Malta and Gozo holidays
Malta is just three hours flying time from the UK, and the island is said to be at the crossroads of the Mediterranean for its close proximity to both the European and North African coasts. But Malta, which has been a popular holiday island with British families for decades, is proof that there are new things to discover even so close to home.
Malta his actually an archipelago comprising of the main island, smaller Gozo to the north and uninhabited Comino. Gozo, separated by a five-kilometre channel from Malta itself, is a very well kept secret that holidaymakers are beginning to pay more attention to. Unpretentious in outlook, the people of Gozo have not been deflected from their agricultural and lace-making industries by tourism and for holidaymakers looking for a restful break, Gozo is the true meaning of getting away from it all. At just 26 square miles in area, Gozo is easy to explore and its highlights include the Maltese archipelago's oldest historic sites with a Neolithic temple at Ggantija and the alabaster caves at Xaghra.
The main island of Malta is not well known for beaches, but it has clear, blue waters and secluded bays to enjoy. This means the main holiday activities are watersports - particularly windsurfing. Malta has also recently established itself as a snorkelling and scuba-diving destination due to the constant warm sea temperatures with substantial clarity, which means underwater vision is very good. The typical Mediterranean climate makes it a good winter sun choice with temperatures averaging 14C in January, but soaring to an average of 29C in the summer time.
With English spoken in most places, the island only 30 kilometres at its longest and driving on the left, Malta is easy to tour. The many occupations throughout history by foreign powers such as Romans, Normans, Phoenicians, Spaniards and Arabs are evident in the variation of historic sites - catacombs, castles, churches and palaces, especially in the capital Valletta.
There is a wide choice of eating out from fish and chips and hamburgers to please the more unadventurous of traveller tastes, but local dishes of rabbit, pork and fish are well worth sampling.
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