Malta - One of Europe's best kept secrets
Let’s face it – Malta is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. Not because it’s hiding (though it might as well be), but because people often struggle to find it on the world map. It’s the elusive secret agent, the James Bond of countries, slipping between continents like it’s on a covert mission. So, where exactly is Malta? And why does finding it feel like you have won first prize at a school quiz? Fear not, intrepid reader. Today, we’re setting the record straight, pulling out the magnifying glass and answering the burning question: Where on Earth is Malta, and why is it so hard to find?
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Malta is the Mediterranean’s tiny diva
Imagine you’re looking at a map of Europe. You see countries like France and Italy. They practically scream, “Look at me! I’m a tourist magnet!” Now, Malta is nothing like that. It’s more like the quiet kid in the back of the class, content to sit there in the Mediterranean, minding its own business. Here are the gps coordinates on Google maps for Malta.
If you’re zoomed out, Malta might as well be a grain of sand. But zoom in, and you’ll find it tucked comfortably beneath Italy, like it’s hanging onto Sicily’s boot for dear life. To put it simply: Malta is smack dab in the middle of the Mediterranean, about 93 kilometres (that’s 58 miles for those still resisting the metric system) south of Sicily and around 300 kilometres (186 miles) north of Libya. Basically, Malta is the Mediterranean’s hallway hub between Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
But wait, how big is Malta?
If Malta were a piece of furniture, it’d be one of those multi-purpose fold-up tables – small, compact and able to hold a surprising amount of stuff. At 316 square kilometres (about 122 square miles), you could drive across Malta in about 45 minutes from top to bottom, but there is a ferry crossing you have to add from or to Gozo (the sister island of Malta) which takes about an additional 35 minutes.
To put it in perspective, if you stretched Malta over the United States, it would probably take up half a county in Texas. In Australia? You’d lose it in the Outback faster than you lose socks in the laundry. Malta’s so small that if it had a “You Are Here” dot, the dot might cover up the entire country!
So, why does Malta matter?
Before you think Malta as just a tiny dot of land, let us drop some knowledge on you. Malta may be small, but it’s mighty. It has over 7,000 years of history, meaning it’s basically that ancient, wise grandparent who saw everything before it was cool. And for a country smaller than most, it’s packed with historic sites, including ancient temples, medieval towns and fortresses that look like they were plucked straight out of a fantasy novel. We can bet that you have seen some of Malta’s iconic locations in a film or TV series over the years at is a hugely popular filming location for Hollywood.
Also, let’s not forget about the glorious beaches, whether rocky or sandy and with 300 days of sunshine a year, it’s basically Europe’s unofficial retirement home for people who love vitamin D.
Can you see it on a globe?
Let’s be real here. Globes are not Malta’s best friends. If you look for Malta on one, you might feel like you’re playing some cruel game of hide-and-seek. Globes, with their raised mountains and distorted scales, have a habit of making Malta look like a speck. So don’t feel bad if you’ve been staring at the globe for hours, slowly doubting whether Malta is a real place. Spoiler alert: it is.
If you’re determined to locate Malta on a map, the best trick is to start by finding Sicily (remember the boot-shaped Italy) and squint at the waters beneath it. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a tiny land mass consisting of an archipelago of islands. That’s Malta. Congratulations, you’ve found it. Now reward yourself with some Maltese trivia.
Fun fact: Malta loves cats
Another reason Malta stands out, despite its diminutive size, is that it seems to have a large population of cats. The cats of Malta are an iconic part of its charm. In fact, the Maltese islands might just have the highest ratio of sunbathing cats to sunbathing tourists. So if you’re struggling to find Malta on the map, just know that there’s likely a cat somewhere, perched on a roof, silently judging you for it.
Fun fact number two: Some things on Malta are old…really old
Think of the pyramids. Now think older. Yes, Ggantija on Gozo is far older than the pyramids and Stonehenge and just one of many megalithic temple complexes from the Neolithic era that can be found on the islands. Malta is choc-a-block full of mysterious cart ruts, Roman ruins, catacombs and even some underground burial sites collectively known as necropoli.
You’ve got this
Now that you’re armed with this newfound knowledge, you should have no problem locating Malta on a map. It may be small, but it’s there, proudly sitting between Europe and Africa, like the Mediterranean’s chilled-out cousin. If you ever find yourself squinting at a map and wondering, “Did Malta just vanish into thin air?”- don’t panic. Just remember that it’s been there for many, many hundreds of thousands of years, smaller than your fingernail, hanging out in the Mediterranean, waiting to show off its rich history, gorgeous beaches, and that never-ending sunshine.
If you want to come and see the islands, have a look at our website section https://franksalt.com.mt/blogs/ where you will find a huge amount of detailed articles and information about Malta. As the country’s biggest and one of its oldest real estate groups, Frank Salt Real Estate is immensely proud of Malta’s history and its achievements. If you want to know anything about buying, selling or renting residential or commercial property in the country, we are your first port of call.
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