Malta- The Historic Haven

Ancient catacombs and medieval citadels provide a theatrical backdrop for gatherings with gravitas

- Juliet Rix

In the past few years, the Mediterranean island-nation of Malta has leapt into the 21st century. A Smart City business park is under development in Kalkara, for example, and Renzo Piano, architect of London’s the Shard, has redesigned the main gateway into the walled UNESCO World Heritage capital city, Valletta.

But at the same time, Malta has not abandoned its remarkable history – in fact there has been a frenzy of restoration and renovation, protecting and enhancing its range of historic buildings and fortifications, spurred on by Valletta’s designation as a European Capital of Culture this year.

Lying in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, just 60 miles south of Sicily, Malta, with its superb natural harbors, has been visited, owned or besieged by every power with designs on the Mediterranean – and each culture has left its mark.

From extraordinary Stone Age temples (older than Stonehenge and a lot more sophisticated) to Roman villas and medieval citadels, Malta has it all. But it was 1530 when the island was given to the Knights of St John Hospitaller, who soon became known as the Knights of Malta, and their unique architectural and artistic legacy still characterizes the islands today.

These warrior monks ran Malta, and its little sister island of Gozo, until Napoleon kicked them out in 1798, only to find himself ejected in turn by the Maltese together with the British. The result of all this fascinatingly checkered history is that Malta has the greatest density of historic sites of any nation. And more are now open to the public – and for private events – than ever before.