Telegraph Travel came up with a definitive list of top 20 Mediterranean island summer holidays across ten categories, namely the best for beaches, luxury, families, culture, romance, partying, value, water sports and sailing, peace and quiet, and walking – each of which is followed by a runner-up.

Malta came out as the winner of the Best for Value category, with the article listing the main holiday attractions that might suggest otherwise to first-time visitors to the island:

“With 300 days of sunshine a year, some of the Med’s clearest waters and the greatest density of historic sights of any nation, you’d think Malta might be expensive. Not so.”

The article goes on to present reasons why the island of Malta makes for a truly affordable Mediterranean break. With accommodation in Malta described as being of excellent value, car hire on the cheaper side of the spectrum, and eating out “a bargain”, a Mediterranean holiday in the Maltese Islands is as reasonable as it can get.

More examples follow. A bus day pass costs just over £1, and covers routes across pretty much of the whole of the two larger islands. This means that holidaymakers can plan their itinerary by public transport, without the need to incur higher-value private car hire or taxi services.

The £3.50 return fare for the ferry trip to Gozo is also given the thumbs up, with Malta’s sister island offering plenty more historical and beach attractions. What’s more, the airline companies which operate direct low-cost and charter flights to Malta’s national airport in Luqa are several, keeping flight fares competitively affordable all year round.

Along with 19 other island destinations, Malta is seen to provide the perfect Mediterranean summer escape from life on the mainland. Combining a rich heritage, stunning coastline gems and a vibrant local culture, this tiny Mediterranean island has got everything to offer, with value for money to boot.