Malta

The fortified capital that the knights founded from scratch in 1566. The entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — walking down the street you're simultaneously inside a museum. Lemon-yellow limestone buildings, wooden balconies, narrow side streets along Republic Street. A surprise for those traveling from Türkiye: a church on every corner, history in every second building. It is one and a half kilometers long, you can walk from start to finish, but you will understand it in 3 days.

From the outside, it looks like a plain stone church — the moment you walk in, your jaw drops. The pinnacle of baroque decoration: gilding, 400 knights' tombs on the marble mosaic floor, Mattia Preti frescoes on the ceiling. But the real deal is in the Cripta: Caravaggio's greatest painting, 'The Decapitation of St. John', is here - the only work that the artist signed, and it is signed in the blood of the victim. A painting that changed the history of art, most people from Türkiye do not know that it is here.

A small garden on the city walls, at the highest point of Valletta. The view overlooking the Three Cities and the Grand Harbor is Malta's best-known scene. Every day at 12 noon and 4 pm, salutes are fired from the cannon battery below — a tradition dating back to the 17th century. You can go down to the port by elevator, it costs 1 Euro.

The former capital of Malta is a walled medieval city — only 300 people live in it. It's full of tourists during the day, but the real magic starts after 6pm. When the tourists leave, Mdina feels like a dead city — you hear the echo of your own footsteps in the narrow stone streets. Street lights are on, cats are walking around, and the sound of forks can be heard from occasional restaurants. King's Landing shooting of the first season of 'Game of Thrones' was done here. You should go out and walk around Mdina at night, not during the day.

Sister island to the north of Malta — quieter, greener, more rural. It's a 25-minute ferry ride from Chirkewwa. In its capital, Victoria, there is the Citadella: a fortified castle built on a hill, overlooking the whole of Gozo. Among the beaches, Ramla Bay is legendary for its red sand. The cave where Calypso is said to have kept Odysseus here for seven years is right above. The Azure Window collapsed in 2017, but Dwejra Bay can still be visited, a favorite with divers.

This place is incredible: megalithic temples dating back to 3600 BC. In other words, it is a THOUSAND YEARS older than the Egyptian pyramids and older than Stonehenge. Huge limestone blocks are arranged without any metal tools. UNESCO World Heritage. In the Mnajdra temple, on certain days, the sun hits the altar stone exactly — neolithic people knew astronomy. Situated on a high slope overlooking the sea, when visiting you wonder why they came here 6 thousand years ago.

St. Chef Marvin Gauci's Mediterranean fine dining venue in Paul's Bay. Permanent on the list of Malta's best restaurants — combining local produce with French technique. The tasting menu consists of 6-8 plates, each plate is a different story. Seasonal vegetables, fresh seafood, local cheeses. It's far from the city center but worth going.

Legendary 24-hour pastizzi spot in Rabat, just outside Mdina. Hot pastizz on the counter, 50 cents each - you'll fill up for 2 Euros. Local taxi drivers, workers, and those who go out late are here. No chic, plastic chairs, but pastizz might be the best in Malta. Take a break before or after visiting Mdina.

Romantic, stone-vaulted restaurant carved into the walls of Valletta. You eat in your garden in the summer and under the 400-year-old vault in the winter. Modern Maltese cuisine — rabbit stew, octopus, fish curry. The well-known address for anniversaries, marriage proposals and special evenings. Reservations are required, at least 2 weeks in advance on weekends.

Bakery and restaurant in the center of Valletta. Malta's national dish, 'ftira', is done right here — tuna, capers, tomatoes, olives, garlic, stuffed into flat bread baked in a stone oven. When you eat one, you feel full for two days. Although 'Pastizz' (dough filled with cheese or peas) is available in many spots, what Nenu does is on a different level. The ground floor of the place is full of historical stone ovens.

Island handicraft center in the village of Ta' Dbiegi on the island of Gozo. Gozo lace (bobbin lace) is world famous — old women weave it on the loom in real time. Local olive oil, honey, gbejna cheese, krista jewelry. Compared to the main island of Malta, prices are more reasonable and products are more authentic.

Valletta's main pedestrian street runs from City Gate to St. It extends all the way to Castle Elmo. International brands, local boutiques, jewelers, bookstores. Local products that the Maltese use for souvenirs — silver filigree jewellery, lace, honey, items with Maltese cross motifs. Many shops are closed on Sunday, so plan accordingly.

A handicraft village built in the middle of the island, in the old military airport hangars. Glass blowers (Mdina Glass is a well-known brand), silver filigree masters, lace looms, ceramic workshops. You can see the production process live and buy directly from the master — friendlier and cheaper than the tourist shop.

Modern shopping center in Sliema-Tigne Point. Zara, H&M, Mango, Sephora, electronic brands — rainy day shelter. Restaurant floor and cinema upstairs. 5 minutes by boat from Valletta, right at the beginning of the Sliema coastal walk.