Malta is again a paradise on the Mediterranean! Malta is a compelling country bursting with interesting historical sights, which makes it like an open air museum, as many visitors describe it. The small country is comprised of three islands: Malta Island, the largest and most visited of the three; Gozo, famous for its gentle hills and tranquil atmosphere; and Comino, a small and isolated island with excellent water sport opportunities.

Within Valletta, its capital, visitors can see the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mdina, where one can explore the ruins of the ancient capital city of Malta. While on Gozo Island, the Ggantija Temples, massive megalithic structures that pre-date Stonehenge, are a must-see.

Malta is also a fantastic beach holiday destination, featuring a varied and pleasant selection of beaches and a generally laid-back and relaxed atmosphere, peppered throughout the year with vibrant festivals and other cultural celebrations.

The best beaches in Malta are Golden Bay and Mellieha Bay in the north of Malta Island, or on Gozo, on the red sands of Ramla Bay.

The Blue Lagoon, located on the coast of Comino Island, boasts some of the clearest, most turquoise water in the Mediterranean and is a huge hit on the international diving and snorkelling circuit, also in Gozo, come and discover some of the exceptional rock formations, caves with some of the strongest blue colored water you have ever seen!

Due to its location and distance from other mainland countries, flying to Malta is always the best option. However it's possible to travel by ferry from the Italian town of Pozzallo, in Sicily. Malta is located in the Mediterranean Sea, between North Africa and the island of Sicily. Flying from Italy, you will find the most frequent flights. However it's easy to reach Malta from most European capitals. A number of low cost airlines operate to/from the airport, EasyJet or Ryanair making it an easy airport to reach to from Europe. 

The national airline is Air Malta which offers a good full service product and has agreements with other airlines if you are making a connection or travelling from out of Europe. 

Once in the country, transportation is well developed and driving is very popular to get around. Ideally renting a car is a good option when travelling around the Islands of Malta and Gozo. In relation to public transport, most areas can be accessed by bus. However services can be limited and finish in the mid evening on some routes. 

Malta is the hidden gem of the Mediterranean with a fine reputation for its varied cuisine, borrowing heavily from neighbouring Sicily and North Africa. Although food from every part of the globe is to be found on the island, local restaurants providing rustic home-cooked family recipes are definitely worth seeking out. 

Specialities include: Timpana, pasta with a Bolognese-style sauce baked in pastry. Bragioli, thin slices of steak rolled around a ground veal filling and covered in a tomato-based sauce. Fenek, rabbit cooked in wine. Pastizzi, ricotta or pea-filled savoury pastries. Lampuki pie, a baked pastry derived from the popular lampuki fish. Qara bali mimli, round pale green zucchini or courgettes stuffed with minced beef, cheese and parsley or with ricotta and grated sharp cheese. Mazzit, Maltese blood sausage. it's also possible to find a good range of natural honey, salt, nuts and locally produced goat cheese.

As for drinks you can find: Local Maltese coffee produced on the island. Kinnie, it's a sparkling soft drink with a distinctive bitter orange flavour. Cisk lager, Malta’s national beer. Bajtra, one of Malta’s traditional liqueurs, distilled from prickly pears as well as other fruity liqueurs. 

Source: worldtravelguide.net

Visiting Malta was a pleasant surprise because of the amount of beautiful scenery and buildings you can expect to find and see with just exploring a little further. The two islands we visited combined the best option to be able to take full advantage of what the Maltese culture could offer, history and scenery. 

Definitely don't miss walking around La Valletta city as a day activity. There are numerous churches and cafes built within the old city walls and fortifications which are restored and look fantastic which are so interesting to visit. La Valletta is like an open air museum in itself! When you have enough of the heat, it's not far to go to find good chilled cafes and restaurants where the food is so tasty, thanks to the influence of the Mediterranean flavours and the Italian/Greek/Arabian mix. Gozo Island is for scenery and nature. The rock formations are amazing around the island, as well as the ancient prehistoric ruins of the Ġgantija Temples which are not to be missed, despite the entry price. You will feel like time is stopped and everybody is calm and relaxed. People are friendly and helpful and because it's easy to speak in English to everyone, you can learn so much about the way of life in Malta. Come to these islands for sun, excellent cuisine and fascinating scenery!  

(Once visited)