Malta‘s history goes back to many hundreds of years and additionally archaeologists have discovered certain artefacts of which date close to around 4,000 BC. St Paul was also said to have been shipwrecked on the Island in around 58AD coming back from Rome. He is said to have converted the people of Malta to Christians and in essence made the Maltese people the oldest Christians groups that was exterior to the Middle East.
Malta’s turn around point started in around 1530. Control was handed over to the Order of St John by a Spanish King and eventually it was a group of Knights who created and shaped Malta as it exists today. The beautiful churches, gorgeous palaces and World Heritage Fortress towns add to the Island’s historic glory. More recently one can add the delectable food, rugged coastline, boutique hotels, cafes, coves and outstanding Mediterranean views.
Valletta – The Capital City of Malta
Valletta may well be one of the tiniest capitals on a global basis; nonetheless it hosts a certain charm and wonderful historic appeal to many. Valletta is completely walled around and quite a few of the streets are shut off to cars, making the capital the perfect place to just crawl around and enjoy. The city was basically built out of limestone and dates back to around the 16th century. Valletta was taken from the Grand Master of the Knights of St John who was named La Vallette.
Museums, boutiques, historic churches and some wonderful views of one of Malta’s most beautiful harbours are also some of the other attractions quite easily locatable. Valletta is such a cultural city, that it is going to be the European Capital of Culture in 2018.
Great attractions that one must visit include St John’s Cathedral, which is filled with unique milestone artefacts including Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio‘s masterpiece. Also the tombs of fallen knights fill the cathedral and are adorned with macabre inlays which illustrate death and destruction. The Manoel Theatre is also something one should visit. This theatre was in fact built by the Knights respectively. The Manoel hosts routine performances of local and international productions.
Entertainment
For a touch of the Macabre, one should pay a visit to Mdina’s Dungeons. This particular city was in fact once a walled city on the Island. Mdina is one of the more historic cities in Malta and one can really look into its dark past when one visits the dungeon chambers themselves.
Additionally one can also enjoy a cannon being fired when visiting the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta for this spectacular event. Visiting the Grand Master’s Palace, Valletta, to view The Armoury is also very interesting visit and is literally filled to the brim with suits of armour, cannons, cross bows, ancient pistols and other historic weapons used during battle.
Malta’s nightlife is also something that one cannot miss. In the heart of St.Julians one can find various clubs and bars. Many hotels in Malta are also based in the heart St.Julians.
Gozo is a much greener and smaller island than Malta and is constructed of tiny villages with its Capital named Victoria. Malta’s Sister Island takes only 25 minutes to get there by ferry. Gozo’s capital in particular hosts quite an impressive array of citadels, bastions, museums and markets. However, if you are coming in a large group you may wish to rent out one of Gozo’s well-known farmhouses. During the Island’s festa’s one can really expect good food, fireworks, delicious local produce and bands.
Gozo is filled with walks and one can quite easily find country paths and walks close by. If there is one thing of which Gozo is known for it is its unique coastline. With water so warm and clear and with astonishing coves and cliffs, Gozo is certainly going to give you a great and relaxing time in the sun.
Maltese Cuisine
With Malta being in the centre of the Mediterranean, the cuisine of Malta is quite unique. Seafood is essentially a good majority of the diet and one can eat seafood caught on the day, which really shows you just how fresh the food actually is. Cafes are also easy to find and serve wonderful Italian coffee, baked goods and home-made ice-cream.
For one of the most peaceful experiences, one should visit the town of Naxxar. The Palazzo Parisio and Gardens, where one can combine a unique historic event with some really wonderful food provided for in the palace gardens themselves. This stately palace has a wonderful ball-room, impressive frescoes, intimate family chapel, two walled gardens all maintaining an interesting baroque flavour.
Quite a few cafes and restaurants provide a good variety of Maltese food, which comprises of a peppery sausage, sundried tomatoes, local olives, bean dip, pickled vegetables, galletti biscuits and focaccia. Certainly a great way to eat light and if you wish to keep room for the traditional Maltese rabbit (fenek) casserole, fish pie (lampuki) and/or ravioli.
Catering in Malta is also another asset that one can enjoy for any kind of event. Events in Malta vary from weddings to meetings and incentives.
Diving
Diving is a great activity on the Island and certainly hosts a wealth of places where one can either dive professionally or learn. With underwater caves and reefs divers can discover a good range of war boats, wrecks, First and Second World War artefacts and submarines. Diving schools offer courses for beginning enthusiasts and there is certainly allot to see in regards to the marine life. Additional water sports also include kite surfing, kayaking, sailing and water skiing. The Island is pretty well catered for when it comes to action on the ground, such as mountain biking, horse riding and hiking.
If you’d prefer to leave your paws safely on the ground, the island has a whole range of well-marked paths, or one can simply explore the natural sites as they wish.
