The Mediterranean islands with 300 days of sunshine where almost everyone speaks English – just 3 hours from the UK
YOU WANT a dreamy beach holiday combined with a top city break, culture, history and incredible food. Sounds impossible? Not on Malta.
This island nation, pitched between Sicily and North Africa, is an incredible mix of Mediterranean magic that’s been 8,000 years in the making.
With a unique culture and heritage, plus spectacular beaches, swimming and diving spots, it is a place like no other.
And yet it’s one of the easiest destinations for Britons in Europe.
It’s just a three-hour hop from the UK, English is one of two official languages, it uses the euro, and people even drive on the left.
A first-class (and affordable) public transport system of buses and boats whisks you around the three main islands: , and , where cars are banned.
It’s sunny, safe and stuffed full of history, great food and stunning scenery.
So whether you’re a family wanting a beach holiday with extra trimmings, or a couple wanting a gourmet, great-weather escape, Malta is a no-brainer.
And with online holiday expert curating the best hotels and taking care of your booking, it’s as easy as the Med gets. Here’s what you’re going for…
One destination, three islands
You get three holidays in one when you visit Malta.
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That’s because Malta the nation isn’t just Malta the island. Gozo and Comino, its sister islands, also make up the Maltese archipelago – all 122 square miles of it.
Malta is the largest – if you’re looking for culture, history or Michelin-starred restaurants, you’ll want to centre yourselves here.
Rural Gozo has more of a typical island feel, with agriculture and fishing at its heart, alongside tourism.
Sitting between the two, wild Comino is the smallest island, where you can really get away from it all – it’s car-free and virtually uninhabited.
Visitors typically come to Gozo on day trips to snorkel and swim in the crystal waters, or hike through the landscape, filled with wild herbs.
It’s super easy to get around. The brilliant bus network on Malta and Gozo can get you almost everywhere, and it’s cheap as chips – a seven-day pass costs just €21 (£18), or €15 for kids.
Ferries between the two take about 20 minutes, and there are regular boats to Comino from both islands.
Sun, sand and sea
With 300 days of sunshine, Malta is the perfect place for a beach holiday.
There is something for everyone. Take your pick between a lush golden beach, the red sands at Ramla Bay, or the flat-rocked shoreline – with nature’s own sunloungers – at beaches such as .
One thing that doesn’t change around the coastline is the clear Mediterranean water – there are 12 Blue Flag beaches on the islands.
As you’d expect, it’s also one of Europe’s best diving destinations, with more than 100 sites across the islands.
There is a whole other world to explore underwater, from shipwrecks and caves to Mediterranean drop-offs – with dives suitable for everyone, from beginners to experts.
Ready for a lazy day on the high seas? Book a trip to the Blue Lagoon – a bright jade strip of water slipping between a cave-filled shoreline on Comino. It’s the most popular place to swim and snorkel.
And because of Malta’s compact size, you can hit the beach and see the sights in a single day – there’s no need to choose.
History
Floating between Sicily and North Africa, Malta has been a cultural crossroads for thousands of years.
Many of the major Mediterranean civilisations have left their mark on the islands: from the Phoenicians, Romans and Arabs to the Knights of St John, Napoleon and, of course, the British.
Across the islands, you’ll find prehistoric archaeological sites, ancient temples and Renaissance-era forts.
Malta’s history dates back to its Stone Age settlements – at Ghar Dalam, you can go inside a cave where humans lived 7,400 years ago.
You can walk around megalithic temples, including Hagar Qim and Mnajdra – these Unesco World Heritage sites are the oldest free-standing structures in the world, built even before Stonehenge.
Underground, you can find a prehistoric cemetery cut into the rock at the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, and the Roman-Byzantine catacombs of St Paul in Rabat.
Valletta’s 16th-century citadel was built in creamy stone by the Knights of St John, who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798.
Mdina, the former capital known as the “silent city”, is a warren of elegant Italian-style palazzos and Baroque architecture.
Gastronomy
You can thank Malta’s history for making this one of the most exciting places to eat in the Mediterranean.
The islands bring together French, Arabic, Italian and British flavours, serving up their history on a plate.
You’ll find Provençal-style dishes stewed in wine, top-notch Mediterranean seafood, a Maltese take on pizza (a cross between Neapolitan and Roman-style) and North African-inspired treats, such as kusksu – a soup of broad beans, pasta beads, egg, vegetables and ġbejna, a traditional Maltese cheese made from sheep or goat’s milk.
If you want to push the boat out, there are no fewer than six Michelin-starred restaurants to choose from, including Bahia, whose “Past” tasting menu is inspired by the islands’ history.
Dishes include charred red prawns to represent the Stone Age, spelt salad to pay homage to the Phoenicians, and fish with sumac tart, representing the period of Arab rule 1,000 years ago.
Prefer a snack? The ftira biż-żejt, a Maltese bread, has a crunchy outside and fluffy inside usually smeared with tomato paste instead of butter and filled with tuna, tomato, capers, olives, red onion and basil.
Never seen Maltese wine back home? That’s because the scene is so artisanal, it doesn’t make enough to export. At the Tal-Massar winery on Gozo, you can do a tasting overlooking the Med.
Culture
In the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta has always punched above its weight when it comes to culture.
This is where bad-boy painter Caravaggio fled to in 1607 after killing someone during a brawl in Rome.
He left two paintings here – Saint Jerome Writing and the monumental Beheading of St John the Baptist, both in the dazzling Co-Cathedral of St John. People flock from all over the world to see them.
, a Unesco World Heritage site, is completely unspoilt, while Mdina is a city of frothy carved buildings. There’s also a church for every day of the year on the islands.
And there is modern culture, too. Throughout the year, you’ll stumble on village festas, fireworks displays and dedicated “artisan villages” (try Ta’ Dbiegi, on Gozo).
It’s not all about tradition – Valletta was European Capital of Culture in 2018.
You can walk the -style roof garden at the cool Valletta Design Cluster, located in an old slaughterhouse, or visit Blitz Valletta, an acclaimed contemporary art gallery.
And if the scenery around the islands looks familiar, that’s because Malta has been a popular filming location for the likes of Game of Thrones, Jurassic World and Gladiator.
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The set for 1980s film Popeye was never dismantled – today, it’s a theme park, Popeye Village.
Choose your escape
Seven nights all-inclusive from £421pp (based on two adults and two kids sharing). Fly direct from London Heathrow with Air Malta. Depart on April 20, 2023.
Seven nights from £592pp (based on two adults sharing) – was from £634pp. Fly direct from London Heathrow with Air Malta. Depart on May 13, 2023.
Seven nights from £701pp (based on two adults sharing). Fly direct from London Gatwick with easyJet. Depart on September 17, 2023.
Seven nights half board from £339pp (based on two adults sharing) – was from £371pp. Fly direct from London Gatwick with easyJet. Depart on October 11, 2023.
Prices are subject to change. Correct at time of publication.
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