Malta, Gozo, and Comino are the three sisters that make up the island archipelago in the Mediterranean between Sicily and North Africa. The island nation is tiny, but the main island of Malta is densely populated and as contradictory as few other countries in Europe. No wonder: throughout its six-thousand-year history, it has been ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Arabs, Spaniards, French, and English. The Crusaders left behind massive castles, the British red telephone booths, and the Arabs influenced the language. The island nation is listed three times on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in 2018, all of Malta celebrates Valletta as the European Capital of Culture.