Introducing Malta: My First Impressions and Some Random Facts

Last Updated on December 11, 2023

When I told friends of mine I’d be visiting Malta and got asked questions like ‘Malta? Is that a country?’ or ‘Where exactly is Malta?’ It made me realize how little-known this little island nation actually is. So I decided to share my first impressions, a few fun Malta facts and random trivia about Malta with you before talking about my trip in more detail.

At first sight, Malta seems like a magical fairy tale island: tiny villages dotted on hilltops across the countryside, little bays with water in such dark shades of blue that they are almost too perfect, and medieval towns so well preserved that it feels like you’re stepping back in time when you set foot in them.

Nowadays, there is another side to Malta too: stretches of the coast that have been built up with modern apartment complexes and hotels, even a party mile that could rival the notorious party towns along the Spanish coast, and industrial areas right next to quaint fishing villages.

What I loved about Malta was that it can be exactly what you want it to be. Looking for history and culture? You can use Valletta as your base and tour UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ancient temples and medieval forts. You want beaches and relaxation? Stay in Sliema or St Julian’s and enjoy the ocean, take a sailing trip to the Blue Grotto or the Blue Lagoon. You want culinary revelations and shopping? There are loads of great restaurants and shopping facilities to keep you busy for at least a week!

Malta Quick Facts

Malta is home to less than half a million people

The country is actually an archipelago, made up of Malta, the main island, and the two smaller islands of Gozo and Comino (plus a few smaller, uninhabited islands). In total, just under 400,000 people live in Malta – nearly 370,000 of those live on the main island, about 30,000 live on Gozo and just a handful live on Comino. This makes Malta one of the smallest countries in the world by population (#174).

You can walk across Malta in one day

Malta is so small that you can walk the island in its entirety (27km long and 14.5km wide). Gozo is about half this size (14km long and 7km wide). It took us less than 40 minutes to cross the island from south to north by car, starting in Marsaxlokk in the south and finishing in Mellieha Bay in the north of the island. By area, Malta is the 207^th smallest country in the world!

Where in the world is Malta?

The archipelago is located in the heart of the Mediterranean, south of Italy, north of Libya and east of Tunisia.

UNESCO Sites galore in Malta!

Malta is home to nine UNESCO World Heritage listed sites – an impressive number for such a small country! Three sites are declared UNESCO World Heritage: the historic city of Valletta, the underground temple Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, and the Megalithic Temples of Malta. Six more sites are currently nominated to be World Heritage sites: Mdina, the Grand Harbor, the Victoria Lines and the Great Fault (a line of fortifications flanked by defensive towers), the Catacombs, the Northwestern Coastal Cliffs, and Dwejra (the Azure Window) as well as the Cittadella on Gozo.

Malta’s capital is a UNESCO site

Valletta, the capital, is one of Malta’s UNESCO sites, thanks to its many historic churches, palaces, the unique wooden balconies (painted in bright colors), and the maze of narrow lanes.

Italy is only two hours away (by boat)!

Malta is so close to Sicily (Italy) that you can see it on clear days, and you can even take catamaran day trips there – it is 90km (60miles) from Malta, and takes about two hours to get there.

There are no rivers in Malta

There are no forests, lakes or rivers in Malta. Instead, the islands are made up of rolling hills and terraced fields.

The Maltese Cross

The Maltese cross was introduced to Malta by the Knights of St. John when they took possession of the islands in 1530, and is depicted on many items around the country including Maltese Euro coins (the Euro was introduced as the official currency here in 2008), and even door knobs!

Ftira – a heavenly Maltese invention!

Ftira is the Maltese answer to pizza – a flat-bread with a hole in the middle, topped with Mediterranean vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant and olives (and sometimes anchovies).

Malta has over 360 churches

Malta, predominantly Roman Catholic, has over 360 churches! Considering the small size of the nation – Malta is just about twice as big as Washington D.C. – this is quite a large number.

Malta’s Blue Lagoon is world-famous

The Blue Lagoon off the coast of Comino is one of the most breathtaking bays in all of the Mediterranean.

