The smallest country in the EU is also a secret holiday gem

Small yet mighty with adventure, Malta brings together a diverse history boarded by a stunning coastline (Picture: VisitMalta)

What Malta lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in character. This set of bijou islands in the heart of the Mediterranean has played an outsized role throughout history.

The earliest settlers can be traced back 7,000 years and Malta is home to one of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. The Phoenicians called the islands home, as did the Romans, Arabs and the Knights of St John. Malta also formed part of the British Empire for 150 years.

It’s all created a uniquely rich cultural heritage, where English is one of the official languages, the cuisine a blend of the Mediterranean and cities a picture-perfect example of Baroque splendour. Add in rolling countryside, stunning coastlines and the fact that Malta is one of the world’s best scuba diving locations, and you begin to understand that the best things come in small packages.

Just a three-and-a-half-hour flight away from the UK, Malta is easy to reach, too. Book your getaway with Jet2holidays and you can fly from your local airport. There are direct Jet2holidays flights from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, East Midlands, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle and London Stansted. From 2025, you’ll also be able to fly from Liverpool John Lennon airport.

Baroque wonders and nature’s splendour go hand-in-hand across this island, with countless activities to make each day as exciting as the last (Picture: VisitMalta)

Hop on the saddle and cycle off to explore the island’s hidden corners (Picture: VisitMalta)

And the UK’s number one tour operator takes care of everything, from big discounts to small details. You can choose from a dazzling selection of hotels, resorts and villas across Malta, and your stay will be wrapped up in an ABTA and ATOL-protected package, including return flights, return transfers and 22kg baggage. Book with deposits from just £60 per person* and discover Malta’s unique mix of culture, history and nature.

Sensational cities

Europe’s smallest capital city, Valletta is a true Baroque beauty. To wander around this UNESCO World Heritage Site is to marvel at an open-air museum of honey-hued buildings, enchanting squares and architectural marvels, a 16th-century fortified gem built by the Knights of St John.

Visit St John’s Co-Cathedral, famed for its ornate golden interiors and home to Caravaggio’s Beheading of St. John the Baptist, and take in the exquisite opulence of the Grand Master’s Palace, one of the first buildings to be constructed in the city.

Valletta, the smallest capital city in Europe, is steeped in centuries of history and entices travellers to explore its streets (Picture: VisitMalta)

Hop on a traditional Maltese Dgħajsa, a colourful wooden boat, and head across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities, a trio set on promontories jutting into the water. Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua offer great views, serenity and a slice of everyday Maltese life. And don’t miss Mdina, the country’s former capital originally founded by the Phoenicians. This fortified medieval town is well maintained and looks across the island from its hilltop position.

Set sail across the Grand Harbour on a Dgħajsa to tour the Three Cities in traditional style (Picture: VisitMalta and @dreambeachmedia)

Historic sites

The Maltese countryside is studded with reminders of its long history. Make a beeline for the megalithic temples Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra. Constructed 5,000 years ago, they’re considered some of the most significant ancient religious sites on Earth and are steeped in mystery.

Make a beeline for the megalithic temples Ħaġar Qim (pictured) which are over 5000 years old (Picture: VisitMalta)

Discover the prehistoric cemetery of Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum and the vast Roman underground cemetery complex of St Paul’s Catacombs. And in the town of Tarxien, visit the neolithic temples built sometime between 3,600 and 2,500 BC by an unknown ancient culture, and only rediscovered in 1913.

Stunning coastlines

Malta’s coastline is made up of red and gold sands, rugged cliffs, hidden coves and natural pools. One of most stunning spots is Għajn Tuffieħa Bay, a crescent-shaped cove featuring rocky cliff tops and pristine waters along Malta’s northwest shores.

The north of the island is home to some of Malta’s best coastline, including Paradise Bay and Armier Bay. Here you’ll find shallow waters and soft sand, primed for families. Nearby St Paul’s Bay is a sheltered rocky spot that’s ideal for deep sea swimming and snorkelling.

Rugged cliffs and hidden coves are the perfect features of a day spent dipping in the Mediterranean (Picture: VisitMalta)

Take a trip to Malta’s sister island Gozo, roughly a third the size of the main island, and you’ll find hiking trails as well as wonderful scuba diving spots and secluded coves, including the wonderful red sandy enclave Ramla Bay on the north-east coast of the island.

Delicious cuisine

A sumptuous blend of Provencal, Arab, Spanish and Sicilian, Malta’s cuisine is truly unique. With fertile fields providing an abundance of fresh produce, and turquoise waters the source of some seriously super seafood,, you’ll savour a rich gastronomical offering.

Try some of Malta’s traditional dishes. Pastizzi are a light and flaky filo-styled pastry that typically comes filled with savoury ricotta or subtly spiced mashed peas, stuffat tal-fenek is a rustic stew that’s delectable in winter, and lampuki (dolphinfish) is grilled with olive oil, garlic, chilli and parsley, as well as olives and capers.

Pastizzi are a light and flaky filo-styled pastry that typically comes filled with savoury ricotta or subtly spiced mashed peas

From delicious fresh breads to the traditional Maltese soup of kusksu, it’s all washed down with fantastic Maltese wines, following a winemaking tradition that harks back to the days of the Knights of St John.

When it comes to holiday destinations, this small archipelago offers huge charm. And when you visit Malta with Jet2holidays, you know you’ll enjoy the pick of the best places to stay, for all budgets, wrapped up in one easy package.

Find out more and book your Malta getaway at Jet2holidays.com

_{*On bookings made ten weeks or more before departure. Full payment required by balance due date.}

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