Malta: The world's best alternative to Italy

AFTER CHRISTMAS IN LONDON, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SIDE TRIP, NOT TOO COLD OR DAMP, FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS. M. LEVEY, LOWER TEMPLESTOWE, VIC

What about Malta? Barely 25 kilometres across and about 15 from top to bottom, Malta was colonised by Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spaniards, French and English, leaving it with a Latin gastronomy, a Mediterranean taste for cafes and coffee, British road rules and an Arab-inflected language.

Much of Malta's coastline consists of limestone cliffs that the sea has gnawed into grottoes, tiny beaches and underwater caves.

The Maltese have chosen Italian as their preferred cultural template and the open-air cafe, pasta, the long lunch, the siesta and the evening stroll around the piazza have found a foothold in everyday Maltese life.

The architecture is straight out of Romeo and Juliet and the island is user-friendly.

Every Maltese speaks English and by European standards, prices are reasonable. Other solid choices would be Andalusia or Sicily.

TIPOLOGIST Dry bags are ideal for keeping your electronics safe on boat trips or in heavy downpours.

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