Malta has a great coffee culture

Maltese coffee culture is very similar to Italian coffee culture: there are lots of little coffee bars where people have a small cup of coffee right at the counter, usually espresso. Coffee prices are still very low in most places.

… similarties to Italy abound!

Not only the coffee culture, but also the architecture feels reminiscent of Italian towns:

The Miracle Of Mosta

The Rotunda Of Mosta is the fourth largest unsupported dome in the world and the third largest in Europe, with an internal diameter of 37.2 meters (122 ft). The church is also known for the ‘Miracle of Mosta’: In 1942, during an afternoon air-raid by the German Luftwaffe, a 200 kg bomb pierced the dome and landed in a congregation of 300 people who were waiting for mass. The bomb did NOT detonate – a miracle!

Malta is one of the world’s best diving spots

Malta is a diver’s paradise and it is named as one of the best diving spots in the world on a regular basis. No wonder with clear water like this:

One of the most famous diving spots is the Blue Hole near Gozo, right by the Azure Window, a spectacular limestone rock formation (and also a popular diving spot).

The Azure Window is no more

One of Malta’s main natural attractions, the Azure Window, which was a natural rock arch off the coast of Gozo, collapsed during a storm in March of 2017. Since the Azure Window was a major tourist attraction on this small island (it was even featured in Game Of Thrones), its collapse was a tragedy for Malta. As you can see in the photo below, I was lucky enough to still get to see it.

There are cats everywhere!

The islands are a cat lover’s dream! There are plenty of cats everywhere in Malta and Gozo, and all are well taken care of.

Malta produces wine

Malta produces wine and there are several vineyards on Gozo and Malta. The islands take pride in their local wines and having tried several local Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs, I can confirm that Maltese wines are delicious.

Malta is often used to film movies and TV shows

Malta has been used as a backdrop for quite a few Hollywood Blockbusters (without getting credit for it!), including Troy, Captain Phillips, and World War Z, and the popular TV series Game Of Thrones.

Valletta – a tiny capital

Valletta is one of the smallest capitals in Europe, with a population of just over 6,000! It’s actually one of the smaller cities on the island.

Rabbit is Malta’s national dish

tal-Fenek is the national Maltese dish: rabbit! Rabbit can be found in almost any dish: Pasta in rabbit sauce, rabbit pie, or rabbit meat stew.

In Malta, the boats have eyes

This might be my favorite of all the Malta facts: In Malta, the boats have eyes. Even though the islands are just as developed as any other European country, the traditional and adorable fishing boats named luzzu can still be found in many of the coastal villages and are still used for fishing on a daily basis. They are painted in flashy colors like yellow, red or blue and all have eyes which are supposed to keep bad luck and the evil of the sea away.

Malta is home to a Caravaggio masterpiece

One of Caravaggio’s masterpieces, the Beheading of St John, can be seen in St John’s Cathedral in Valletta. The church itself is famous for its striking inside and is well worth a visit.

There are kannoli in Malta!

Kannoli (pastries stuffed with sweet ricotta), known as a popular South Italian dessert, are a typical afternoon snack in Malta, too.

Another local specialty are pastizzi, flaky dough pasties filled with ricotta cheese or peas (similar to a British pie). They are a popular breakfast dish and in addition to bakeries, there are pastizzerias, which focus on these delicious little pasties.

There is a medieval walled city in Malta

Malta is home to an entirely intact medieval walled city: Mdina. The historic capital of the country is on the tentative UNESCO World Heritage list.

The door knockers are striking

The Maltese love ornate iron door knockers (and so do I!):

There are two official languages in Malta

English and Maltese are both official languages in Malta. I was surprised that many people aren’t fluent in English, despite it being the official language.

The Harbor of Valletta is a natural deep-sea harbor

The impressive harbor of Valletta is one of the most significant natural deep-sea harbors in the world.

Check out my other posts on medieval Mdina, beautiful Valletta, a road trip across Malta and where to eat in Malta and Gozo!

Do you have any fun Malta facts to add? Share them in the comments below!