Malta Tourist Attractions

Malta is a beautiful small island state in the Mediterranean and is a popular place for holiday makers from the UK, Germany, France, The Netherlands and Italy. Malta`s sister island, Gozo, is more rural and untouched, offering the visitor the opportunity for peace and quiet in attractive surroundings. As well as the many lovely beaches on both islands, there are plenty of tourist attractions to keep the visitor busy. In Gozo`s capital, Victoria, the citadel and fortified walls represent much of Malta`s history, providing shelter for villagers in the days of foreign invasion. There are a great deal of diverse cultural and historical sites in the area, with a wonderful heritage in the remains of buildings from times when the Carthaginians, Romans, Turks, Arabs, English and French invaded the islands.

There are several megalithic temples in Malta. One of the finest and the largest of these free standing structures is the Ggantija complex, consisting of 2 temples, as well as others such as the Mnajdra temple which is dedicated to the fertility goddess and overlooks the isle of Filfla. The city of Rabat contains a splendid Roman villa which dates back to 100 BC. It is renowned for its wonderful mosaic floors and contains a museum of findings that have been excavated on the site. Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is located in Paola and is a subterranean piece of architecture constructed on 3 levels with several chambers, some having been used as burial sites. Malta`s capital city, Valetta, is home to the Lacaris War Rooms, consisting of underground chambers which were used as an Allied Forces command centre for the invasion of Sicily. It is one of only 4 World War II military operation centres that are open to the public. Also in Valetta is the strikingly beautiful Cathedral of St John, dating back to the Knights of Malta and which contains a famous Caravaggio painting in the Oratory. The Grandmaster`s Palace close by is the building that was inhabited by the Grandmasters who ruled Malta from the 16th to 18th centuries. Perhaps the most beautiful and well known tourist attraction in Malta is the Blue Grotto, a series of caves close to Wied iz-Zurrieq. These 7 chambers are admired by visitors for their amazing rock formations which are viewed from small boats. The caves were used as baths for the Romans and the connecting passages were passages to Roman catacombs. The medieval town of Mdina offers the visitor a traffic free area. Cars are banned and this is named the Silent City. Here you will find catacombs, as well as the beautiful Botanic Garden of San Anton where the visitor can relax in peace and quiet. The famous Ta`Qali craft centre is open to the public where craftspeople can be seen at work. A visit to Marsaxlokk lying in the south east, will rewar d the tourist with experiencing life in an unspoilt fishing village. There is also an open air market here that is well known for its food and souvenir stalls. Matsaxlokk is close the Ghar Dalam Cave where an early Neolithic settlement was found. On the south west coast lies Buskett which contains Verdala Castle, a 3 storey building constructed in 1586. Its interior contains a marvellous ceiling by Paladini. There are also botanic gardens here as well as an observation deck. Travelling around Malta is easy with cheap car hire, which can be booked for collection at the airport.