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Valletta, the fortified capital built by the Knights of St John after the Great Siege of 1565, climbs a peninsula between two harbours, its grid of streets holding St John's Co-Cathedral and its Caravaggio painting, and the Upper Barrakka Gardens above the Grand Harbour. Across the water, the Three Cities of Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua (Bormla) wear their fortifications.

Mdina, the old capital, is a walled hilltop city of quiet lanes, and Mellieħa in the north has a sandy bay and the Red Tower. Prehistoric temples such as Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra pre-date the pyramids, and the Blue Grotto is a sea cave near the south coast. Gozo, reached by ferry to Mġarr, is a greener, slower island with the Citadel in Victoria and the Ġgantija temples.

Pastizzi, flaky pastries filled with ricotta or peas, are the street snack, and fenkata, a rabbit feast, and ftira, a ring of local bread with tomatoes, tuna and olives, are island favourites. Maltese, a Semitic language written in Latin letters, is spoken beside English. Village festas fill the summer with bands and fireworks, and winters are mild.