Not to miss

Mosta

Dingli Cliffs

About 500m (0.3mi) south of the unremarkable village of Dingli, the land falls away to reveal the spectacular Dingli Cliffs towering at around 220m (720ft). Named after the famous 17th-century Maltese architect, Tommaso Dingli, the cliffs afford wonderful coastal views.

Comino

The island of Comino was once reportedly the hideout of pirates and smugglers, but now hosts boatloads of bikini-clad invaders. It's only 2.5km (1.6mi) by 1.5km (0.95mi) in size, so you can hike around the whole island in an hour or two. The biggest attraction here is the Blue Lagoon - a sheltered, photogenic cove with a white-sand sea bed and clear turquoise waters.

Ħaġar Qim

Dating from as early as 3600 BC, Ħaġar Qim and the other Neolithic temples on the archipelago are the oldest known human structures in the world. This megalithic temple complex was adorned with carved animals and idols, sacrificial altars and oracular chambers, all executed with nothing more than flint and obsidian tools.

Giant limestone slabs form a series of ovals laid out in a pattern that some archaeologists have compared to Mother Goddess figurines found on the site. The view of the Mediterranean and the nearby island of Filfla is one of the best in Malta. Ħaġar Qim and its neighbour, the Mnajdra temple, are near the village of Qrendi.

Statuettes and carvings found in the temple are on display in the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.