Malta awarded gold as most desirable island in Europe
After more than 3 million votes were cast by 168,000 passionate, globetrotting readers, the results for the 23rd Annual Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards are now in. Destinations, tour operators and travel brands have been recognised across 22 categories, including the Most Desirable Countries and Cities in Europe and around the world. Read on to discover if your favourites have been victorious…
Malta has come close to top spot over the last couple of years, missing out narrowly to Ireland. Now it’s bagged Gold.
Malta has come close to top spot over the last couple of years, missing out narrowly to Ireland. Now it’s bagged Gold. Indeed, 2024 was a big one for the island culturally, having hosted the first-ever Malta Biennale and seen some of its iconic sites reopen after major renovations (The Grand Master’s Palace, Malta Maritime Museum).
Added to this are Malta’s time-tested gems, including megalithic temples, blue lagoons, incredible forts, and historic cities such as Mdina and the UNESCO-listed Valletta, where Baroque architecture meets wartime history. Meanwhile the beaches, hidden coves and clifftop paths of rural Gozo still represent one of Europe’s great under-the-radar escapes.
