Lying on a peninsula on the northern coast of Malta, its capital Valetta impresses with its massive fortifications and beautiful Baroque architecture. It is small enough to be explored on foot, from the town gate with the bus station to Fort St. Elmo at the tip of the peninsula. It’s a maze of mostly narrow streets lined with ochre-coloured houses with typical Maltese balconies and shutters, small gardens tended with loving care, churches and shops. Valetta was erected and fortified by the Knights of the Order of St. John, and vestiges of its glorious past can be seen everywhere. Particularly impressive are St. John’s Cathedral and the former Palace of the order’s Grand Master. Valetta is a UNESCO World Heritage site.