Don’t let the fact that Malta is one of the world’s smallest countries put you off, because there are plenty of surprises packed into this unassuming outcrop of rock in the central Mediterranean Sea.
For one, its history is a story of nearly 8,000 years, ranging back to the arrival of tribal groups from Sicily in the 5th millennium BC and incorporating a veritable range of cultural influences, from the ancient Phoenicians to the North African Muslim Moors. Consequently, today Malta boasts a wealth of prehistoric sites like no other Island in the region, and guests should be sure not to miss the subterranean sepulchre at Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, or the sprawling remnants of World War II forts that dot the cliffs around the coast. 
But it’s not all about looking back in time here, and today’s Malta tour guides are quick to direct visitors to the beautiful baroque capital of Valletta, where shiny new government complexes rub shoulders with elaborate churches from the 17th century.
What’s more, the caves and coves of Malta’s coast are famed for their wild appearance and rugged character, making them a real haven for divers and shore swimmers after something a little different from the typical seaside destinations on the Med.