Would you be surprised to know that Malta consists of more than one island? Or that its striking landscapes were featured in a number of major motion pictures?

If so, these fun facts about Malta will be an enjoyable way to prepare for your first trip – all while learning about what makes this archipelago so unique!

Come uncover these 33 interesting facts about Malta for a whole new perspective on this increasingly popular Mediterranean gem.

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While many first-time visitors to Malta expect it to be one single island, it’s actually the largest island of an archipelago.

Although there are technically seven total islands that make up the Maltese archipelago, only two of those islands are inhabited – Malta (the largest) and Gozo (the second largest).

(Comino, the third largest island, is said to have a population of just two people, but is otherwise known as virtually uninhabited. Tourists mainly visit it on boat tours for its main attraction, the Blue Lagoon.)

The uninhabited islands (which are rarely referred to) include Cominotto, Filfla, Manoel, and Selmunett (St. Paul’s Islands).

Although the origin of the country name “Malta” still isn’t totally clear, it’s widely believed that it’s derived from the Greek word “meli,” which means honey.

The commonly-held belief is that ancient Greeks perceived Malta to be “as sweet as honey,” due to its unique species of bees and, by proxy, the resulting production of honey.

If you have the inkling that Malta has become a tourist hotspot, you wouldn’t be wrong.

In fact, with the arrival of over one million tourists per year, there are nearly three times as many tourists as locals on the island!

If rainy destinations aren’t your thing, you’ll feel right at home in Malta. With its advantageous position in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta averages nearly 3,000 hours of sun per year (2957, to be exact).

You definitely won’t want to forget your shades and sun hat here!

You can also check out annual weather averages for Malta to help plan your visit.

If you love rabbits as much as I do, you may want to skip over this next not-so-fun Malta fact…

That’s because Malta’s national dish is rabbit stew! Known by the locals as “stuffat tal-fenek,” this delicacy is prepared with a tomato, red wine, and garlic sauce.

While not indigenous to Malta, rabbits were first introduced by the Phoenicians and quickly became a staple for local hunters. With rabbit meat being relatively inexpensive and easy to source, the stew stuck around.

That said, I certainly won’t be trying this dish anytime soon – how about you?

If you’re anything like me and believe rabbits are for petting and not eating, then pastizzi may be a great alternative when hunger strikes. The unofficial “national snack” of Malta, this flaky, savory pastry typically comes stuffed with either ricotta or peas. You can usually find it at a pastizzeria and other casual eateries.

Just don’t get pastizzi confused with a low-calorie snack; while this deep-fried delight may be delicious, it wouldn’t exactly qualify as healthy!

The Maltese definitely value their religious traditions, as evidenced by their acknowledgement of 14 public holidays per year.

These holidays include:

1. New Year’s Day (January 1)
2. Feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck (February 10)
3. Feast of St. Joseph (March 19)
4. Freedom Day (March 31)
5. Good Friday (Varies between March & April)
6. Labour Day (May 1)
7. Sette Giugno (June 7)
8. Feast of St. Peter & St. Paul (June 29)
9. Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady (August 15)
10. Feast of Our Lady of Victories (September 8)
11. Independence Day (September 21)
12. Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)
13. Republic Day (December 13)
14. Christmas Day (December 25)

If you’re an American or Canadian considering a move to this sunny Mediterranean gem –  and you just might after enjoying these fun facts about Malta – you’ll be happy to know you have a variety of options.

The expat residency options for Malta include:

• Citizenship by Investment
• Permanent Residence Scheme
• Family Visa
• Ordinary Residence Scheme

Malta’s unique geographic location in between Southern Europe and Northern Africa lends it to some interesting cultural developments. One of these is traditional folk singing, which is known by the locals as “għana.” 

There are three main types of għana – la Bormliza, tal-fatt, and spirtu pront. The music ranges from as informal as singing in the street to as formal as wedding performances for nobility.

Due to a healthy workforce funding a national insurance system via taxes, residents of Malta can take advantage of lifetime access to the country’s publicly-funded healthcare.

Also, publicly-funded healthcare is definitely not a recent development – in fact, the oldest hospital on record dates back to 1372!

Although Malta is a fully independent nation today, the country has a 150-year history as part of the British Empire.

Malta eventually gained its independence from Britain in 1964 and then became a Republic in 1974.

Today, the Maltese observe their Independence Day – one of the country’s five national holidays – on September 21.

Despite breaking free from British rule in 1964, you’ll still see many remnants of British influence scattered about the Maltese archipelago.

From red phone booths and post boxes, to British architecture (such as the double arches at Victoria Gate), to driving on the left-hand side of the road, you won’t have to look far for a glimpse into Malta’s British past.

