Valletta, Malta

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Valletta is a diminutive city packed with history. Sailing into the harbor is an experience in itself, as the dome and spire of competing churches rise above the cluster of limestone façades and formidable ramparts. Built by the Knights of St. John in the 16th century, Valletta is architecturally Baroque in character, with Mannerist, neoclassical and modern elements as well. It’s easy to navigate the city on foot and take in sights such as the City Gate, National Museum of Archaeology, Grand Master’s Palace and St. John's Co-Cathedral, which houses the famous Caravaggio painting The Beheading of St. John. Gardens are plenty, including the Upper Barrakka, which offer panoramic views. In the Maltese countryside, megalithic temples reveal the island’s prehistoric past, and the surrounding waters are also worth exploring, particularly the gorgeous sea caverns of the Blue Grotto.