Gulf News travels to the island of Malta to experience the history and culture of this beautiful Mediterranean destination. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv
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00:00The Southern European country of Malta is one of the hidden treasures of the Mediterranean.
00:13Only the three largest islands of this archipelago, Malta, Gozo and Camino, are inhabited, making
00:20it one of the world's smallest states with a land area of just over 316 square kilometers.
00:27The country is rich in history, culture and heritage.
00:32Dingli Cliff, a small village on the west coast, sits on top of a plateau some 250 meters
00:38above sea level.
00:39The village is one of the highest points of Malta, offering great open sea views over
00:44the tiny, uninhabited isle of Filfla.
00:50Malta's old capital city, Emdina, is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the center
00:55of the island.
00:56Commonly referred to as the Silent City, its location on high ground makes it one of
01:01the most enchanting places on the island and a popular backdrop for blockbuster movies
01:06such as Gladiator, The Count of Monte Cristo and Swept Away.
01:11Malta's natural Grand Harbor has been used since at least the time of the Phoenicians
01:16and has grown significantly with extensive docks, wharves and fortifications.
01:22The luxury Grand Harbor Marina is an established cruising destination for visiting yachts
01:27throughout the season.
01:28The Maritime Museum is located here and highlights the most important moments of Malta's maritime
01:33history.
01:40The capital city of Valletta is located in the central-eastern portion of the island
01:44and features buildings from the 16th century onwards.
01:48Built during the rule of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, the city is essentially
01:52baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, neoclassical and modern architecture in selected
01:57areas, though World War II left major scars on the city.
02:01Valletta was officially recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980 and has also
02:07lent its charm to famous movies including World War Z, Alexander and the TV series The
02:12Saint.
02:14Birgocita in Vitoriosa is one of three cities on the island that actually predates the Maltese
02:19capital and was the first home of the legendary Knights of Saint John.
02:24This is one historical area that has been left rather unexplored by tourists.
02:28Holy days and feast days are celebrated here like nowhere else on the island.
02:34En route to Gozo, the second largest island in the archipelago after Malta, seats a group
02:39of rustic and ramshackle wooden buildings called Popeyes Village, also known as Sweet
02:44Haven Village.
02:45It was built as a film set for the production of the 1980 live-action musical feature film
02:51Popeye starring Robin Williams.
02:53Today, it serves as an open-air museum and family entertainment complex.
02:59The ancient citadel, situated in Victoria, has been aptly called the Crown of Gozo.
03:04It was the center of activity possibly since Neolithic times, but it became the focal point
03:09of Gozo around 1500 BC, when it was first fortified by the Bronze Age people.
03:15The Phoenicians developed it further and the Romans turned it into their Acropolis-dominated
03:20bed temple dedicated to Juno.
03:23This is an amazingly close-knit community where people are free to visit their neighbors
03:27and many doors are even left unlocked when homeowners leave the house.
03:34A trip to Gozo is never complete without stopping at the Azure Window.
03:38Popular in postcards, this natural rock formation on the west side of the island of Gozo is
03:44the last remnant of ancient underwater caves that collapsed over the years, leaving a somewhat
03:49precarious arc.
03:52Fungus rock atop the 60-meter monolith, also known as the General's Rock, grows a rare
03:58tubular plant that was believed to cure dysentery and many other illnesses.
04:04The Temple of Hogar Kim, excavated for the first time in 1839, stands on a hilltop overlooking
04:10the sea in the islet of Filfla.
04:13The megalithic temples of Malta are among the most ancient religious sites on earth.
04:20A bumpy boat ride to the Blue Grotto will take you to a number of sea caverns on the
04:25southern coast of Malta.
04:27Every day from sunrise until about 1pm, sunlight streams into the caverns turning the water
04:33magnificent shades of blue.
04:36These caves were featured in the 2004 film Troy.
04:47Beautiful scenery, glimpses of history and especially the hospitality makes Malta a truly
04:52unique Mediterranean experience.
04:55Irish Eden Belieza, Gulf News.
05:06www.globalonenessproject.org