Verdala Palace

A fortified summer palace built for a Grand Master in the late 16th century, set on a wooded ridge above the Buskett gardens outside Rabat. Designed with corner towers and a defensive moat, it blends the look of a Renaissance villa with a small castle. It has served as a country retreat for governors and presidents and is today an official residence of the President of Malta, opened to the public only on occasion. The surrounding Buskett woodland, one of the largest on the islands, makes a shaded contrast to Malta's open countryside.