Charms of Malta

More and more Brits are falling for the charms of Malta, says Shereen Low in the Western Mail of Wales:

Once associated with wave-ruling Britannia and latterly seen as a holiday retreat for pensioners, Malta has tried hard to shake off its British colonial and somewhat stuffy past, and the country we see today is very different.

Malta has become a romantic haven for couples, both young and old, all yearning to escape from the hustle and bustle of the urban landscape and seeking a bit of privacy from the usual touristy hot spots of Paris, Venice and the Greek islands.

One of my girlfriends even recalled the story of how her boyfriend – now husband – proposed to her on the beautiful Maltese shores...Even the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh passed through last November to mark their 60th wedding anniversary.

With a new, younger Malta in mind, as well as the idea of getting away from gloomy British weather, my boyfriend and I booked a long weekend here...We stayed in the Hilton Malta, in the trendy Portomaso waterfront in the town of St Julian’s, which has overtaken Sliema as the main tourist hub.

One of the greatest sights is Valletta’s spectacularly cinematic Grand Harbour, with its honey-coloured spires and bastions, where little has changed through the centuries. If it looks familiar, that’s because film epics such as Gladiator, Troy and The Count Of Monte Cristo used it as a backdrop...