Of all the places that I visited in Europe the one that I would call the most underrated is the tiny country of Malta. Most Americans probably don’t know much about this small island nation, but if you ever have a chance to visit this country in the Mediterranean I can almost guarantee you’ll find it an excellent experience. The reason is because of its strategic location and excellent harbors it is long been sought after and battled for by almost every Mediterranean power dating back to the Phoenicians.
Over the centuries the island has been under control of eight major superpowers. It would probably not be surprising, then that as you tour Malta you’ll recognize the influence of many of these great cultures. One of the first things I noticed was the language. There are two official languages, Maltese and English, and virtually all of the citizens there speak English fluently. But to me the Maltese language sounded much like Arabic, while virtually all of the population is Roman Catholic.
Another impression that I got was the hot, dry climate. I was there in October and although there was little greenery to be found, it’s rough, rocky terrain and large coastal cliffs above the Mediterranean made it very beautiful. Probably the best way to see Malta is on the hop-on hop-off bus, which runs into loops, one covering the north and the others south parts of the main island. Malta is made up of three inhabited islands, but much of the history can be found in Valletta and the ancient capital of Mdina.
The most historic part of this influential island is the capital and largest city, Valletta. The massive fortifications for this city were built in the late 1500s by the Knights of Malta after they had withstood the siege by the Ottoman Empire. These stonewalled fortifications withstood heavy bombing during the Second World War when the Germans unsuccessfully tried to capture it. Valletta is very condensed so the area that you will have to cover to see lot is not very large.
Today one of the most popular places to stay for tourists, and where there are also a lot of conventions is the beautiful seaside town called Bugibba. It is north of Valletta along the coast about four or five miles. Today Malta is an independent republic, getting its independence from Great Britain in 1964. It is a very popular tourist destination for Europeans, and if more Americans knew about this underrated tourist destination they would also be flocking there, too.
