Merħba! Welcome to the sun-drenched archipelago of the Mediterranean—Malta, a small island nation located between Sicily and the North African coast. There are around 500,000 people living here, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The capital is Valletta, a fortified city founded by the Knights of St. John and the first ever planned city in Europe. The official languages are Maltese and English.

Malta covers about 316 square kilometers (122 square miles). That’s roughly twice the size of Washington, D.C., or about the same size as the city of Munich. It consists of three main inhabited islands: Malta, Gozo, and the tiny, nearly uninhabited Comino.

The most popular sport is Football, followed by Water Polo, where the national team punches well above its weight. Their national animal is the Pharaoh Hound, an ancient breed of hunting dog, and the Blue Rock Thrush is the national bird.

The flag consists of two vertical stripes of white and red with the George Cross in the upper left corner, where the white and red are the traditional colors of the Knights of Malta and the George Cross was awarded to the entire island for its bravery during World War II.

The food is a fantastic blend of Mediterranean flavors with heavy Sicilian and British influences. You must try Pastizzi, the ultimate Maltese snack—flaky pastry filled with ricotta cheese or mushy peas. Another favorite is Fenkata (rabbit stew), which is considered the national dish. For something sweet, try Imqaret, diamond-shaped date-filled pastries that are often served deep-fried. You should also wash it down with Kinnie, a bittersweet local soda made from bitter oranges and herbs.

Malta is home to some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world, the Megalithic Temples of Malta, which are older than the Egyptian Pyramids and Stonehenge. The city of Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is often described as an “open-air museum” because of its concentration of 16th-century monuments. For movie buffs, Malta is known as the “Mini-Hollywood of the Mediterranean”—it has been the filming location for Gladiator, Troy, and Game of Thrones. If you visit Comino, you’ll find the Blue Lagoon, a stretch of water so turquoise and clear it looks like a swimming pool.

From the silent, medieval streets of Mdina to the colorful “Luzzu” fishing boats in Marsaxlokk, Malta is a tiny island with a massive history. Grazzi! That means “Thank you!”