Malta

Malta sits at the centre of the Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily and 288 km north of Libya, comprising three inhabited islands — Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Valletta, the capital, is one of the smallest capitals in the European Union. Maltese and English are both official languages; the euro is the currency. Shaped by Phoenician, Arab, Norman, and British rule, Maltese culture is a distinctive layering of Southern European and North African influences.

Malta is a member of the EU Schengen Area, so travellers from Schengen-member states move freely. Citizens of many countries — including the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom — may enter visa-free for short stays. Those who require authorisation should consult Malta's official immigration portal and, from late 2025, the EU-wide ETIAS system for eligible nationalities.

The walled capital Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains St John's Co-Cathedral with its Caravaggio paintings. The megalithic Ħaġar Qim temples on Malta's southern coast predate Stonehenge. The fortified medieval city of Mdina, known as the Silent City, occupies a hilltop overlooking the island. The Blue Lagoon on Comino draws visitors to its shallow turquoise inlet. In Gozo, the Victoria Citadel offers commanding views across the smaller island's interior.

Malta has a classic Mediterranean climate — hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters. Summer temperatures typically run between 28 °C and 35 °C from June through August, while winter rarely drops below 10 °C at night. Spring and autumn — April to June and September to October — offer comfortable temperatures and thinner crowds, making them the most practical periods to visit. Pack sunscreen year-round; the limestone reflects considerable glare even in winter.

• Home to the world's oldest freestanding stone structures.
• Maltese is the only Semitic language written in Latin script.
• The Knights of St John ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798.
• Malta was awarded the George Cross collectively in 1942.
• Valletta is the EU's smallest capital city by area.

• visitmalta.com — national tourism authority for Malta and Gozo
• identitymalta.com — Identity Malta Agency, visa and residency information
• maltairport.com — Malta International Airport official site
• maltaweather.gov.mt — Meteorological Office of Malta