An Archaeological Visit to Malta

A weekend in Malta, leaving by catamaran from Pozzallo (RG) - An interesting archaeological visit that I organise with the Archeoclub of Ragusa - We set off from the port of Pozzallo (hopefully we'll also be able to do it from the new port of Marina di Ragusa from 2009) and head for Malta with a crossing of about 90 minutes to cover the short distance between Sicily and the island of Malta - We stay at the Hotel Vivaldi ****, very good and interesting because it's central and very close to the Casino.....!!!! where a little flutter is a must; but let's get to the reason for our visit: all the main megalithic temples of Malta and Gozo from 5000 BC: Ggantija (on Gozo) - Tarxien - Hagar Qim - Mnajdra - the prehistoric cave of Ghar Dalam - but the visit to Mdina, an ancient walled town, and Valletta is also a must.

The history of Malta begins in 5200 BC; already 1,000 years before the pyramids of Giza a civilisation existed. The Phoenicians colonised it around 1000 BC, using it as an outpost, then the Greeks occupied it in 736 BC, calling it Melita. In 400 BC it came under the control of Carthage, but the Romans conquered it in 218 BC and it became a municipium; many Roman ruins are still found today. The Byzantines ruled from the 4th to the 9th century AD, then the Arabs prevailed in 870: they introduced new crops and irrigation systems (as in Sicily); the language adopted was Arabic, which can still be seen today in modern Maltese. In 1091 came the conquest by the Normans from Sicily, then the Angevins and the Aragonese. In 1530 the island was leased by the Kingdom of Sicily to the Knights Hospitaller, a monastic order known as the Knights of Malta.

This rule ended with the Napoleonic conquest, but in 1800 it became a British protectorate and gained independence on 21 September 1964. In Malta it's hard to eat well; if you want to eat fish, a small home-style trattoria is preferable; better to rely on the experience of the minibus driver who transports you (always advisable to haggle for any transaction); generally the prices are slightly above average, but that's understandable for an island that lives on tourism all year round; there are enchanting little beaches and fabulous places. Visit Malta but first come to Ragusa. Cost for a luxury weekend about 300 euros. ENZO PIAZZESE - TOURIST GUIDE IN SICILY - 3482229891