For one of the lesser-known fun facts about Malta as it pertains to former British rule, just have a look at their flag. The upper left features George’s Cross, which King George bestowed on Malta for bravery in WWII.

Great Britain wasn’t the only nation to enjoy colonization over Malta – it was also a French colony at one point. Under Napolean’s rule, the French took over Malta in 1798.

However, this only lasted for a period of two years, when the Maltese were then able to enjoy freedom from French rule.

If you’re an American looking for a European escape where you won’t have to rely on Google Translate to get around, you should definitely put Malta on your list.

Despite former control from Great Britain and France, English is actually one of Malta’s three official and most widely spoken languages. Pretty much everyone – even the locals – have a strong working knowledge of English, so you can enjoy a language-barrier-free getaway.

The other two official languages are Maltese and Maltese sign language.

No trip to Malta would be complete without a fun day trip to Gozo. The second largest island of the archipelago, Gozo is strikingly beautiful. Unsurprisingly, the cinematic masterpiece Game of Thrones featured the Azure Window in Gozo in the first season.

If you’re familiar with the series, you may remember that the Azure Window served as a backdrop during the Dothraki wedding feast in Episode 1: “Winter is Coming.”

While this beautiful structure was unfortunately destroyed in a severe storm back in 2017 (more on that later), you can still check out the remains and site where it once stood.

As it turns out, Malta was used as more than just a fleeting backdrop in various film and television scenes.

In fact, an entire movie set was built on the island specifically to serve as the filming location of the 1980’s musical comedy of Popeye, starring Robin Williams!

Popeye Village, as it’s known today, is located in Anchor Bay off the coast of Mellieha. Today, the former film set serves as an attraction park for kids and adults alike.

Beyond Popeye, the magnificent landscapes of Malta were featured in a host of other films, including Gladiator, Troy, World War Z, Captain Phillips, and more.

You can check out the comprehensive movie list here.

Valletta holds down the status of smallest capital city in the EU – and also the southernmost! The city’s population just barely exceeds 6,000 residents and the land spans less than a single square kilometer.

Despite Valletta’s miniscule size, this unique city manages to feel like a gigantic open-air museum.

As one of the most historically-dense cities worldwide, you can easily spend hours wandering the streets and taking in the many fascinating historic sites.

Another fun fact about Valletta is that it was Europe’s first capital city to be fully developed according to a set plan. It was planned back in 1565 on a parallel rectangular grid – a totally new site – in order to take advantage of the cooling breezes from the Mediterranean Sea.

The city-building strategy was due to the impressive mind of Jean de la Vallette, who was heavily focused on fortifications that would protect Malta from Turkish invasion.

In addition to being the first planned European capital, Valletta is also one of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malta. It gained this status back in 1980 due to its protected monuments.

The two other Maltese sites on the World Heritage list are the Megalithic Temples and the Ħal Salfieni Hypogeum.

Although it’s the booming chief city today, Valletta didn’t always hold capital status. This honor previously belonged to Mdina, the original capital city.

Dubbed the “Silent City” after residents fled Mdina during the 16th century’s Great Siege of Malta, the former capital’s history traces back over 400 years.

Today, this peaceful place still manages to maintain its quiet charm with its modest population hovering around 250 residents.

If you’re planning on visiting the current capital of Malta, you can’t miss a day trip from Valletta to Mdina. At the very least, a brief excursion is in order, and you frankly won’t need more than a few hours to enjoy the former capital.

What many first-time visitors don’t realize about Valletta is just how much construction there is throughout the city.

Between expatriates/business investors working on building projects and Valletta hotels adding additional floors to support an influx of tourists, construction is an unfortunate reality of city life.

Unfortunately, this means that construction is an ongoing challenge that you’ll need to learn to work around.

Although this is one of those not-so-fun facts about Malta, it will hopefully help you manage expectations for your visit. While Valletta is an awesome city, the reality is that it’s practically a breeding ground for scaffolding!

I actually found it quite challenging to create content within the city streets without bumping up against some work-in-progress doorframe/street/building.

Soon after entering Malta, you’ll quickly understand how it got its nickname as the “Fortresss Island.”

With military architecture like defensive walls and citadels planted throughout, you’ll begin to understand how much this small Mediterranean country invested in defensive systems during war time.

The fortifications standing today date back to two periods – the Knights and the island’s British era. There are also a number of historic museums on the island, including the Maritime Museum, the Armoury, and the National War Museum.

Despite impressive defensive efforts, Malta and its prone central position in the Mediterranean Sea unfortunately made it quite the target during war time.

In fact, Malta holds the record for the most severe and sustained bombing attack during the time, which lasted over 150 days and nights!

One of my favorite Malta history facts – and one of the most admirable aspects of the island nation back during World War I – was its impressive ability to care for sick and wounded soldiers. Malta quickly gained the nickname “Nurse of the Mediterranean Sea” by essentially transforming into an “island hospital.”

