First on Ulysses’ trail: it leads to the Ramla beach in Gozo, Malta’s sister island where his  boat ran aground after the Trojan War. He lived there seven years of great love with the beautiful nymph Calypso! And it is on  this same island of Gozo that you can find Gjantija, temple of menhirs, 5.600 year old (or one thousand years before the pyramids of Egypt!) Then in 60 A.D., the apostle St Paul was dropped as well on the island by a violent storm and  his stay (after six months of prison) is at the origin of the strong catholic tradition and of the many Maltese saint  festivals and of their richly colored processions in bright historical costumes. Especially in Malta, one can follow the steps the templars’ heirs, the Knights of the St-John  d’Acre Hospital, great Masters of the Mediterranean Sea, from Jerusalem to Malta through Cyprus, Rhodes, Crete and  Nice.

The sword defends the hospital
The Order of the Knights of the St John Hospital was created in the XIth century to care for the defenders of St Sepulcher. But it was quickly enmeshed with the Othoman empire which continued to chase after it along the centuries and the Mediterranean islands in battles of a rare cruelty. The first one resulted in the fall of St John d’Acre in 1291 and the retreat of the Order in Cyprus. But the Knights do not frighten only the Byzantines. In 1301, in Cyprus, the Order counts eight great regional priories including three in France, but also in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany and England. This considerable, political and financial power, the first on a European scale, is worrysome for the king of Cyprus to the point that the Knights took the island of Rhodes from the failing Byzance empire. They settle there as sovereigns, produce currency bearing their portraits, develop their fleet and the “corso” war almost as piracy. Until1522 when the sultan Soliman the Magnificent expels them after a siege of five months and they are constrained to wander for seven years from Crete to Nice. Then Charles Quint entrusts the Order with the Malta archipelago to deploy again a military order suitable to face the Othomans in the Mediterranean sea. This counter power will however only be asserted in 1565 after the victory of the “great siege” gained over the Turkish armies (to impress the adversary, they bombarded with their prisoners’ decapitated heads!) During this fierce battle the grand-Master John Parisot of Valetta became illustrious and the capital of the archipelago still bears his name.

The oldest humane organization
Moreover, if Malta became an independent republic since 1964, the massive fortifications set up by the Knights are always there and the Order of the Knights of Malta still officially constitutes a State, without territory, but with stamps and currencies, embassies and consulates, recognized by the U.N. Its activities are not any more of a military nature but still of a hospital nature and it thus became the oldest organization with a humane vocation (more than 900 years). From modern times, Malta keeps the mark of 150 years of British presence (until 1964) including the official use of the English language, driving on the left side of the road and “soft” road signs while the ceilings of Lascaris war rooms in Valetta still bear the traces of Eisenhower and Montgomery who, during the second World war, prepared there the liberation of Italy on giant maps. In three days in Malta, one discovers the geographical and historical epicentre of the Mediterranean sea, under a sky as blue as the sea which bathes this enchanting archipelago, footstep between Europe and Africa that it mixes in its language and its kitchen, its beauty and its art of living.

See Valetta, the fortress…
Carved in honey colored limestone, Valetta, fortified capital of Malta, springs out at sea like a warship, its bridges covered with baroque Sicilian churches, Renaissance villas with moucharabies and right angled streets . According to Walter Scott it was “a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen”. British arrogance which ignores the Eastern practice of square streets to facilitate the circulation of the marine draft! Because Valetta is more or less a rectangle traced on the top of a peninsula less than one hundred meters above the sea which surrounds it to the north, the east and the south. Vis-a-vis Malta, Birgu the old Maltese capital The luzzi, small fishing Maltese boats, shine with their red, green and blue stripes and display on their prow two eyes that the Phenicians painted to ward off bad spirits.

At the end of the afternoon
One can take part in ritual passegiata, walk of the everyday life, or stroll and dine at Sliema or St-Julian on the wharf on the marina. To the east of the island, Marsaxlokk This small fishermen harbor with hundreds of coloured luzzi. Along the pier on the terraces of the restaurants, the freshly catched fish is served with Maltese sauce.

Neolithic temples of Hagar Qim
Like all the others in Malta and Gozo, they are known to be the oldest in the world. Animals and idols were carved on the temples where figurines of the Goddess Mother were found. The temples of Hagar Qim and Mnadjdra are close to the village of Qrendi to the west of the island between the sea and the airport.

Mdina, Rabat, Oriental cities
15 km to the west of Valletta, Mdina is an old village called Citta Notabile (noble city) because many aristocrat families lived there or still do. The best preserved medieval building is the Falzon Palace built in 1495. The cathedral, one of the rare buildings having survived the 1693 earthquake is found on the pretty central place of Mdina. Its museum is home to a collection of Dürer’s woodcarvings and the audio-visual historical reconstitutions of Malta Experience in various palaces are worth seeing.

Ta Qali,
Small craft industry village, located under Mdina with its lacemakers, jewelers, glass-blowers… Not far, the Meridiana Wine Estate organizes visits and wine testing to discover the Maltese wines which deserve to be known for their flavors such as the chardonnay and the Bel reds (syrah), Nexus (merlot) and Melqart (cabernet and merlot).

Gozo and its 5.600 year old menhirs!
To the north, from the Cirkewwa pier, the ferry goes to Gozo, Malta’s sister island. On the way you go along tiny Comino, such called because of the cumin seedlings which once flowered there. Gozo is a different world, with a more rustic life and a strange feeling coming from the myths and fears of the old Mediterranean world. Especially Gjantija where a temple of menhirs was erected in honor of the Earth Mother one thousand years before the best known pyramids of Egypt. In the center of the island, Victoria is dozing in a very XVIIth century- like atmosphere. The view from the citadel embraces the entire island. One can also retrace Ulysses’ steps on the very beautiful beach of Ramla with its clear waters where tourists come today to dive in the depth of the “Azure window”.

Where to stay
VALETTA
The Méridien Phoenicia, the only 5 stars of the sector, landmark of the hotel trade in Malta, is located at the entry of the capital Valletta, only a
few steps from the commercial streets, the Great Harbor, the congress and the historical sites. Splendid view of the harbor.
www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien/index.html

The Castille Hotel, located in the heart of the capital, preserved all the elegance and the beauty of XVIth century when it belonged to the influential
De Robertis family. Very Beautiful panoramic view of the heart of the island and the majestic fortifications of the Great Harbor.
www.hotelcastillemalta.com

MDINA
Xara Palace, one of the most romantic places and secrets of Malta in the fortified city of Mdina (old capital) is a refined Castle-hotel with a XVIIth
century architecture and a XXIth century comfort, far from the uproar. Roof terrace where you can dine while dominating the island.
www.relaischateaux.com/

BALZAN
Corinthia Palace is located in the heart of the island in Balzan near the key centers of interest. The hotel is of a classical architectural style and
is surrounded by splendid English-style gardens. It is one of the most beautiful hotels of Malta, its classical architecture, its refined decoration;
its splendid English-style gardens will make your stay an exceptional one. www.corinthiahotels.com

MARFA
The Ramla Bay hotel, 4 stars, is located on the peninsula to the north of Malta in the village of Marfa. This hotel enjoys a privileged and unique
location with a splendid view of the islands of Comino and Gozo. In the horizon, an azurean blue sea comes caressing the beach in all quietude.
Calm and serenity. Tel: (356) 21522181

Capital: Valetta (Valetta)
Population: approximately 400.000 inhabitants
Official languages: Maltese and English
Surface: 316 km2
Tourist bureau: www.visitmalta.com
Royal Malta Golf Club: www.maltagolf.org
E-mail: info@maltagolf.org