Mdina

Mdina, Malta's ancient hilltop capital (replaced by Valletta in the 16th century), is one of the best-preserved medieval walled cities in the world and one of the most hauntingly beautiful. Inhabited today by just 300 residents, it is known as the "Silent City" — a perfectly preserved medieval and Baroque settlement of palaces, churches and honey-coloured limestone lanes where the only sounds are bells and distant sea breezes. The approach to Mdina through the imposing Baroque Main Gate, the Vilhena Gate or the Greeks' Gate gives way to streets of extraordinary architectural quality — limestone palaces, aristocratic residences and the magnificent St Paul's Cathedral (with its remarkable carved facade and frescoed interior by Mattia Preti). The Cathedral Museum holds important Baroque paintings and Dürer woodblock prints. The Palazzo Vilhena houses the Natural History Museum. Walking the 900-metre circuit of Mdina's walls at dusk, with views over the flat Maltese landscape to the sea in every direction, is one of the Mediterranean's great urban experiences. The Bastion Square café terrace commands perhaps the finest panoramic view on the island. The Roman Domus (a Roman townhouse beneath a later building) and the Catacombs of St Paul outside the walls are excellent. Mdina is a day-trip from Valletta (30 minutes by bus) but also has a handful of excellent accommodation options inside the walls for those who want the extraordinary experience of staying overnight in the silent city.