Despite Malta’s minute size and its isolation from mainland Europe, the country’s efforts to give its queer population equal rights have been nothing short of monumental.

Not only have these achievements greatly benefitted the islands’ LGBTQ+ community, but they have also marked Malta as the ideal destination for queer travellers.

Testament to this is an article published by The Guardian earlier today that names the island nation amongst ’10 of Europe’s best destinations for LGBTQ+ travellers’.

Penned by Stephen Emms, who is part of the queer community himself, the article looks to leave aside “obvious queer meccas” like London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Brighton.

“The first country in the European Union to ban conversion practices, Malta is one of the most LGBTQ-progressive nations in the world,” the article reads.

“It’s one of only five countries to make queer rights equal at a constitutional level and holds first place on ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Europe Index, which ranks countries on LGBTQ+ equality,” it continues.

The aforementioned Rainbow Europe Index, published last month, ranked Malta as the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe for the seventh year in a row.

This index ranks countries based on seven criteria in which nations can score a maximum of 100 points. The criteria include ‘equality and non-discrimination’, ‘family’, ‘hate crime and hate speech’, and ‘legal gender recognition’, amongst other things.

Malta achieved 100 per cent in every category apart from two – ‘equality and non-discrimination’, in which we scored 76 per cent, and ‘intersex bodily integrity’, in which we scored 50 per cent.

“On my last visit, a gay guide showed me round the winding medieval streets of Valletta and Rabat, pointing out essential bars and restaurants from Michelin-starred Noni to the Monaliza Lounge drag bar, as well as the nightclub Michelangelo in lively Paceville,” Emms wrote.

“Stay nearby at Number 11, a stylish ‘adults-only’ boutique hotel. Pride runs a full week, and EuroPride comes to Valletta next year from 7th to 17th September, while for one-off LGBTQ+ parties follow s2sEvents on Facebook,” he concluded.

Other destinations that made The Guardian’s list include Madrid, Helsinki, Glasgow, Dublin, and Milan.