Mdina

Malta's ancient walled hilltop capital, known as the Silent City, sits at the geographic center of the island on a limestone ridge and served as the island's primary settlement from the Roman period until the Knights moved the capital to Valletta in the 16th century. The narrow baroque streets and medieval palaces are largely residential and almost entirely car-free, giving Mdina an atmosphere of preserved stillness unusual among European historic centers. The bastions offer a 360-degree panorama across the island to the sea on three sides.