The coast of Malta at sunset
The coast of Malta at sunset

Malta

A Mediterranean island paradise

Published: 05 May 2023, 11:17

Malta is small but nice and has almost everything to offer. A holiday on the Mediterranean island between Sicily and Tunisia is a city break, beach holiday and educational trip all rolled into one. Malta offers a good mix of Arabic architecture, Mediterranean lifestyle and an international atmosphere. English is still the official language in the former British royal colony. Malta is the smallest and southernmost member state of the European Union. It comprises the main islands of Malta with Gozo and Comino, as well as three uninhabited islands.

With more than 300 days of sunshine a year and a 180-kilometre coastline with turquoise, crystal-clear waters, Malta offers the perfect conditions for a holiday and water sports. An ideal starting point for your journey of discovery is the island’s capital Valletta with its fortifications – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the island’s eventful history through the Stone Age temples, more than 370 churches and palaces as well as the watchtowers and fortresses.

Figures, dates, facts

  • Time difference: none
  • Population: 520,000
  • Official language: English
  • Currency: Euro

Ten Malta highlights

View of Valletta’s skyline © s4svisuals / AdobeStock
The whole of Malta’s capital city Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It impresses visitors with its beautiful architecture and location directly by the sea. © s4svisuals / AdobeStock
View of Valletta’s harbour and fortifications © davidionut /AdobeStock
Valletta with a view of the Grand Harbour: the city with its impressive fortifications can be explored brilliantly by boat. © davidionut / AdobeStock
Gardens Upper Barrakka Gardens © Nazanin / AdobeStock
Green oasis up by the old town: Valletta’s Upper Barrakka Gardens are a great place to spend time and relax. A cannon shot at noon is the only thing that disturbs the peace. © Nazanin / AdobeStock
The gilded interior of St. John’s Co-Cathedral © fotoember / AdobeStock
St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta not only offers beauty, magnificence, and gold – it also has two paintings by the famous painter Caravaggio. © fotoember / AdobeStock
View of the city of Mdina © s4svisuals / AdobeStock
Inland lies Mdina, the old Maltese capital, which can be seen from afar on a plateau with churches, monasteries and palaces. © s4svisuals / AdobeStock
Marsaxlokk fishing village with colourful boats © Kavalenkava / AdobeStock
Romantic, picturesque and full of tradition: the fishing village of Marsaxlokk with its colourful boats and fish market is located in the south of the island. © Kavalenkava / AdobeStock
Green limestone Dingli Cliffs © Karina Movsesyan / AdobeStock
The 200-metre-high Dingli Cliffs offer breathtaking views. The limestone cliffs are great for hiking and watching sunsets. © Karina Movsesyan / AdobeStock
Għajn Tuffieħa Bay with turquoise waters © Olga Markush /AdobeStock
Beautiful sandy beach, crystal-clear water, perfect for snorkelling: Għajn Tuffieħa Bay is one of the island’s most beautiful bays. © Olga Markush / AdobeStock
Popeye Village film set with colourful houses by the sea © zgphotography / AdobeStock
Who remembers Popeye the Sailor Man? The Hollywood film was shot here in 1979. It’s worth taking a trip to the film set with the colourful houses. © zgphotography / AdobeStock
View of Mosta with the Rotunda © dudlajzov / AdobeStock
One of the most impressive buildings in Malta is in Mosta: the Rotunda is a Roman Catholic basilica that is also very opulent inside. © dudlajzov / AdobeStock

Gozo and Comino: discover Malta’s sister islands

You can’t fly to Malta without visiting the two neighbouring islands of Gozo and Comino. Both islands can be reached quickly and easily by ferry from the north of Malta. Because of their moderate size, they can be explored wonderfully in one day. Gozo is characterised by a rural atmosphere, secluded beaches and spellbinding landscapes of salt pans and rugged cliffs. Gozo’s attractive hiking trails are very distinctive and there are wonderful underwater sports for diving fans to discover here. The much smaller, car-free island of Comino is even more secluded and is best known for its Blue Lagoon, a fantastic bay with turquoise water.

Gozo and Comino highlights

View of the town of Xewkija on Gozo © Amine / AdobeStock
Xewkija is Gozo’s oldest town. The impressive church building with the rotunda is considered the island’s landmark. © Amine / AdobeStock
View of the town of Victoria on Gozo ©arkanto / AdobeStock
Victoria and the Il-Kastell Cittadella are located in the centre of the island of Gozo. The capital is still called by its previous name Rabat by the locals. © arkanto / AdobeStock
View through a cave to the sandy beach of Ramla Bay © dudlajzov / AdobeStock
One of the most beautiful and largest sandy beaches on Gozo is Ramla Bay. It is also known as the golden beach because of its reddish-golden colour. © dudlajzov / AdobeStock
Salt pans on Gozo © javarman / AdobeStock
The salt pans, which are used to extract fresh sea salt, are located on Gozo’s northern coast. Traditional salt extraction dates back to Roman times. © javarman / AdobeStock
Blue Lagoon on the island of Comino © Serenity-H / AdobeStock
A picture-perfect bay: the Blue Lagoon on the island of Comino is a real dream location for swimming, diving, snorkelling and boating. © Serenity-H / AdobeStock

Malta from BER

Aircraft shortly before touching down on the runway

KM Malta Airlines

Info-i pictogram

Malta International Airport (MLA)

Five travel tips for ...

1. Sail through the Grand Harbour by ferry

2. Take a stroll and go shopping on Republic Street

3. Drift through the old town’s medieval alleyways

4. Discover the ancient tombs of knights at St John’s Co-Cathedral

5. See the new parliament building by architect Renzo Piano

1. Take the boat to Gozo, Comino and the Blue Lagoon

2. Rent a SUP board on the beach

3. Discover caves, reefs and wrecks while diving

4. Kite and windsurfing for those who love adventure

5. Watch the colourful parrot fish while snorkelling 

1. Go swimming at the beaches in Mellieha or Golden Bay

2. Discover exotic fish at the Malta National Aquarium

3. Admire the interesting backdrops on the Popeye Village film set

4. Discover the neighbouring island of Gozo by Jeep

5. Enter the depths of the limestone cliffs in Ghar Dalam Cave 

Picture source title: © zpphotography / AdobeStock

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