Slow Living in Malta

The Republic of Malta is a European country located in the central Mediterranean Sea, just 93km from the Italian island of Sicily and 288km from the North African country of Tunisia.

This year-round sunny archipelago is an ideal destination for tourists who want to escape the cold winters in European countries or the hustle and bustle of big cities.

A corner of the capital Valletta overlooking the Mediterranean.

The "Pearl" of the Mediterranean

The Republic of Malta is an archipelago with three main islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino. The name of this smallest country in Europe is taken from the name of its largest island: Malta. The entire area of ​​the archipelago is only 316km² but the population density is the highest in Europe. Due to its important strategic location, throughout its history, Malta has been continuously occupied by foreign powers. It was not until 1974 that Malta gained independence from Britain and became a republic.

The center of Malta is the capital Valletta - only 0.8km² wide, the smallest capital in the European Union but was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture in 2018, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1980.

Valletta was founded around 1,500 and has remained the cultural center of Malta to this day thanks to the preservation of a large number of monuments such as walls, fortified fortresses, palaces, Baroque churches and a dense system of statues, including 320 statues on an area of ​​55 hectares.

Valletta is steeped in Maltese culture that dates back nearly 7,000 years. As a result, Valletta is also known as Superissima, Latin for “The Proudest.”

Peaceful life on the old streets of the capital Valletta.

In 2018, Malta was voted by the famous travel magazine Conde Nast Travellers as one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the world. Not only famous for its monuments, architectural works and ancient culture, Malta is also known as the "pearl of the Mediterranean" because nature has bestowed this country with cobalt blue beaches typical of the Mediterranean or bays and coves along the coast creating beautiful ports.

Malta is one of the countries with the longest summer in the world, lasting up to 8 months (from April to November) and the most sunshine hours in Europe: more than 3,000 hours/year. Therefore, this is the number 1 destination for those who want to escape the harsh cold of European winters, spend long days sunbathing and living slowly on the beaches. That is why Malta has become an attractive destination for tourists. Every year, the tourism industry contributes about 25% of the GDP of this island nation.

One country, three islands

In addition to Malta, visitors should spend time on two other islands, Gozo and Comino. It is said that when coming to Malta, everyone has to slow down because there is no modern means of transport such as subways or high-speed trains. The most popular forms of public transport are buses, fast ferries or dghajsa “water taxis” - traditional rowing boats that are always bustling in and out of the ports.

In Malta, routes start from the Valletta bus station just south of the City Gate, while in Gozo, routes start from the centre of Victoria. Buses run about every ten minutes, and often run late into the evening, so visitors can feel secure in choosing this mode of transport at any time. Malta has a very modern and convenient bus system that covers the entire island.

Gozo is a smaller and less populated island than Malta. It takes about 45 minutes to drive northwest to Gozo’s Mgarr port, where you can rent scooters, electric bikes and cars to explore at your own pace. Explore Il-Kastell, a 16th-century fortress that protected Gozo from Turkish raids and is now a complex of archaeological museums. Then enjoy food and wine at Ta’ Mena Estate, a farm a few miles north of Victoria. The farm is famous for its wines made from Girgentina and Gellewza grapes grown on the island, along with other local produce such as olive oil, capers, sun-dried tomatoes and more.

After a delicious meal, visitors should continue walking along the Gozo coastline, following trails that lead to the top of the cliffs to see the coastal coves and caves formed by wind and sea erosion. From here, visitors can climb, hike, cycle or kayak, exploring the serrated coastline of Comino - Malta's third largest island.

Comino is located between Malta and Gozo, known as the “blue sea paradise” - Blue Lagoon. Here there are clear turquoise beaches where you can see the bottom and shallow sea areas surrounded by large rocks that form unique natural pools. Here, visitors can comfortably soak in the cool blue water or lie down and sunbathe for hours. You can also participate in sports such as scuba diving, windsurfing or paragliding.

Blue Lagoon is one of the most beautiful destinations in the Maltese archipelago. Coming here, visitors will completely leave the modern world with its bustling life, completely "disappear" from social networks to enjoy a peaceful life...

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/song-cham-o-malta-671222.html