While a Malta holiday is the best value for money, few travel deeper than the gorgeous beaches and nightlife playgrounds to truly get to the foundation of the country. The history of Malta spans back over millennia and because of the isolated nature of it being an island, a lot of what is left of that history is preserved with little taint from the outside world. From walled cities that housed knights and early Bible-era holy men to the mysterious Megalithic Temples established in 3000BC or so, there is more than enough to make Malta a holiday destination of an extremely compelling nature. Let’s look at some of the most out there examples of historical building that can provide visitors more than enough wonder and awe.
The Megalithic Temples of Malta
The first is one mentioned earlier and is by far the most mysterious of the lot; the Megalithic Temples of Malta. Seven of these amazing structures are listed as World Heritage Sites according to UNESCO, so should you be lucky enough to visit, be sure to tread carefully or risk undoing close to 5000 years of history. In fact, these structures have the honour of being the oldest known free standing structures in the world; older than the Pyramids which is a massive tourist draw for Egypt.
Perhaps it’s time to guide your holiday plans to Malta to see these amazingly ancient structures. From these sites it was found that activity on Malta dates back to 5000 BC; perhaps even then the climate was good for the kind of weather Malta holidays are famous for. The seven Megalithic Temples of Malta are spread out across both Gozo and Valetta which means a tour of them will give you the opportunity to see the entire country.
Walled City of Mdina
Although not as ancient, Mdina Old City is as impressive for a Malta holiday in 2012 as it might’ve been when construction on it completed many centuries ago. The Walled City of Mdina was once the country’s capital and a key strategic position in military history because of its natural placement; all wars fought in the area from ancient Roman battles to World War 2 had Mdina becoming a fortified location. The city itself was established sometime around 700BC and is so apt as historical architecture Game of Thrones, the popular sword and sorcery series on HBO, shot there for that world’s capital King’s Landing. As far as famous visitors and inhabitants are concerned the Apostle Paul from the Bible decided to live there in exile; as far as exile goes he got a great deal in the form of a Malta holiday which doesn’t sound too bad an exile to me.
As far as reviews of Malta holidays are concerned, most people will tell you of the beautiful beaches or the fun nightlife but the one thing that makes Malta special worldwide is its unique cultural history which is expansive and compelling; be sure to bring a camera and notebook on your next Malta holiday because your writing could become the next historical text of the island nation.
Eugene Calvini is a writer and travel blogger with his most recent destination being the Topaz Hotel Malta; he enjoys sharing his travel experience with the blogtosphere.
