Malta is holidaying as the mood takes you. And with near year-round sun, you can indulge in outdoor living at its best.

In just 48 hours and a kilometre or two, you can try a new sport, laze on an island cruise and tour the most important historic sites. And still have time to join in the nightlife. That’s the real advantage of a stay here.

The Islands offer plenty of specialist holidays for those seeking to learn a new skill, discover history or get fit. If you’re interested in sports, we cater as much for the seasoned enthusiast as the casual first-timer. Malta has fitness and spa facilities at the luxury hotels and club resorts. Sea and land lend themselves to activities from rock-climbing to gentle rambling. A few days off the beaches will confirm that there is much to discover: the magnificent fortified capital of Valletta with its glorious and bustling Mediterranean street life.

Bilingual, with strong historic and cultural links to Britain, Malta is an enjoyable place to learn or practise English. There are courses for everyone from youngsters to professionals.

Visit during special times like summer fiesta season, Easter and carnival and you’ll never be stuck for what to do – simply join the crowd for some fun.

- Gozo
Gozo and tiny Comino provide a tranquil haven for a tempo and scene change.

The charm of Gozo is apparent the moment you arrive there. Greener, more rural and smaller than Malta, life on Gozo moves at a leisurely pace. The rhythms dictated by the seasons, fishing and agriculture.

In winter and spring, the Island is covered with flowering herbs and lush crops. In summer, it’s awash with oleander, bougainvillea and geranium.

Gozo is steeped in myth. Thought to be the legendary Calypso’s isle of Homer’s Odyssey, it’s a peaceful, mystical backwater. Baroque churches and old stone farmhouses dot the countryside.

Its rugged landscape and spectacular coastline await exploration. Choose from rocky inlets to red sand beaches or sail, snorkel, dive and fish. Gozo has some of the Mediterranean’s best dive sites.

But that’s not all; Gozo comes complete with historical sites, forts and amazing panoramas. Plus one of the archipelago’s best-preserved prehistoric temples, Ggantija. Not to mention a nightlife and cultural calendar all its own, and some great dining out.

Gozo is an island where time seems to have stood still. There may be deluxe hotels, wonderful small restaurants serving fish caught only hours before being served at the table, and nightlife in summer to match the very best in Malta but it is all charmingly concealed in a magnificent and truly tranquil landscape. Gozo is where you can also get away to secluded privacy when you want to.