Got My Eyes On You

I confess to my ignorance...I barely knew a thing about Malta except that it was a tiny island in the Mediterranean. And that wasn't quite right either. Malta is actually an archipelago covering only 122 sq. miles (316 sq. km) with a population around 400,000 people. The archipelago comprises two uninhabited islands (Cominotto and Filfla) and three inhabited ones - Malta (the largest and the administrative, cultural and commercial center of the country), Gozo (more rural) and Comino (with a permanent population of only 4 people but boatloads of daytrippers who come to the Blue Lagoon in high season).

Malta's history goes back 7,000 years, and due to its strategic position in the Mediterranean, many peoples had their eyes and hands on the islands - Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Spaniards, and more recently, the French and the British. As a result, Malta is a cultural mélange but the group that most influenced the country were the Knights of Saint John. The Order had its origins in the Crusades as a hospital and guesthouse for poor pilgrims operated by monks in Jerusalem. As the Order grew, more hospitals were built along the pilgrimage route to Jerusalem, and knights who had been treated showed their gratitude by donating money and property to the Order.

When Islam conquered Jerusalem in 1291, the Order moved to Cyprus, then Rhodes from where they were again expelled by the Ottomans in 1523. Charles V of Spain then offered Malta to the Knights for a nominal rent of two falcons per year. They ruled until 1798 when Napoléon captured the island, and left a huge imprint that includes the capital Valletta and many of the buildings that exist in Malta today.

Religion is another major legacy of the Knights: roughly 95% of the population are Catholic, there are 365 churches on the archipelago (you're guaranteed a church nearby wherever and whenever you decide to sin in Malta!), and religion plays such a major role that to this day divorce does not exist in the country (a referendum is scheduled for May 28th to decide whether divorce passes into law though). Furthermore, the Maltese have religious celebrations unheard of in other parts of the world – March 19th is a public holiday in honor of St. Joseph, and the town of Rabat had a festival that was actually quite fun even for non-Catholics as dozens of people (including me) waged paper fights along the town streets.

Malta is a country filled with history and tradition, and it’s keen on preserving both. Although Valletta, the capital and crown jewel of the Knights’ era, is the focal point of any visit to Malta, several towns around the island offer a glimpse at life pre-Knights. Just outside Valletta, an area called The Three Cities (Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua) where the Knights first made their home border the Grand Harbour and offer extensive views of Valletta. Just note that road signs refer to the towns as Birgu, Isla and Bormla, the ancient names…either the Maltese are really into tradition or this is their way of confusing potential new invaders.

Further out and back in time, Mdina, the old capital of Malta, has its origins traced back to 700 BC. The citadel has been wonderfully preserved behind its protective walls and nowadays is called the Silent City as traffic is limited and less than 400 people live in town. You can always find a little quiet corner in its narrow and shady streets. And if you really like going back in time, Malta is home to the oldest free standing structures in the world, megalithic temples built between 3600 and 2500 BC. The closest to the capital is the Hypogeum, an underground temple carved out of the rock. Prebooking is required and must be made some three weeks in advance – I tried to book 2.5 weeks in advance and it was sold out!

But Malta’s past is not only seen in its ancient towns and temples – it’s also found in the country's means of transport. Traditional Maltese boats are still used by fishermen today and also take tourists on short cruises along the Grand Harbour. They are painted in bright blue, yellow and red with the Eyes of Osiris on their bows to ward off evil spirits, a symbol thought to have been brought by the Phoenicians. The best place in Malta to see these little boats is Marsaxlokk. And last but not least, the Maltese bus, an attraction in its own right. Whenever you take a public bus in Malta, you’ll likely end up in a 1950s vehicle that will rattle all your bones out of their sockets. It's a quintessential Maltese experience but you wonder what will fall apart first - you or the bus...