Discover the 'real' Malta far from the beaches and discos. An island of rock, ancient temples and slow living... 
Restriction: None Text: On commission only Photo: by Colin Dutton There's a quiet side to Malta. Its not hard to find, being such a small island, just hop on one of the old colourful buses and head out to the western side or up to the sister island Gozo on the ferry. Take your walking boots as the islands are covered with a well organised network of paths along the coasts and through the countryside offering the chance to meet the locals and experience the 'real' side of the island. These are islands of rock, sandstone in particular, which has played a huge role in its development over a history which stretches back further than almost anywhere else in the world. The islands are scattered with temples which pre-date the Pyramids of Egypt by a thousand years. The Ggantija temple on Gozo was built over 5500 years ago, using technologies for cutting and transporting huge rocks which seem impossible given the means available at the time. Other temples can be found all over Malta, with Hagar Qim being the largest, dating back to 3000BC, sitting on the coast near another temple, Mnajdra which is currently being worked on (the Swiss architect, Walter Hunziker has been commissioned to create a covering to protect the temple from the elements). Rock plays a part again in other phenomena on the islands. The strange 'cart ruts', which remain an unsolved mystery, cutting their way across the landscape, the salt pans of Gozo, the Azure Window again in Gozo, sculptured over thousands of years by the sea. Malta is an island of traditions, of religion, festivals and food. Sitting as it does half way between Italy and northern Africa, Malta has absorbed a wide mix of cultures from Arabia, Italy and of course the British. This mix can been seen (or rather heard) in its language and tasted in its cuisine. Spaghetti and ravioli, fried rabbit in wine (with chips), olives, capers, cheese and the famous 'hobz' bread made over a long, two-day process by the bakers of Qormi. For more information: http://www.visitmalta.com |