Malta is one of those places on our planet that just begs you to take it easy and immerse yourself in everything around you. Its rich history can be seen in every natural and manmade element, while the Maltese people are renowned for their friendliness and calm approach to daily life.

Slow travel is all about experiencing local haunts, embracing sustainability, diving into the local culture, and forging connections. The island nation is the perfect space for this, with 2022 seeing Malta’s Tourist Arrivals Jump Sevenfold. In the first quarter of 2022, Malta already saw its tourist sector rake in $163 million despite not hitting pre-pandemic numbers.

There are plenty of amazing places to visit in Malta that let you soak up the local culture, but today we are going to dive into six places that are an awesome entry point to the country…

The Azure Window, Gozo’s famous natural bridge shown below, collapsed on March 8, 2017. Read on for more info.

While many might scream hysterically at the concept of visiting any Mediterranean island before temperatures make swimming comfortable, we beg to disagree. Spring brings waves of colorful flowers to many of the arid islands, and cooler temperatures are perfect for long coastal hikes. Gozo, Malta’s smaller neighbor, is a perfect example. Continue…

As we mentioned in Spring Hiking in Gozo, Malta is one of the Mediterranean’s most interesting, underestimated and misrepresented destinations.

Despite the fact that Malta often markets itself as a cheap beach destination for package tourists, we’re huge fans of the tiny nation because it boasts a rich cultural and natural heritage including multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites.

For romantics, Malta is home to the exceptional walled cities of Valletta and Mdina, both of which receive my official stamp of approval as a walled city freak. For archaeology buffs, the megalithic temples of Hagar Qim, Ggantija, and the mysterious Hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni are among the oldest surviving structures in the world, predating even the Egyptian pyramids. For naturalists, the arid landscape of Gozo offers a selection of beautiful cliff-side hikes as well as gorgeous sapphire waters.

In fact, the two islands offer so much, we decided to put together a pictorial to show off its treasures. I should mention that, somewhat ironically, the people most likely to be disappointed by Malta are beach enthusiasts. Hmmm.

Note: These scenes were photographed in 2005 when Hagar Qim was still uncovered. Since then, a rather unsightly shelter has been built over the site to protect it from the elements. Good for posterity, bad for visitors with cameras.