Valletta, Malta

A World of UNESCO Wonders

The Lilliputian capital of Malta, Valletta is one of the most concentrated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. But despite its small size (less than half a square mile!), we think you’ll be wishing you had more time to see everything the city has to offer.

Head for Triq ir-Republika for shops, cafés, and bakeries serving up can’t-miss treats like pastizzi (filo pastry with ricotta) and ftira, a savory flatbread. There’s plenty to see on the cobblestone side streets, too, like St. John’s Co-Cathedral, where an austere outside hides stunning frescoes and “the most beautiful floor in the world” inside.

And if you get the feeling that you’re being watched while you’re wandering, look up. Thousands of colorful, covered balconies cling to the sides of the buildings and are the perfect spot for curious locals to watch the comings and goings of the city below.

Given Valetta’s remote location it would have been easy for Old Man Time to simply forget about it. But thanks to cutting-edge, contemporary architecture like the new City Gate and Parliament Building (both designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano) the old city now exists seamlessly with the new.