With 30m (98ft) of visibility, warm water and dramatic undersea vistas, Malta has great diving. Gozo has the best spots, including the waters off the northeast coast near Marsalforn. St George’s Bay, on the southeast coast, is another good place for a plunge. Comino also has good dive spots, including a 40m (120ft) drop-off at Ras I-Irieqa on the southwest tip of the island.

Despite its rocky coastline, Malta has some good beaches. Gnejna and Golden Bays, on the northwest coast, and St George’s Bay have warm, calm waters and good sandy strands. Ramla Bay has Gozo’s best beach.

All the islands in the archipelago are excellent for walking. Gozo and Comino are small enough to be covered by foot in a day or less, and nothing is really very far from anything else on Malta.

Comino

Comino is the smallest, sleepiest island in the Maltese archipelago. There are no cars on the island, and only one hotel. Besides a few travellers, the only inhabitants are a handful of farmers and the only thing to do here is scramble over the rocks along the shore or swim and snorkel in the many sheltered bays.

Cottonera

Malta’s ‘three cities’ - Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua - form the Cottonera, a not-too-touristy area that gives you a glimpse into the island’s daily working life. A shipbuilding centre since the Middle Ages, the name comes from the 17th-century fortifications that protect the area.

Attractions include the Maritime Museum which has exhibits on Malta’s naval history. Those with a taste for the macabre can visit the misnamed Folk Museum, housed in the Inquisitor’s Palace in Vittoriosa. The museum has displays of Inquisitors’ instruments, and you can take a peek at the ominously named Hall of Judgement and the dungeon. A few kilometres to the southwest is the Hypogeum, located in the suburb of Paola. The Hypogeum consists of a 4400-year-old underground network of caves, tunnels and rooms, all carved out of rock with flint tools.

Inland Sea

This stretch of the western coast of Gozo has one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean. The Inland Sea is a secluded pool of clear water and pebbly sand, sheltered by sheer cliffs. Centred around Dwejra Point, the area’s outstanding feature is the Azure Window, a giant rock arch in the cliff.

Mosta

Mosta is famous for its massive church, which has one of the largest unsupported domes in the world, with a diameter of 40m (131ft). The church was designed by Maltese architect Giorgio Grognet de Vassé whose plan was closely based on the Pantheon in Rome.

Comino

Comino is the smallest, sleepiest island in the Maltese archipelago. There are no cars on the island, and only one hotel. Besides a few travellers, the only inhabitants are a handful of farmers and the only thing to do here is scramble over the rocks along the shore or swim and snorkel in the many sheltered bays.

Cottonera

Malta’s ‘three cities’ - Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua - form the Cottonera, a not-too-touristy area that gives you a glimpse into the island’s daily working life. A shipbuilding centre since the Middle Ages, the name comes from the 17th-century fortifications that protect the area.

Attractions include the Maritime Museum which has exhibits on Malta’s naval history. Those with a taste for the macabre can visit the misnamed Folk Museum, housed in the Inquisitor’s Palace in Vittoriosa. The museum has displays of Inquisitors’ instruments, and you can take a peek at the ominously named Hall of Judgement and the dungeon. A few kilometres to the southwest is the Hypogeum, located in the suburb of Paola. The Hypogeum consists of a 4400-year-old underground network of caves, tunnels and rooms, all carved out of rock with flint tools.

Inland Sea

This stretch of the western coast of Gozo has one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean. The Inland Sea is a secluded pool of clear water and pebbly sand, sheltered by sheer cliffs. Centred around Dwejra Point, the area’s outstanding feature is the Azure Window, a giant rock arch in the cliff.

Mosta

Mosta is famous for its massive church, which has one of the largest unsupported domes in the world, with a diameter of 40m (131ft). The church was designed by Maltese architect Giorgio Grognet de Vassé whose plan was closely based on the Pantheon in Rome.

Valletta

While travelling through the Mediterranean, Sir Walter Scott described Valletta as ‘the city built by gentlemen for gentlemen’. Today it’s a beautifully preserved 16th-century walled city, small enough to cover in a few hours without sweating too much in the Mediterranean sun.

Valletta is a rough rectangle at the tip of a peninsula on Malta’s northeast coast. From the City Gate at the southwest edge of Valletta, you can walk to the centre of town through a series of squares surrounded by palaces and cathedrals.

Gozo

Gozo has a distinct character all its own. The countryside is prettier than that of its larger neighbour, the pace is slower and there are far fewer tourists. The island has its share of medieval architecture and prehistoric temples, making it a great place to escape the tourism mill.

The commercial centre of the island, Victoria, has a sleepy 17th-century feel. Head to the top of the Citadel, or ‘Gran Costello’, for a view of the entire island. The Norman House, on the Citadel’s grounds, houses an interesting folk museum.

You can retrace the footsteps of Ulysses at Calypso’s Cave, in the cliffs overlooking Ramla Bay on the northeastern coast. Other spelunking opportunities include the underground Xerri’s Grotto and Ninu’s Cave in the tiny town of Xaghra, a couple of kilometres southwest of Ramla Bay. The Ggantija temple complex, also near Xaghra, is the most spectacular in Malta.

Mdina

This 3000-year-old city, once the political centre of Malta, is filled with Norman and baroque buildings and narrow cobblestone streets. Perched on a rocky outcrop about 15km (9mi) west of Valletta, the so-called Citta Notabile (Noble City) has a commanding view of the island.

