Malta

From its North African and Arabic influences (listen carefully to the local language) to the Sicilian-inspired cuisine, Malta is a microcosm of the Mediterranean. Few European countries have such concentrated history, architecture and, yes, beaches in so tiny an area.

There’s been an eclectic mix of influences and a roll-call of rulers over the centuries, but be in no doubt: Malta is not just a notional outpost of Italy or a relic of colonial Britain. This island nation (all 316 sq km of it, comprising the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino) has a quirky character all of its own. From prehistoric temples, to the baroque architecture of Valletta, feasts of rabbit to festas of noisy fireworks, rattling buses to colourful fishing boats, this nation has loads of unique charm.

Malta is a shy little archipelago suspended in the middle of the Med. Its modesty is part of its charm, but boy does it have a lot it could brag about. One of its islands is home to what is thought to be the oldest free-standing building in the world. The Egyptian pyramids and Britain’s Stonehenge are youthful in comparison. If America were lucky enough to find the Ġgantija temples on its soil, it would have turned them into a prehistoric theme park, transporting visitors back to its creation in around 3200 BC.