Malta sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

A small island in the Mediterranean Sea where the sun shines 12 months a year, Malta has always been a famous beach resort. However, not many know that the island has rich historic heritage and any other Mediterranean island can hardly compete with Malta in terms of the number of places of interest.

National traditions and mentality of people in Malta

Malta is a small island state in the Mediterranean Sea. Since the 16th century Arab and European empires fought for its lands, which could not but …
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The capital of the country, Valetta, is a true open air museum. The city is rich in beautiful churches, medieval palaces and fortresses. The Grandmaster’s Palace is considered the most beautiful building on the island. Nowadays, the palace is used as a residence of the president. Tourists are also recommended to visit St. Elmo Fortress and St. John’s Cathedral. These buildings of the 16th century are in wonderful condition and unleash the beauty and luxury of past centuries. Many palaces have been transformed into museums – Provence Palace is home to the largest Archaeological Museum in the country. The building of Admiralty has been turned into the Museum of Fine Arts.

The Armoury is a great place to get acquainted with the times of knight orders. Castile Palace and Palazzo Parisio are beautiful buildings that are also recommended for a visit. The city of Mdina is a very interesting destination. The city was built more than 4 thousand years ago, so there are many places of interest that belong to different epochs in Mdina. Travellers are recommended to visit the Greek Gates, the Casa Inguanez, St. Paul’s Cathedral, St. Sofia’s Palace, Norman House, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Carmelites Church and the Mdina Prison. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Malta cultural sights. What to see?

Despite its small size, Malta is one of the most valuable regions in terms of culture and history. The earliest historical events in the territory of …
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The ancient temples of Mnajdra, Hagar Qim and Tarxien are among the most unusual sights of the island. According to scientists, the age of the temples exceeds 6 – 7 thousand years, which makes them approximately one thousand years older than the famous Giza Pyramids. These are truly unique buildings made of giant megaliths. There are many theories about the way how these temples were made, but currently it is still not possible to say exactly how people were able to use such giant stones for building.

Travellers, who want to know more about the Maltese Order, are recommended to visit such towns as Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua. Many centuries ago these fairly small towns formed one big protective system. First fortresses, impenetrable walls and deep ditches started appearing there yet in the beginning of the 16th century. Among the surviving buildings, the most beautiful and famous are St. Angelo Fort, Bishop’s Palace, the Palace of Inquisitors, St. Laurentius Church and the Church of Annunciation.

Things to do in Malta - active leisure

Malta is one of the most popular places to relax around the Mediterranean. Important for local residents and tourists are water activities - diving, …
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History and Entertainment

Malta situated at the crossroads of important trade routes has been attracting many conquerors’ attention since ancient times. The first official references to the island date back to the 8th century BC. That period began with the Greeks and Phoenicians’ colonization. By the 13th century AD, the island had undergone multiple battles. It was alternately conquered by the Carthaginians, the Roman Empire, Byzantium, the Normans and then Spaniards. Since 1814, the island had been under Great Britain and gained independence only in 1964.

At present, some of the main values of Malta in terms of the tourism are marvelous sandy beaches for every taste. Those who love having fun all day and night long can spend their time at the popular beach resort of the Saint George Bay that turns into a great disco when it gets dark. Those who prefer secluded recreation should visit the resort of San Blas.

What you need to know about Malta prior to visit - advices

1. Malta has been a member of the European Union since 2004. The official currency of the country is the euro. 2. The Maltese language is quite …
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In Malta, there are wonderful conditions for diving and snorkeling. Some of the most popular dive sites are Marfa Point and Delimara Point. Here, during the dive, you can admire enchanting corals in all colors of the rainbow and see a lot of endemic sea animals. The picturesque coast of Comino should be certainly noted too. Besides fascinating coral reefs, it attracts with its underwater caves.

The Blue Grotto is a magnificent nature attraction. This is a name of rocky caves which you can admire during your boat tour. The main peculiarity of the Grotto is water of saturated blue color caused by a high content of particular minerals.