Between Malta’s desirable distance from the dangerous battlefront, ample hospital beds, and its favorable climate, the Mediterranean gem became a favorite place of recovery and healing.

If you thought Egypt was ancient and fascinating, then a trip to Malta to uncover the top things to do in Gozo is in order! That’s because Gozo’s Ggantija Temples are believed to date back further than the Egyptian Pyramids (and Stonehenge) – no easy feat.

In fact, more recent excavations have surmised that the origins of these temples date back a whopping 6,000 years!

Located in Xaghra, Gozo, the Ggantija Temples are unsurprisingly considered the oldest temples in Europe as well as one of the oldest free-standing stone monuments across the globe.

You wouldn’t necessarily think of an island as having no freshwater sources, would you? Well, that’s actually the case for Malta, which literally has zero!

Not only are there no lakes or rivers throughout Malta, but the ground water is also a finite resource, due to low (and largely unpredictable) rainfall.

Because of this, the Maltese filter salt from the surrounding Mediterranean Sea to produce desalinated and safe drinking water. It’s also helpful to know that the tap water is, in fact, safe for drinking!

While we’re on the topic of water, something the island doesn’t suffer from is a shortage of natural harbors.

There are actually a total of three natural harbors in Malta – Grand Harbour, Marsamxett Harbour, and Marsaxlokk Harbour.

The Grand Harbour is also known as the Port of Valletta. This is where you’ll catch the ferry to neighboring islands like Gozo.

Located north of the Grand Harbour, Marsamxett Harbor is the location of Malta’s largest yachting marina, which is why it’s common to see this harbor loaded with boats. From here, it’s a brief sail to the Blue Lagoon on the island of Comino.

Part of the fishing village of the same name, Marsaxlokk Harbour is the largest fishing harbor in Malta. The harbor is also lined with charming fish restaurants and features a popular fish market.

One of the fun facts about Malta that many aren’t aware of is that the archipelago is home to a wide variety of wildlife.

Common water-based wildlife includes:

• Blue whale
• Mediterranean monk seal
• Risso’s dolphin (related to the pygmy killer whale)
• Maltese freshwater crab

That said, you may also spot some interesting creatures on land (or in the air) as well!

Common birds include:

• Blue rock thrush (national bird of Malta)
• Common noctule (bat native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa)
• Eurasian spoonbill (part of the ibis family)
• White stork
• Western marsh harrier
• Barn owl
• Egyptian vulture

Common land-dwelling creatures include:

• Maltese goat
• Estrucan shrew (world’s smallest mammal)
• North African hedgehog
• Least weasel (a.k.a. the lesser weasel)
• Pharaoh hound (national dog of Malta)

If you’re taking a day trip to Gozo, you can’t miss a visit to Fungus Rock. Located at the lagoon in Dwerja Bay, this striking formation is also known as the “General’s Rock.”

Both names (Fungus Rock and General’s Rock) are derivative of when the Knights of St. John collected a rare plant (known as “General’s Root”) from the summit of the rock.

This plant was believed to have powerful medicinal properties and was used in the treatment of a variety of diseases, infections, and ailments, including ulcers, dysentery, and venereal diseases.

Another one of those not-so-fun facts about Malta involves the demise of one of the archipelago’s most beautiful natural landmarks, the Azure Window.

As I mentioned earlier when I referenced Game of Thrones, this former Gozo attraction was unfortunately destroyed by a severe storm and sadly collapsed back in March 2017.

While in Gozo, be sure to stop by one of the most visually-stunning sites on the island – the Xwejni Bay Salt Pans.

Dating back 350 years, these gorgeous salt pans are not only beautiful, but they also provide an essential source of income for Gozitans.

Salt crystals are collected in summertime when the salt is easiest to harvest. These crystals are then stored in local caves to begin the drying process. Once the salt is fully processed, it’s packaged by hand for distribution to specialty food shops and supermarkets for consumer use.

That brings us to the end of our fun facts about Malta – at least for now! I’m always looking to update these lists with new and compelling facts, so if there’s anything interesting I missed, feel free to let me know!

In the meantime, I hope you learned something new. Which of these Malta fun facts did you find most surprising? Let me know in the comments below!

Planning a trip to Malta? Check out my travel guides:

• 12 Fabulous Valletta Hotels with Pools for a Relaxing Stay
• 15 Fun Things to Do in Valletta (Including Free Activities & Day Trip Ideas)
• Plan the Perfect Day Trip from Valletta to Mdina, Malta
• 15 Awesome Things to Do in Gozo, the Gem of the Maltese Archipelago
• Plan the Perfect Day Trip to Gozo from Malta