 40,000 troops; the Knights and Maltese defenders (approximately 8,700) held for 4 months until Spanish relief forces arrived. The event changed the geopolitical balance of the Mediterranean and secured Christian control. Valletta: founded by Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette in 1566 after the Great Siege — the first planned city of the modern era, built on a grid, with a baroque UNESCO-listed city centre described by Pope John Paul II as “too small to be a country but too large to be a monument.” The Co-Cathedral of St John: interior covered in 400 marble tombstones of Knights (you walk on them) and two Caravaggio paintings — the second largest Caravaggio in the world (“The Beheading of Saint John” from 1608, created during his time in Malta).
The Three Cities and the Blue Lagoon
The Three Cities (Vittoriosa, Senglea, Cospicua): across the Grand Harbour from Valletta — the original fortified settlement of the Knights, older and less visited than Valletta. The views of Valletta across the Grand Harbour are the best in Malta. The traditional dghajsa water taxis still cross the harbour. Gozo: the second island (14km×7km), reachable by a 25-minute ferry from Ċirkewwa. More agricultural, greener, and significantly quieter than Malta. The Citadel in Victoria (Rabat) — a medieval walled city on a hilltop. Ggantija temple (on Gozo, older than those on Malta). The Inland Sea at Dwejra — a lagoon connected to the sea through a natural arch (the Azure Window arch collapsed in 2017 in a storm). The Blue Lagoon (Comino): the tiny island of Comino (3km², one hotel, no cars) between Malta and Gozo has a lagoon of extraordinary turquoise water. In July–August: overcrowded with day-trip boats. In October–November: quiet, still warm enough for swimming. Accessed by ferry from both Malta and Gozo.
Practical Malta
Language: Maltese (Malti) is the national language — an Arabic-based language with Sicilian, Castilian, and English elements, unique in Europe. English is co-official and universally spoken — Malta was a British colony until 1964. Almost everyone speaks both Maltese and English fluently, and many also speak Italian. Visa: Malta is a Schengen zone member. EU citizens have freedom of movement. Non-EU visitors use standard Schengen rules (90 days). Chinese citizens require a Schengen visa. Currency: Euro (Malta joined in 2008). Price level: lower than Western Europe but has risen significantly; food and accommodation are cheaper than Italy or France but no longer dramatically so. Best time to visit: April–June and October–November. Summer (July–August) is hot (32–36°C) and crowded; winter (December–February) is mild (15–18°C) and very quiet. Food: pastizzi (flaky pastry filled with either ricotta or mushy peas — Malta’s national snack, sold from tiny pastizzeriji for €0.30–0.50); rabbit stew (fenek — the national dish; Maltese rabbit is excellent — the breed developed in island isolation); ftira (Maltese bread, sourdough-like, excellent with tuna and olives); Kinnie (Malta’s national soft drink — bitter orange and aromatic herbs, distinctly Maltese, unlike anything else).
