Malta's history has been very romantic and exciting, primarily because of its strategic central Mediterranean geographical location at the southernmost tip of Europe, 60 miles south of Sicily and 180 miles north of Africa. It's certainly not because of Malta's natural resources. The island has no lakes or rivers, only a few trees, and no underground geological riches.

Sitting at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Malta has been either visited or inhabited by many cultures.

The Phoenicians were the first to sail to Malta, arriving in about 1000 BC. However, the island had already been inhabited for over 4,000 years even then! The Greeks showed up a few hundred years later and called the island Melita. The Carthaginians and the Romans followed, and Malta became part of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire in 395 AD. The Arabs conquered Malta in 870 AD, the Normans in 1090 AD, and it later became part of Sicily.

The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, who had been driven out of Rhodes, were granted the island by Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire in 1530, and they ruled the island until 1798 when Napoleon came along. He recognized the strategic location, exceptional harbor, and fortifications of Malta and invaded it to use as a base for waging his war with Egypt. The Maltese citizens asked Great Britain for help, and Lord Horatio Nelson recaptured the island in 1799. The British fleet knew a good thing when they saw it, and used Malta as the headquarters of the British Mediterranean fleet until the middle of the 20th century.

Malta's location was actually a detriment during World War II, as the island was almost constantly bombarded by German and Italian aircraft. The British colony gained its independence in 1964, and the harbor was used by NATO until 1979. Today the country of Malta is fiercely independent and the harbor is a haven for cruise ships, yachts, and freighters.

Valletta is the capital of Malta and the old walled city is easy to explore on foot. There are the usual historic sites--cathedrals, palazzos, museums, and fortifications. The beaches are excellent and are a favorite of vacationers from Great Britain and northern Europe. Cruise ships dock close to the center of Valletta, about a 15-minute uphill walk or a 5-minute taxi ride. Taxis can be prepaid on the pier in exchange for a voucher to give to the driver. The tourist office is at Freedom Square, just inside the city gate. Shopping includes traditional crafts such as hand-blown glass, lace, ceramics, pottery, tiles, and silver and gold filigree jewelry. The local currency is the Euro.

Your cruise ship may be in Malta for just one day, but it has plenty of interesting history and a fascinating capital city for a worthwhile day ashore.