Valletta, Malta

Valletta, the capital of Malta, is the smallest capital city in the EU (population 5,800 within the historic walls) and one of the most historically dense per square meter of any city in Europe. Built by the Knights of St. John in 1566 after the Great Siege of Malta, the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — not selected landmarks within a city, but the entire city. The Grandmaster Palace, St. John Co-Cathedral (containing Caravaggio The Beheading of Saint John — his largest and most accomplished work), and the fortifications overlooking the Grand Harbour are among the most impressive historical sites in the Mediterranean. Malta practical advantages: English is an official language (the only EU country other than Ireland where English is official), driving is on the left, and the food reflects Arabic, Sicilian, and British influences that are specific to the island.