St Johns Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta

St Johns Co-Cathedral, Valletta

The first destination you’ll want to beeline for out of a Malta hotel is St Johns Co-Cathedral, an ancient wonder over 500 years old. The history of Malta and Catholicism in Europe is intrinsically linked to Valetta with St Johns Co-Cathedral marking one of the most important destinations or piece of property in Malta’s rich history. It was the noblemen of Europe charged with defending their faith against invading forces that led to Malta being a strategic centre in the Mediterranean and after the Great Siege of 1565, Valetta was established, fortified and made a holy place. A mere 12 years later St Johns Co-Cathedral was completed as a destination; no doubt the perfect Malta weather aided this rapid completion. Today St Johns Co-Cathedral acts as a cultural centre for Valetta with many traditional events taking place here which makes it a must-see site in Malta.

The Grandmaster’s Palace, Valletta

The most important modern spot in Valetta also happens to be one of the most important in its history. Travel to this Malta destination if you want to experience the definition of opulence in architecture, because The Grandmaster’s Palace fits many roles. As a tourist destination there is more than enough to awe at, as is houses the House of Representatives and the Office of the President of Malta it is the most important governmental structure in Malta and as a historical building it was once simply the home of Eustachio del Monte built in 1571. Antique weapons and halls of empty knights line the corridors and it’s not uncommon to see a chandelier more elegant and opulent than the last. The Grandmaster’s Palace is amazing to behold and should be a priority to visit in Malta.

It’s clear from these two very good examples, that Malta is more than enough to sate the curiosity of the historic enthusiast. Malta destinations are among the most important in existence with numerous World Heritage Sites dotting the island; it truly is a place of unique importance.

Eugene Calvini has been on enough Malta holidays to know the island is a special tourist spot and enjoys exposing the best the country has to offer.

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Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is a Mediterranean nation, which for centuries was influenced by Roman, Arab and British culture. We can find a large minority of foreigners, most of which are represented by the British. Most inhabitants live on Malta‘s main island in the cities. Almost all the people belong to the Roman Catholic Church. On the island there are over 360 churches and at every step you can meet monks or nuns. Catholicism plays an important part of Maltese life.

The most important source of income in Malta is tourism, which also employs a third of the population. Malta and nearby islands to visit for over a million tourists a year. Tourism is therefore 35% of the gross domestic product. Malta has no own sources of raw materials, and is dependent on imports. Agriculture is concentrated on the island of Gozo, where we find more greenery and better conditions for growing wheat, barley, potatoes, legumes, vegetables, citrus fruit and grapes. In the summer season, vegetables need to be imported, because there is a very dry climate. Industrial production is focused on engineering products, electronics, shipbuilding and ship repair and textiles.

Malta is known for its numerous and well-preserved monuments from the times of megalithic culture. This leads to the assertion that this developed culture lived on the island already between 4000 to 2500 BC. Then the island had many different cultures: the Phoenicians, Carthage, Rome, Byzantium, Arabs, Normans, kings of Castile, Johannes and Napoleon. During the world wars, Malta became an important base for the British forces in the Mediterranean Sea. Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, became a republic in 1974 and in 2004 became a member of the European Union.

The Maltese archipelago acts on the map as the small grains in the Mediterranean Sea, and yet form an important bridge between Europe and Africa. The Maltese archipelago is essentially a remnant of the connection between Sicily and North Africa coast, which was aborted in the late Tertiary. Malta is only 90 km away from Sicily and 200 km from Tunisia.

The islands are almost without vegetation, but Malta is interesting anyway. Indeed, the mythical Odysseus reportedly stuck here for seven long years. It is a paradise for divers and water sports enthusiasts, history and art lovers and you can enjoy here good food, drink and social life as well.

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