What to see and what to visit in Malta with children

Malta is great for a family holiday - clean sea, safe resorts, mild climate will make the vacation delightful. On the islands, except for the beaches, …
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Malta is also very popular with fans of food tourism. The formation of local food traditions has been influenced by the gastronomy of different countries of the world. Today, the core of the local cuisine is fish dishes. Seasonal fruit and vegetables are also actively used in cooking. The Maltese street food can be certainly called the healthiest and most useful in the world. Street stalls offer the buyers fresh sandwiches with tuna, vegetable salads and layer cakes with different fruit filling. Malta is also notable for its delicious honey and a wide variety of farm cheeses.

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Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in Malta

Famous and uniques places in Malta from our review series

Azure Window

From the series “Incredible Natural Arches Built by Water and Wind”

The picturesque Maltese island of Gozo has an amazing landmark - the natural arch named Azure Window. It was formed in a limestone rock, which extends far into the sea. This natural attraction has got its name due to a special azure colour of the coastal waters.

The coast with the amazing natural formation is incredibly popular with divers, because local underwater world is very diverse and magically beautiful. However, diving near the arch is quite dangerous because of the high probability of collapse. The main enemy of brittle limestone is erosion. If you believe the opinion of experts, the arch can collapse at any moment.

Two majestic rocks supports the arch, the height of the natural bridge is about 50 meters. In 2012, from one of the rocks that supports the arch, a large stone … Read all

Megalithic Temples of Malta

From the series “The Oldest Surviving Monuments on Earth”

In Malta, the archaeologists have discovered the astonishingly preserved ancient temples whose age is more than 5 500 years. Seven megalithic temples, which today belong to the historical objects of the world, have been used for a thousand years and are now regarded as a unified architectural complex. During the research of the temples were discovered the valuable historical artifacts, which have thrown a light on the specific periods of the history of the islands.

In the temples the fragments of ceramics were found, confirming the theory of the existence of highly developed civilization on the islands in ancient times. The scientists are convinced that there are still many hidden important historical monuments in Malta, some of whose elements were lost in the 19th century. In this … Read all

Sightseeing in popular cities of Malta

Mellieha

First settlers in the resort area appeared yet during the Neolithic age. Archaeologists, who have performed numerous excavations in Malta, proved this more than once. During the antiquity period, the troglodytes settled in this area and made local caves their home. In the period of Byzantine reign, the Arabs invaded the settlement, plundered it, and killed residents. This sad event happened in the 70s of the 9th century. During the long history of Mellieha, the settlement was suffering from … Read more

Mgarr

The history of the settlement with an unusual name – Mgarr – started in the middle of the 13th century. Initially, this was a village, residents of which were mostly engaged in fishing. First inhabitants in Malta appeared on the island much earlier – long before our age. During the Neolithic period, ancient people were building megalithic temples in Malta, and many of them have survived until the present day. In 1551, the Ottoman fleet led by Sinan Pasha and accompanied by Dragun … Read more

Valletta

A special attraction is the Republic Street – the main street of Valletta, which is entirely at the disposal of pedestrians. This street is full of many popular shops, souvenir shops, as well as restaurants and cafes. It seems as if life on the street never stops for a minute; it is possible to spend the whole day here interestingly. At the end of the street is an interesting historical landmark - the beautiful Villa Casa Rocca Piccola. For over four hundred years, this lovely Villa was … Read more

Malta Island

Nature lovers in Malta will be interested to visit the botanical garden, named after San Antonio. On the territory of this lush garden, dozens of species of rare trees and flowers are represented. Another interesting feature is the abundance of orange trees. Ripened oranges are distributed as gifts to visitors of the garden who come here on Christmas Eve. The Botanical Garden of Malta is historical. On its territory, there are several beautiful old buildings. Ghar Dalam Cave is not only an … Read more

St Julians

Nearby, next to the Temple of Ballut, you can see an original monument to the Love. The unveiling of the memorial was held just a few years ago. It represents a word Love, recorded upside down. It can be read only if you look at the reflection of letters in the water. Due to this unusual feature, the modern monument has become one of the most photographed objects in the city. The Independence Park is located near St. Julian Bay, in one of the most remote areas. It will definitely appeal to … Read more

Comino Island