Steeped in history and culture, Cyprus and Malta are a historic treat
BY SHAFQUAT ALI
BY SHAFQUAT ALI
COPY BEGINS
Mediterranean islands like Cyprus and Malta have a lot in common. For one, they are among the favourite destinations for tourists looking for pristine beaches, historical sites and picturesque views.
Steeped in history, picture perfect Malta, for its part, banks on 7,000 years of history to attract tourists and Hollywood dream merchants. From Gladiator to Julius Caesar to Helen of Troy to The Count of Monte Cristo, the island has played the backdrop to a host of period flicks.
As Ted Kurdlya, producer of Helen of Troy, once put it: “Malta is able to offer different locations, which could go 2,000 years back in time, and could be reached in the space of 30 minutes.”
Clearly, Malta’s rich history, culture and heritage – for the record, it has the highest number of churches per sq. km in the world (365 in all) – are a huge draw.
Whether it’s 15th-century cannons or 16th-century cathedrals and palaces or, for that matter, prehistoric temples that you are looking for, there is a good chance that you will stumble on one in Malta.
What’s more, you can even retrace the footsteps of St Paul or see where the Knights of St John defended Christendom. In short, from temple builders, seafaring Phoenicians and the traveller Apostle Paul to the Knights of St John, Napoleon and British royalty, all have set foot here leaving their imprint for generations to discover.
But that’s not all. The Maltese islands also offer spectacular scenery and pleasant weather which play no small part in attracting in making it one of the top tourist destinations.
Cyprus, too, boasts of rich history and culture – suffice to say that UNESCO has nine of the island’s Byzantine mountain churches and the entire town of Kato Pafos, Palaepafos and Choirokoitia in its World Cultural Heritage List – good Mediterranean weather, friendly people and more.
What’s more, you can choose to be enveloped by pine-clad mountains blowing cool air in your face (the island has an impressive mountain range that stretches across the centre of Cyprus and reaches up to 1.952 metres at Chionistra) or have miles of golden beaches kissing your feet.
Or, for that matter, you could decide to laze in timeless villages and unspoilt countryside or simply let your hair down, put on your dancing shoes and head to downtown Limassol.
But whatever it is that you choose to do, one thing is for sure: in Cyprus, you will be spoilt for choice.
Now, more than ever, tiny Mediterranean islands like Malta and Cyprus are make their presence felt in the world tourism map.