Malta

THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA developed an impressive skill at fortified city-building. The experience of entering the harbor by ship, greeted by massive, yet beautifully intricate, fortifications is a spectacle in and of itself. Then, cities like Mdina, Victoria, and of course Valetta are themselves master classes in classical architecture and town planning. Colorful doorways, religious iconography, and balconies, all come together to create a magical walk around stone-paved neighborhoods.