Vacation in Malta — A Travel Guide and Trip Report
We escape the cold German winter and land on the island republic of Malta on January 1st. In pleasant temperatures, we explore the beautiful and fascinating island south of Italy. Besides the tradition-rich island capital Valletta, we also visit Sliema, St. Julian's, Mdina, Rabat and the island of Gozo.
The Republic of Malta
Malta is a southern European island state located just under 100 km south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea.
Malta is spread across the three inhabited islands of Malta (including Manoel Island, approximately 246 km²), Gozo (approximately 67 km²), and Comino (approximately 3 km²), as well as the uninhabited islands of Cominotto, Filfla, St. Paul's Islands, and Fungus Rock. The capital Valletta has a population of around 6,300.
What Makes Malta Special:
Malta is one of the most popular film and television backdrops in the world.
For example, the following productions were filmed here: The Count of Monte Cristo, Troy, Alexander, Midnight Express, Gladiator, and The Da Vinci Code. Most recently, Michael "Bully" Herbig partly filmed his movie Wickie and the Strong Men here.
The fishing village set built for the 1980 film Popeye the Sailor Man is now a tourist attraction, despite the film being a flop at the time.
The bizarre, wild, and unpredictable coastline and the island's venerable architecture have doubled for a wide variety of locations around the world.
The History of Malta:
- The history of Malta dates back to the Stone Age. There are several prehistoric temple complexes, Roman catacombs, and the fortifications of the Knights of Malta.
- Malta was shaped by many cultures. Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans ruled the island. When the islands belonged to the Byzantine Empire in the 9th century, the archipelago was conquered by the Arabs.
- In the 11th century, the islands became part of Sicily and fell to Aragon in 1282.
- In 1530, the Spanish King handed the islands over to the Order of Malta. The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta strengthened the fortifications around the harbour and successfully defended the island against the Ottomans during the Great Siege of 1565.
- In 1566, the fortress city and present-day capital Valletta was founded.
- In 1798, the sovereign Order of Malta had to yield without a fight to French revolutionary troops under Napoleon.
- The British occupied Malta in 1800 and significantly shaped the culture of modern Malta. Malta played an important role in World War II, when fierce battles were fought over the strategically vital harbour.
- In 1942, the people of Malta received the George Cross from the British King, which can also be seen on the national flag.
- Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1964 and became an independent republic in 1974.
- On 1 May 2004, Malta became a member of the European Union, and on 1 January 2008, the euro was introduced in Malta.
