Malta could never be described as a great shopping centre, and many Maltese go on a day to Sicily when they want a shopping spree. The best buys for visitors are the local crafts, which are conveniently displayed and demonstrated in craft villages on Malta and Gozo. Crafts aside, the best shopping is in Triq [...]

It didn’t take the knights of St John long to discover the potential of the slopes of Mount Sceberras and the great sweep of surrounding harbour. A matter of months after the epic siege of 1565, Francesco Laparelli was sent to Malta by Pope Pius IV to advise on the building of a new city. [...]