When our editors selected Malta on the 2025 Best Bets list, I was intrigued. Malta, after all, evokes something exotic, something far-flung, something beguiling. But beyond that, as for most American travelers, Malta was a mystery to me. An enchanting, beautiful destination, to be sure. But an enigma, nonetheless.

​This is the story of my first visit to the trio of historic islands in the Mediterranean. For millennia, they have seduced prophets, knights and warriors. These days, Malta lures travelers, like me, who seek a special place that moves them.