In Valleta, Malta's ancient capital, frescoes in the Grand Masters' Palace (built in 1574), depict the story of the Knights of Malta, those intrepid crusaders who staved off the invasion of Europe by Turks in the Great Siege of 1565. In the decades that followed, those wealthy knights turned Valletta into an architectural showcase of palaces, gardens, and churches it remains today.

But Malta is not all about the past. The nightlife (from casinos to clubs with top European DJs in St. Julian's, a Valletta suburb) is lively, an international jazz festival tops an impressive cultural calendar, the beaches on the northwest coast (Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuiffieha) are a treat, the diving off Gozo is delightful, and the cliff-lined coast near Zurrieq is pocked with several Blue Grotto-like caves where you can swim in what's been called "stained-glass" blue water. Poetry, one might say...

CULTURE

DINING

Sit down to a table at a culinary crossroads of the Mediterranean, where Spanish, British, Sicilian, and Moorish cuisines, come together in trattoria's and waterfront restaurants. Start with pastizzi (savory cheese pastries), followed by lampuki (the islanders' favorite fish) or fenek (rabbit seasoned with herbs and wine). And check the wine list: Both reds and whites are produced on Malta - and some restaurants serve their own, sometimes potent, bottlings.

DAY TRIP

After exploring the past on Malta, take a R&R break on low-key Gozo, believed by many scholars to be where Homer's wandering Ulysses fell under the spell of the beautiful Calypso. The green landscape is laced with walking trails, and the red-sand beach at Ramla Bay is among the nicest in the Mediterranean. Xlendi Bay, just outside the main town of Victoria, is not only a colorful fishing village, but the beach is good and the snorkeling around the nearby reefs and caves even better. In Victoria itself, loaded with centuries-old charm, the central square is a good place to shop for local crafts, including the exquisite, handmade Maltese lace.