Located in the heart of the Mediterranean just below Sicily (Italy) the Maltese archipelago consists of three islands, Malta, Gozo and Comino, as well as countless megaliths, medieval dungeons and atmospheric towns and villages. Meandering streets contain Renaissance cathedrals and Baroque palaces. Malta is the largest island, with Gozo next in size. Expansive beaches, vibrant nightlife and 7,000 years of history permeate these Mediterranean isles.

The capital of Malta is inextricably linked to the history of the military and charitable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. It was ruled successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St. John. Valletta's 320 monuments, all within an area of 55 ha, make it one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world.

Its official name, Umilissima Civitas Valletta, was supposed to reflect the city's humility, but today Valletta is more commonly known as Superbissima by Europeans, for its Old World splendour, genteel culture and magnificent Baroque architecture. The name of the city comes from Jean Parisot de la Valette, the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John in 1566, when Valletta was founded.

Much interest has been unearthed at Hagar Qim, notably a decorated pillar altar, two table-altars and some of the "fat lady" statues. Hagar Qim itself consists of a single temple unit. The forecourt and facade follow the pattern typical of temples across the Islands. Particularly noteworthy are the larger orthostats at the corners, which are notched to take the second of the horizontal courses above.

Mnajdra is a complex site consisting of three temples overlooking an oval forecourt. The first and oldest temple is a simple three-asped building and dates to the Ggantija phase. The small uprights, with their pitted decoration, are original.

The most impressive of the Mnajdra temples is the third, with its largely intact facade and bench constructed in the early Tarxien phase. This temple is perhaps the finest surviving on the islands.

SKORBA and TA'HAGRAT

Skorba comprises two temple remains and was left untouched during the first two phases of archaeological digs at temple sites in the early 19th and 20th centuries.

At Skorba, a typical three-apsed temple was built in 3600-3200 BC, replacing a village that had been inhabited since 5000-4300 BC. A second temple was added to the east in 3150-2500 BC, which was in a more ruinous state when found, but originally consisted of four apses and a central niche.

Skorba was occupied long before the temples were built and the earliest structure identified on the site dates to 5000-4300 BC. In the field to the east there are two rooms dating back to 4400-4100 BC. The irregularity of the floors and the absence of hearths seem to preclude the site’s domestic use. The group of figurines found in the northern room suggest that the building had a religious function.

Ta’ Hagrat, lying in a picturesque and evocative setting on the outskirts of Mgarr, is an important temple site. Dating from 3600-3200 BCE, the two Ta’ Hagrat temples are amongst the earliest temple buildings in Malta and are extremely well preserved.

The larger dates to 3600-3200 BC and the smaller to 3300-3000 BC. The plentiful pottery found at this site suggests that these two temples were built on top of an earlier village. Finds from this site include a unique discovery – a small limestone model of a building.

The larger temple is set in the middle of a large semicircular forecourt and the impressive façade with a monumental doorway was reconstructed in 1937. Two steps lead up to the main entrance and a corridor flanked by huge uprights of coralline limestone. The corridor beyond the entrance is paved with large stone blocks placed with great accuracy.

The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is a giant underground chamber where, it is believed, priestesses served as oracles and sought wisdom though dreams. This underground Goddess Temple is one of the most magnificent and powerful places in the world. The Hypogeum consists of halls, chambers and passages hewn out of the living rock and covering some 500m² over three levels, the lowest one being over ten meters below road level.

Tarxien Temples: This site, dating from 3600 to 2500 BCE, is the most complex of all temple sites in Malta and consists of four megalithic structures. The temples are renowned for the detail of their carvings, which include domestic animals carved in relief, altars, and screens decorated with spiral designs and other patterns. Of particular note is a chamber set into the thickness of the wall between the South and Central temples, which is famous for its relief of two bulls and a sow. The site seems to have been used extensively for rituals.

Ggantija is a megalithic temple complex on the Mediterranean island of Gozo (part of Malta). The two temples of Ggantija on the island of Gozo are notable for their gigantic Neolithic structures, which were erected during the Neolithic Age (c. 3600-2500 BCE). At more than 5500 years old — older than the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge in England — the Ggantija temples are the world's oldest man-made religious structures. The temples were possibly the site of an Earth Mother Goddess Fertility Cult, with numerous figurines and statues found on site believed to be connected with that cult.

In the Maltese language, Ggantija means "belonging to the giants". According to local Gozitan legend, the temples were built by the giants who resided in Gozo during ancient times. It is said that the temples themselves were used by the giants as places of worship.

The Xaghra Stone Circle was originally marked by two entrance monoliths which seem to have been 14 -16 feet high. Although the exact position has not been located, they seem to have been aligned with the Ggantija Temple. These monoliths together with several other megaliths formed part of a wall which circled the entire site. This circle was approximately 45 m in diameter.

The interior is composed of a central ritual area entered through a huge stone threshold and down steps into the rough caves. The Neolithic people at the time made use of a number of natural caves. The central chamber is subdivided into two distinct sections by a series of elegant megalithic trilithon altars and a massive stone bowl.

Evidence suggests that this site was utilized for funerary rites over the period 4000 - 2500 BCE. Burials were concentrated in smaller caverns, surrounded by rough coralline stone walls. The most important discoveries from the Xaghra Stone Circle may prove to be the rare but remarkably preserved human remains.

Across the Grand Harbour from Valletta are the historic fortified towns of Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea, known as the Three Cities, which offer an intriguing insight into Malta and its history. Left largely unvisited, these cities are a slice of authentic life as well as a glimpse into Malta’s maritime fortunes.

Their harbour inlets have been in use since Phoenician times: the docks always providing a living for local people, but also leaving them vulnerable when Malta’s rulers were at war. As the first home to the Knights of St. John, the Cities’ palaces, churches, forts and bastions are far older than Valletta’s.

The history of Mdina traces back more than 4000 years. According to tradition it was here that in 60CE that the Apostle St. Paul is said to have lived after being shipwrecked on the Islands. Furthermore it is said that St. Paul resided inside the grotto know as Fuori le Mura (outside the city walls) now known as St. Pauls Grotto in Rabat. Lamp lit by night and referred to as “the silent city”, Mdina is fascinating to visit for its timeless atmosphere as well as its cultural and religious treasures.

Mdina has had different names and titles depending on its rulers and its role but its medieval name describe it best – ‘Citta’ Notabile’: the noble city. It was home then, as now, to Malta’s noble families; some are descendants of the Norman, Sicilian and Spanish overlords who made Mdina their home from the 12th century onwards. Impressive palaces line its narrow, shady streets.

Mdina is one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city and extraordinary in its mix of medieval and Baroque architecture.