While UNESCO approval of seven proposed World Heritage sites in Malta is still pending, their worth is certainly not negated by bureaucratic delays. In fact, their absence from the official list means that they have been kept just outside the UNESCO spotlight and perhaps a little farther off the tourist trail than the three recognised attractions. Here are the additional sites that Malta thinks deserve an equal shot at UNESCO protection and a place in the sun.

Albania might not come to mind as a destination for amazing ruins and cultural heritage, especially in the shadow of an archaeological giant like Greece, its neighbour to the south. Yet ancient civilisations have left their fascinating marks throughout the Balkan peninsula, including Albania. In fact, all of Albania’s three UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites exhibit grand-scale traits to rival any of their Balkan neighbours.