Covering an area of 316 square kilometers (122 square miles), Malta has a population of about 450,000 individuals and is considered one of the smallest and most densely populated countries in the world. Valletta, the capital of Malta covers an area of 0.8 km squared making it also the smallest capital within the European Union.

It’s strategic positioning made it an important naval base in the past and has been ruled by various powers including the Spanish, Romans, the Knights of St. John, Normans, British, Moors, French, Sicilians and Phoenicians. Over and above this, Malta in itself is an important tourist destination attracting visitors from across the globe throughout the year.

Here are some of the reasons why you need to visit the island of Malta;

Beautiful Beaches

Photo: Nick Ribaudo

If you are looking for a small, quiet and beautiful beach holiday, then this is it. Malta has some of the most beautiful beaches you can visit located on the Northern and Western shorelines including Ghajn Tuffieha, Mellieha Bay (this is the largest on this island) and Golden Bay. This is definitely one of the best environments to visit within Malta.

Events, Sports and Leisure Activities

There is plenty of activity and sport to engage in within the Maltese islands. If you fancy scuba diving, there are various diving sites that you can take advantage of and if you wish to catch your favorite sports on screen, most pubs have satellite dishes to air most of these games.

Historical re-enactments, pop concerts and theatre shows are also good fun for the whole family. Enjoy some rock climbing and mountain biking on the hill climbs at the sister island of Gozo where you will find steep cliffs as well as really quiet and peaceful roads within this area. Wind surfing and para-gliding are also available depending on the season you intend to visit in.

Sometimes, the weather outside may not be very conducive for certain activities but even with this, you are sure to find something to enjoy. Large hotels offer various indoor facilities including tennis courts, pools and gyms where you can take part in any of these. If you did not bring some sporting gear along, you will find some on rental basis at pocket friendly prices.

Wonderful Hospitality

Photo: Andrea Santoni

The hospitality of the people of Malta is something that most visitors will not go without noticing and it makes them feel welcome and well appreciated. Should you need some guidance around the island, you can approach the inhabitants here who will be more than willing to help you with this and more as per your desire. This is a culture that the people here have cultivated and it is deeply ingrained within them.

So Much within a Short Time

For most travel destinations, you might be required to travel long distances to go and explore certain sites, which means if you have a short time to be at a particular destination, you might end up achieving so little and grow tired at the same time too. Not so for Malta. Within as little as an hour from one point to another within the island, you can explore resorts, entertainment areas, beaches and historical sites among other places of interest. This is pretty much the only place offering all this within Europe.

Malta is simply a haven worth visiting for every tourist/traveller and the other best thing about this destination is that anytime all year round is a perfect time to visit the Maltese islands. That is why you need to make time and visit this amazing wonder.