Its nickname derives from the many aristocratic Maltese families who still live in town. The best-preserved medieval building is the Norman-style Palazzo Falzon, built in 1495. Mdina has a beautiful main piazza, where you’ll find the 11th-century Roman Catholic Sicula-Norman Cathedral, one of the few buildings to survive an earthquake in 1693. The cathedral museum houses a collection of Dürer woodcuts. The nearby suburb of Rabat (which translates roughly as ’suburb’) has the interesting Museum of Roman Antiquities, which offers exhibits on the island’s 1000 years under Roman rule.

Ħaġar Qim

Dating from as early as 3600 BC, Ħaġar Qim and the other Neolithic temples on Malta are the oldest known human structures in the world. This megalithic temple complex is adorned with carved animals and idols, sacrificial altars and oracular chambers, all executed with nothing more than flint and obsidian tools.

Giant limestone slabs form a series of ovals laid out in a pattern that some archaeologists have compared to Mother Goddess figurines found on the site. The view of the Mediterranean and the nearby island of Filfla is one of the best in Malta. Hagar Qim and its neighbour, the Mnajdra temple, are near the village of Qrendi, about 15km (9mi) southwest of Valletta.

Valletta

While travelling through the Mediterranean, Sir Walter Scott described Valletta as ‘the city built by gentlemen for gentlemen’. Today it’s a beautifully preserved 16th-century walled city, small enough to cover in a few hours without sweating too much in the Mediterranean sun.

Valletta is a rough rectangle at the tip of a peninsula on Malta’s northeast coast. From the City Gate at the southwest edge of Valletta, you can walk to the centre of town through a series of squares surrounded by palaces and cathedrals.

Gozo

Gozo has a distinct character all its own. The countryside is prettier than that of its larger neighbour, the pace is slower and there are far fewer tourists. The island has its share of medieval architecture and prehistoric temples, making it a great place to escape the tourism mill.

The commercial centre of the island, Victoria, has a sleepy 17th-century feel. Head to the top of the Citadel, or ‘Gran Costello’, for a view of the entire island. The Norman House, on the Citadel’s grounds, houses an interesting folk museum.

You can retrace the footsteps of Ulysses at Calypso’s Cave, in the cliffs overlooking Ramla Bay on the northeastern coast. Other spelunking opportunities include the underground Xerri’s Grotto and Ninu’s Cave in the tiny town of Xaghra, a couple of kilometres southwest of Ramla Bay. The Ggantija temple complex, also near Xaghra, is the most spectacular in Malta.

Mdina

This 3000-year-old city, once the political centre of Malta, is filled with Norman and baroque buildings and narrow cobblestone streets. Perched on a rocky outcrop about 15km (9mi) west of Valletta, the so-called Citta Notabile (Noble City) has a commanding view of the island.

Its nickname derives from the many aristocratic Maltese families who still live in town. The best-preserved medieval building is the Norman-style Palazzo Falzon, built in 1495. Mdina has a beautiful main piazza, where you’ll find the 11th-century Roman Catholic Sicula-Norman Cathedral, one of the few buildings to survive an earthquake in 1693. The cathedral museum houses a collection of Dürer woodcuts. The nearby suburb of Rabat (which translates roughly as ’suburb’) has the interesting Museum of Roman Antiquities, which offers exhibits on the island’s 1000 years under Roman rule.

Ħaġar Qim

Dating from as early as 3600 BC, Ħaġar Qim and the other Neolithic temples on Malta are the oldest known human structures in the world. This megalithic temple complex is adorned with carved animals and idols, sacrificial altars and oracular chambers, all executed with nothing more than flint and obsidian tools.

Giant limestone slabs form a series of ovals laid out in a pattern that some archaeologists have compared to Mother Goddess figurines found on the site. The view of the Mediterranean and the nearby island of Filfla is one of the best in Malta. Hagar Qim and its neighbour, the Mnajdra temple, are near the village of Qrendi, about 15km (9mi) southwest of Valletta.

Currency: Maltese lira
Meals

Budget: ₤1-4
Mid-range: ₤4-5
High: ₤5-7
Deluxe: ₤7+

Lodging

Budget: ₤5-10
Mid-range: ₤11-20
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The Feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck, on 10 February, commemorates the mishap that brought the apostle to Malta in 60 AD. During the third week of February, pretty floats and creepy masks mark Carnival, when dancing competitions and other festivities take place in the capital and Floriana. This predominantly Roman Catholic country gets into Holy Week in a big way. During the Good Friday pageant, Christ’s passion and crucifixion are depicted by statues born aloft through the streets of Valletta and a dozen other towns. You can also see Last Supper Table Displays in the capital and in the outlying villages, including one in Zebbug made entirely of pasta.

The Feast of St Publius in Floriana kicks off the festa (feast) season on the first Sunday after Easter; over the next six months every village honours its patron saint. Satisfy your fried rabbit habit during L’Imnarja - the Feast of Sts Peter & Paul - held on 28 and 29 June. The festivities include traditional Maltese folk singing, horse racing and lots of crispy bunny. During the Christmas season, streets all over the islands are festooned with lights, statues of Baby Jesus look out from the windows of homes and shops, and bands march through Valletta every evening. On Christmas Eve (24 December), boys parade through towns and villages with statues of the infant Saviour, and a child tells the story of Christ’s birth during Midnight Mass.

The best time to visit Malta is the lull from February 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% from their late June to August high. September and October are also good months to visit.

Visas: Visas are not required for holiday visits of up to three months by Americans, Australians, Britons, Canadians, Japanese, New Zealanders or nationals of most EU countries.
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1
Dialling Code: 356
Electricity: 240V ,50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric