Malta – A brief history
Thousands of years ago, a group of hunters and farmers from the Sicani Tribe of Sicily discovered an archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The island chain, which would be settled by Phoenicians, Romans, and Greeks in the ensuing centuries, was devoid of all human activity; an unspoilt landscape surrounded by the
turquoise waters of the Med.
What name the Sicani Tribe chose for their new home is unknown, but today, the tiny archipelago is recognised as the Republic of Malta.
Malta is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, and the importance of tourism to the country’s economy cannot be overstated. The island chain, of which, Malta is the largest, is blessed with a sub-tropical climate, similar to that of Gibraltar and Greece. Temperatures rarely drop into the single digits, even in January.
However, what makes Malta so appealing to outside visitors, aside from the blue lagoons and windswept hills, is the local architecture.
Maltese buildings are an amalgam of Greek, Roman, Moorish, and modern styles, matching the nationality of previous invaders. Seafront homes in Valletta, the country’s capital, are built from a golden limestone, which gives the city a weathered, tumbledown appearance.
The island of Malta, despite its relative isolation, has a lot in common with the United Kingdom. The modest republic was a member of the British Empire until 1964, and the Maltese people maintain many uniquely British customs. Cars drive on the left-hand side of the road, turkey is commonly eaten at Christmas, and an increasing number of people have English surnames, such as Atkins and Hamilton.
Perhaps more importantly, for holidaymakers, at least, Malta also recognises English as an official language, making ordering a drink at the hotel bar a little less taxing on the tongue.
Written by Alex Corcoran, travel obsessive, serial blogger and avid hunter of finding cheap flights online.
What name the Sicani Tribe chose for their new home is unknown, but today, the tiny archipelago is recognised as the Republic of Malta.
Malta is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, and the importance of tourism to the country’s economy cannot be overstated. The island chain, of which, Malta is the largest, is blessed with a sub-tropical climate, similar to that of Gibraltar and Greece. Temperatures rarely drop into the single digits, even in January.
However, what makes Malta so appealing to outside visitors, aside from the blue lagoons and windswept hills, is the local architecture.
Maltese buildings are an amalgam of Greek, Roman, Moorish, and modern styles, matching the nationality of previous invaders. Seafront homes in Valletta, the country’s capital, are built from a golden limestone, which gives the city a weathered, tumbledown appearance.
The island of Malta, despite its relative isolation, has a lot in common with the United Kingdom. The modest republic was a member of the British Empire until 1964, and the Maltese people maintain many uniquely British customs. Cars drive on the left-hand side of the road, turkey is commonly eaten at Christmas, and an increasing number of people have English surnames, such as Atkins and Hamilton.
Perhaps more importantly, for holidaymakers, at least, Malta also recognises English as an official language, making ordering a drink at the hotel bar a little less taxing on the tongue.
Written by Alex Corcoran, travel obsessive, serial blogger and avid hunter of finding cheap flights online.
