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Of all the places which I visited within Europe the one that I'd call the most overlooked is the tiny country of Malta. Most Americans most likely don't know much of this tiny island nation, but if you have a chance to visit this nation in the Mediterranean I will almost guarantee you'll find it an outstanding experience. The reason is because of its critical location and ideal harbors it's for ages been sought after and battled for by almost every Mediterranean power dating back to the Phoenicians. Over the centuries the island has long been under control of eight major superpowers. It would probably not come as a surprise, then that as you tour Malta you'd be aware of the influence of several of these great cultures. One of the initial things I observed was the language. There are a couple of official languages, Maltese as well as English, and essentially every one of the locals there speaks English effortlessly. But to me the Maltese language appeared to be much like Arabic, even as almost all of the population is Roman Catholic. An additional impression that I got was the hot, dry weather conditions. I was there in October and although there was modest greenery to be found, it's rough, rocky terrain and large seaside cliffs above the Mediterranean made it incredibly beautiful. Possibly the ideal way to see Malta is on their hop-on hop-off vehicles, which run in a couple of loops, one covering the north as well as the other south regions of the main island. Malta is made up of three inhabited islands, but much of its past is located in Valletta and also the ancient capital of Mdina. Probably the most historical part of this significant country is the capital and largest city, Valletta. The large fortifications for this downtown area had been constructed in the late 1500s by the Knights of Malta after they had survived the siege by the Ottoman Empire. Those stonewalled buttresses withstood heavy bombing within the Second World War at the time the Germans unsuccessfully attempted to capture it. Valletta is rather compacted therefore the region you will have to include to see lot isn't large. These days one of the most preferred places to stay for travelers, and also where there are also plenty of business meetings will be the attractive seaside village called Bugibba. It is north from Valletta along the coastline about four or five miles. Now Malta is an autonomous nation, getting its independence from United Kingdom in 1964. This is actually a highly regarded vacation spot with Europeans, and if more Americans knew in regards to this overlooked tourist destination they would be flocking there, too. These are a few ways to save on train travel. It takes a bit of effort, but that effort can pay off in substantial savings if you choose to travel by car, train, or airplane. For additional tips to help you save money when planning your vacation, visit http://bestvacationeurope.com/tips-for-airline-travel/ for a wide range of travel ideas. Jim O'Connell is a writer and travel enthusiast.
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