Valletta, Malta’s historical capital, is the only sensible place to begin your first day. Make use of a walking tour of Valletta to get your bearings and sample Maltese street food, such as pastizzi—savory pastries filled with curried peas or ricotta cheese—available at any number of pastizzeria in Malta.

Later in the day, take a ferry across to Sliema or the Three Cities for dinner at a traditional restaurant like Ta' Kris. Try typical Maltese dishes such as rabbit stew and bragioli—beef rolls stuffed with bacon and eggs—paired with Maltese red wine, which certainly deserves greater international recognition.

It should be no surprise that seafood is a core part of Maltese cuisine given its island nation status. Travel by bus to the seaside village of Marsaxlokk, home to a prominent weekend fish market and plenty of seafood restaurants, to try the local seafood fresh from the source.

In the afternoon, journey inland by bus to the cluster of culturally important destinations of Mdina, Rabat, and Mosta. As you visit their historic churches and palaces, don't forget to explore classic Maltese dishes, including lighter meals such as tarts and pies, or bigilla, Malta’s take on mezze.

Even though Malta is a small country, you still can find regional differences, even with food. Hop aboard a ferry at Cirkewwa for the serene and rural island of Gozo, and,as you explore, try the island’s traditional dish ftira, a flatbread similar to pizza with toppings including potatoes, capers, tuna, and anchovies.

Many sweet treats in Malta are tied to holidays such as Easter and Christmas. But it’s still quite easy to satisfy your sweet tooth, be it at an artisan chocolate in Bugibba or by picking up imqaret—small date-filled pastries—at local bakeries.