Valletta

Set at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Valletta is one of the best preserved fortified cities in the world and one of the architectural showpieces of Europe.

Shady atmospheric alleyways link grand squares, and glorious baroque palazzi sit alongside bars and shop fronts that have hardly changed in over a century in Malta's UNESCO World Heritage capital city.

Valletta occupies a promontory, is enclosed by mighty bastions and curtain walls, and boasts magnificent sea views. You'll need good walking shoes and sturdy legs to explore, as there are hundreds of steps and the only real way to get around Valletta is on foot.

As cities go, Valletta is tiny. It measures less than 1 sq km (0.4 sq miles) and you can walk across its widest point in less than 20 minutes. In contrast to the tiny metropolis, Valletta's Grand Harbour, home to the British Navy until 1979, is the biggest and arguably the most impressive harbour in all the Mediterranean.