Gozo and Malta featured in Portugal’s Main Travel Magazine

Portugal’s main tourism magazine "Volta ao Mundo" (Around the world) has dedicated an 18-page section of its August 2010 edition to the beauty and enchantment of the Maltese Islands.

The article written by Tiago Salazar, one of Portugal’s most well-known travel writers, is accompanied by photographs by Joaqim Gromicho, that not only capture the charm of some of Gozo and Malta’s most attractive sights but also the lifestyle of Malta and its people.

Tiago Salazar provides the reader with a brief historical overview of Malta and Gozo, interspersing his comments with those made by a number of historical and literary figures who visited the Maltese Islands in the past, ranging from Samuel Taylor Colleridge and Sir Walter Scott to the Portuguese Nineteenth Century author José Maria de Eça de Queiroz who visited Malta in 1869.

The author notes the historical links between Malta and Portugal through the Order of Malta and the reign of Antonio Maoel de Vilhena and Manuel Pinto de Fonseca and the contribution of these two Portuguese Grand Masters to the rich architectural and cultural heritage of the Maltese Islands.

"The Maltese archipelago is the smallest of the 27 member-states of the European Union, with just 316 square kilometres of territory, yet some of the most important events in the history of the European continent took place there," writes Salazar.

The different powers that ruled Malta during its long history have all left their mark, writes Salazar noting the cosmopolitan nature of Maltese society and its traditions, notwithstanding the pronounced British influence that has remained even after Malta became independent in 1964.

This mix of cultures charms anyone visiting Malta since everyone is likely to probably discover a facet of his or her own cultural and national identity.

"In the Mediterranean only Greece can compete with the waters of Malta, especially the ones of the small Island of Gozo, a land of farmers and fisherman. Archaeologists and underwater archaeologists love to dive here searching for Phoenician, Roman and Arab remains," says Salazar in the article.

The Maltese Islands are not only history, but a vibrant modern society that attracts hundreds of thousands of foreigners who visit them for tourism, to study the English language or on business, Malta being an active business and financial centre in the heart of the Mediterranean.

The Embassy of Malta in Lisbon coordinated the visit to Malta by the author and the photographer with the help and sponsorship of the Malta Tourism Authority, Air Malta and Halcon Viagens.

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