Destination 》Europe 》Southern Europe 》Malta
Year Visited: 2018 – October
Slovenia, the last country in our Backpacking through the Balkans Journey, was my 98th country, so Raul and I decided to complete 100 unique countries during that trip. We went to Milan by bus from Ljubljana and took a flight to Malta. Both Raul and I had been to Italy before, but flight to Malta was less expensive from Milan than from Ljubljana.
The island nation of Malta is located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, south of Italy, in the Southern Europe. It consists of three islands: Malta, Gozo, and Comino, of which Malta is the largest island. Malta has been inhabited since approximately 5900 BC. Its location has historically given it great strategic importance as a naval base, with a succession of powers having contested and ruled the islands; including the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, Moors (Arabs), Normans, Aragonese, Knights of St. John, French, and British. Most of these foreign influences have left some sort of mark on the country’s ancient culture.
Malta has had Christians since the time of Early Christianity, though was predominantly Muslim while under Arab rule, at which time Christians were tolerated. Norman rulers expelled all Muslims who did not convert, and Aragonese rulers expelled unconverted Jews. Today, Catholicism is the state religion, but the Constitution of Malta guarantees freedom of conscience and religious worship.
Below are some places we explored during our visits to Malta. Click on any city to view my travel photos and stories.
After exploring Island country of Malta for five days, Raul and I took a flight to Tunisia, Raul’s first country in Africa and my 100th country!
Window on the World 