An archipelago of 8 islands, 4 of which are inhabited
Located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, 93 kilometres south of Sicily and 297 km from the Tunisian coast, the Maltese archipelago covers 316 km2 and includes eight islands, four of which are inhabited: malta, the main island (246 km2 , 27 km long and 14.5 km wide), Gozo (67 km2 , 14.5 km long and 7.2 km wide), Comino (2.7 km2 ), located between Malta and Gozo, and Manoel Island (0.3 km2 ), located north of Valletta and connected to the town of Gzira by a bridge. The other four small islands are uninhabited. These are Cominotto (0.25 km2), separated from Comino by the Strait of Fliegu (about 100 metres) and between these two islands is the Blue Lagoon, from the island of Filfla (0.06 km2, located in the south-west of Malta, 5 km from the coast and inaccessible because of its steep cliffs) and the two islands of St Paul's (0.09 km2, a short distance from St Paul's Bay which can be reached by boat for a day trip).
A honey-coloured country
As it lies on the northern edge of the African plate, the Maltese archipelago is made up of sedimentary rocks with little deformation, which on the whole are inclined towards the north-east. The Maltese islands are mainly composed of limestone rocks, covered by a layer of clay and sand. Gozo's soil is more fertile than Malta's because it contains more clay. Globigerine is a protozoan (microscopic organism) that appeared in the Tertiary period and is still an important part of the marine plankton; its small calcareous shell is one of the main components of the carbonaceous mud, which, as it disintegrates, constitutes the globigerine limestones, i.e. the ashlar of the Maltese. It was used in the construction of the sumptuous ancient palaces and churches. This golden stone, which is flexible to extract and work, hardens in contact with air, hence its longevity. The Maltese still use it for their new homes, which you will see in the endless horizontal residential suburbs. The majority of other constructions are made of coral limestone, the upper layers. Whether you arrive in Malta by boat or plane, you will be immediately fascinated by the island's soft colour. The colour is that of honey, that of globigerine. It is also on this rock that you will walk during hikes in the middle of the fragrant scrubland. Around Zurrieq and Siggiewi in Malta or west of Kercem in Gozo, you will encounter gigantic quarries where globigerine blocks are cut like big slices of cake. The finesse and precision of its cutting sometimes give the impression of a pasteboard decoration, so perfect are the finishes. In Siggiewi, you can visit The Limestone Heritage, a small theme park dedicated to this stone, emblem of the country. It is one of the symbols of the archipelago.Centre versus coasts
In Malta, the landscape is characterized by rather arid hills, with terraced fields, products of the heritage of the Arab period. In the centre, you will not see any forest or river, as the rivers have been reduced to the state of a wadi(wied), with fresh water present in the form of a water table floating on top of sea water. Over time, overpumping of this water table has resulted in the brinization of fresh water and salinization of cropland. Since the 19th century, desalination of water has met most of the needs. You won't see any mountains either as the highest point on the island of Malta is Ta'Dmejrek, dominating the village of Dingli at 253 metres, and the average altitude of the archipelago is 120 metres above sea level.
On the other hand, the Maltese coast offers a variety of views, as the country has a total of 196.8 km of coastline to which should be added the more than 56 km of coastline of the island of Gozo. Along the coast you will find natural harbours, the most famous of which are the Grand Port and Marsamxett in Valletta, bays, coves, cliffs, coves and caves. And of course sandy or rocky beaches.
Sandy beaches. Although not necessarily the best spot in the Mediterranean in this area, Malta is nevertheless home to some beautiful sandy beaches. Landlocked between Golden Bay and Gnejna Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha is undoubtedly the most charming with its natural character, ochre sand and translucent water. On the podium you will also find Golden Bay and Paradise Bay, a few meters from the pier to Gozo. Let's also mention Mellieha Bay, the longest on the island of Malta, Ramla Bay in Gozo, surely one of the most beautiful of the archipelago whose red-gold sand can be admired, Armier Bay, not far from Mellieha for its fine sand and coconut trees, or Santa Marija Bay in Comino which allows you to enjoy the crystal clear waters of the Blue Lagoon after a short walk of 15 to 20 minutes.
The rocky beaches. With their large flat stones, they are also very pleasant. Stairs are sometimes built in the rock, either to access the beach or to isolate oneself. One of the best places to take a dip is St Peters Pool: located in the south of Malta, not far from Marsaxlokk, this natural pool with its beautiful blue-green water is one of the best places to take a dip. There are stairs for those who do not wish to jump from the top of the rock to get into the water. Another natural pool, Ghar Lapsi "Ascension Cave", is nestled under the cliffs of Dingli, in a particularly wild landscape. Its crystal clear waters and corals have made it one of the favourite spots for divers. Near Bahrija, Fomm ir-rih Bay, is one of the most secluded pebble beaches in Malta where one chooses to swim only on calm weather, surrounded by vertical cliffs. For those who prefer more urban beaches, Sliema's waterfront is the place to be. The coastal road from Sliema to St. Julian's offers many bathing opportunities, set on flat rocks. Gozo also offers a good selection of attractive coastlines. Xendli Bay has a charming little beach with shallow water; also to the south, Mgarr Ix-Xini is a delightful little pebble beach surrounded by towering rocks and lined with cliffs, which was the setting for the film By the Sea
with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Heading north, after visiting the village of Nadur, Dahlet Qorrot Bay guarantees a safe swim in crystal clear waters. And further east, Hondoq Ir-Rummien is one of the island's most secret beaches. Below the village of Qala, it is a succession of small creeks, caves and salt marshes. Finally Comino shelters the Blue Lagoon which displays a dreamlike landscape provided that you avoid the big tourist flows of the summer.
