Malta is one of the sunniest places in Europe, boasting around 300 days of rays every year and a plethora of top-tier beaches where you can soak it all up.
But it’s also a knock-out cultural destination, home to sites of ancient history that date as far back as the Neolithic period, as well as a packed events calendar of festivals and a new biennale – you can read about our exploration of the archipelago’s brilliant arts scene here.
And while some of those ancient ruins are already UNESCO protected – the Megalithic Temples of Malta (Ġgantija, Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Skorba, Ta’ Ħaġrat and Tarxien), the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum as well as the island’s capital of Valletta – two more could be on the brink of World Heritage Site status.
In the town of Victoria sits Gozo’s glorious Citadel and Mdina. The mediaeval walled settlement is a pretty breathtaking sight, but despite being on UNESCO’s tentative list since 1998, the Maltese government is keen for them to be officially recognised as world heritage sites.
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This was announced on February 23 by Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela at an event where key people from Malta’s cultural sector discussed how integral culture is to Malta’s identity.
On top of the applications for the Citadel and Mdina, Abela said the country is keen to become part of UNESCO’s world heritage site committee, a group currently made up of 21 states who are in charge of setting up the world heritage convention and allocating funding to various protected sites.
According to Times of Malta, progress won’t be made until November when the government plans on submitting the application. Stay tuned, and in the meantime, check out the best things to do and the best places to visit in Malta.
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