Malta is the 10th smallest country in the world. Look on a map. Its a dot compared to nearby Sicily. You can drive around various points in the entire country in less than an hour. One of my favorite places I went to in Malta, on a recent trip, was the city of Mdina. If you like medieval fairytale Europe, then you will love Mdina.
The city is fortified and perched on a hill. As we approached it by car, I was in awe. This picture does not capture the beauty and amazement of the city.
Parking was easy as there is a lot just outside the walled main gate.
Once inside, you will be delighted with ancient and medieval limestone architecture. It felt like living in a castle! Here was the museum with the Maltese cross on the ground just inside the gates.
Another cool thing about the city are the narrow alleyways and streets.
…and the colorful doorways that stick out from the limestone color of everything else.
One of the best parts of the city is Archbishop Square with the cathedral.
You can also get some nice views of the land down below from certain areas of the city:
As for food, our hotel recommended a pizza place called Coogi’s Pizzeria (there is also a Coogi’s Restaurant and Tea Garden so make sure you go to the right one) and it did not disappoint. The crust and toppings were delicious. My favorite was the Napoletana and the one with Maltese sausage.
We went here twice because it was that magical, and a couple of hours there each time. You could probably spend the whole day and there was a nice hotel there too if you want to spend the night. Its called Xara Palace and is a Relais and Chateau property and also had a Michelin starred restaurant. We wanted to eat there but was closed on the day we went and during the afternoon (one thing you should note about Malta is that many restaurants will close between lunch and dinner).