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It is said that the Maltese islands are the open air
museum of the Mediterranean, offering 7,000 years or more of
history to explore with numerous unique cultural and historical
sites. The islands boast prehistoric ruins older than Stonehenge
and the Pyramids of Egypt.
Steeped in the legacy of the medieval order of the
Knights of St John, the islands were used as a stronghold for
defending Christendom. Malta lies about 60 miles (97km) south of
Sicily and 160 miles (257km) north of Libya, a strategic position
in the Mediterranean that has made the islands a crossroads of
history.
The last occupiers were the British, who granted
Malta independence in 1964. But the Knights of St John, to whom the
island was donated in 1530, left the biggest and most unique
influence. The Knights reigned supreme over the island for 270
years, building magnificent churches and monuments.
Malta has truly ancient mysteries too, primarily in
the form of 30 prehistoric sites boasting massive Neolithic
temples, considered to be the oldest freestanding stone buildings
known to man. But Malta and its little sister island, Gozo, are not
stuck in a time warp.
The islanders enjoy life to the full, and the
calendar is liberally sprinkled with summertime festas,
with fireworks and revelry in every little parish in honour of the
village patron saints, as well as the major carnival in early
spring every year.
The capital, Valletta, besides offering some awesome
Baroque buildings and fortifications as its main sightseeing
attractions, is bursting with restaurants and cafes. The island's
compact size is also a plus for visitors.
It takes no more than an hour to drive between any
two points on the main island, and there is very little open space.
The dense population means that the island is virtually one large
urban area, with buildings occupying every inch.
Malta is blessed, however, with a rugged and
appealing coastline, boasting secluded bays and sandy beaches
hidden between rocky outcrops, which attract travellers at least as
much as the historical sightseeing.