Malta

Malta packs an extraordinary amount into a very small space. The main island is barely 27 kilometres long, yet it holds prehistoric temples older than Stonehenge, the fortified harbour city built by the Knights of St John, and a coastline of rocky bays that stay warm well into autumn. English is an official language alongside Maltese, which makes it one of the easiest Mediterranean trips for British travellers.

Valletta, the capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the natural base. Its grid of steep streets runs down to the Grand Harbour, with St John's Co-Cathedral and its Caravaggio paintings at the centre. From here it is a short hop across the water to the Three Cities, or a half-hour drive to the silent walled town of Mdina. The sister island of Gozo is greener and slower, reached by a short ferry crossing. Sliema and St Julian's, across the bay from Valletta, have the promenades, hotels and restaurants, while Marsaxlokk in the south is a fishing village of brightly painted luzzu boats with a Sunday fish market.

Maltese food borrows from Sicily, North Africa and Britain in roughly equal measure. Look out for pastizzi, the flaky ricotta or pea pastries sold on every corner, rabbit stew (stuffat tal-fenek), ftira bread filled with tuna, capers and tomatoes, and fresh lampuki fish in autumn. Local wines from Gozo and the main island are worth trying. In summer, village festas fill the streets with brass bands, fireworks and food stalls, and a cold Kinnie, the bitter-orange soft drink, is the local alternative to cola.

Our Valletta city break is the simplest way to see Malta: a few nights in the capital with time to explore at your own pace. Because distances are short, it also works well extended with private transfers or a guided day on Gozo, which we can add on request.