Until it earned its independence in 1964, the island of Malta had been conquered by nearly all of its neighbors, from the Carthaginians to the Romans to the Saracens. Today, the 122-square-mile country between Sicily and Libya is being invaded by Hollywood directors, who use it as a double for 1960's Beirut, 19th-century Genoa, and ancient Troy at a fraction of the cost of other European resorts. Film stars (like Brad Pitt, who recently played Achilles here), location scouts, and everyday travelers take advantage of very un-Hollywood prices in Valletta, the fortified capital city, which sits on the sandy north coast, and Mdina, the old medieval capital, nicknamed the Silent City for its traffic-free streets and tiny population (377). Both are best explored on foot, allowing you to slip into the slow rhythm of the place that seems to sit on the edge of the world. —Andrea Bennett
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Set Sail To Famous 'Game of Thrones' Filming Locations On This Fantastic Cruise
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Queen Elizabeth's Former Villa in Malta Is for Sale
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How Malta Became the Mediterranean's Latest Hot Spot
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A Look Inside MSC Seaview, the Brand New Luxury Megaship from Europe’s Favorite Cruise Line
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7 of the World's Most Beautiful Red Sand Beaches
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The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2018
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Malta's Azure Window May Be Underwater, but You Can Still Visit It
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Angry Tourists Leave One-star Reviews for Attraction That No Longer Exists
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These are the most LGBTQ-friendly countries in Europe
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A Cherished Natural Wonder Has Collapsed Into the Sea
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Travel to These 'Game of Thrones' Filming Locations is About to Skyrocket
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19 Abandoned Movie Sets You Can Still Visit
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The World’s Friendliest Islands 2015
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Model Behavior: 12 SI Swimsuit Cover Locales You’ll Want to Visit, Too
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