Malta is one of Europe's smallest and most densely populated countries — three islands in the centre of the Mediterranean with a combined area of 316 square kilometres — and one of the most historically layered. The Maltese archipelago has been settled since at least 5900 BC; the Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra temples predate Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. The Knights of St John fortified Valletta in the 16th century; the Baroque capital they built is now the EU's smallest capital city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Malta is one of Europe's smallest and most densely populated countries — three islands in the centre of the Mediterranean with a combined area of 316 square kilometres — and one of the most historically layered. The Maltese archipelago has been settled since at least 5900 BC; the Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra temples predate Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. The Knights of St John fortified Valletta in the 16th century; the Baroque capital they built is now the EU's smallest capital city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Azure Window may have fallen into the sea, but Malta's diving is still among the Mediterranean's best: clear water, World War II wrecks, and underwater caves. The island's cuisine combines Arab, Sicilian, and British influences (Malta was a British crown colony until 1964); the pastizzi (ricotta or mushy pea pastry) is the local fast food. The Maltese festivals — particularly the village festa circuit of elaborate processions and fireworks — are extraordinary expressions of Catholic folk culture.
