During the2025 Readers’ Choice Awards ,Valletta , Malta’s small and charming capital, was named Europe’s best city. With just 6,000 inhabitants, it is one of the smallest capitals, but despite its small size, it is a concentration of history, art, architecture, and Mediterranean culture. Its streets, bastions, and sea views tell the story of centuries of battles, trade, and rebirth.

Below are 10 reasons why it’s definitely worth a visit.

Why Valletta is the best city in Europe

Valletta has been named Europe’s best city for a variety of reasons, including beauty, history, and quality of life. Here are ten interesting facts about the splendid Maltese capital.

1. A masterpiece of urban planning: Founded in 1566, Valletta began as a fully planned city, designed with great precision after the Ottoman siege. The Knights of Malta sought to create an impregnable fortress, and in just a few decades, they created a true Renaissance urban jewel: perfectly straight streets, bastions arranged with military logic, and ventilation corridors designed to mitigate the summer heat;

2. The name: it is dedicated toJean Parisot de La Valette , Grand Master of the Order of Malta, who in 1565 successfully repelled the Ottoman invasion, saving the island from an uncertain fate;

3. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Since 1980, the city has been recognized as one of the best-preserved Baroque cityscapes in Europe, a true open-air museum;

4. It houses aCaravaggio : the Co-Cathedral of St. John houses one of the painter’s masterpieces, The Beheading of St. John the Baptist (1608), the only work signed by the artist;

5. The smallest capital in the EU: with just 6,000 inhabitants, Valletta is the smallest capital in the European Union, but it offers a unique concentration of attractions: a twenty-minute walk will take you past charming palaces, churches, parks, museums, and fortresses;

6. The port: the natural port ofValletta is among the most beautiful and ancient in Europe, a crossroads of trade, ships and cultures for centuries;

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7. World War II: the city was heavily bombed and almost destroyed, but was able to rise from the rubble, becoming a symbol of resilience and national pride.

8. European Capital of Culture: In 2018, it was the European Capital of Culture. Today, it hosts dozens of events every year, from the Valletta Film Festival to the Baroque Music Festival, to art exhibitions in the bastions and restored casemates;

9. Sunrise over the Three Cities: From the UpperBarrakka Gardens , you can admire one of the most evocative views of the Mediterranean. From here, you can watch the sunrise illuminate Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua, accompanied every day by the salute of the historic cannons that echo at midday.

10. A city without skyscrapers: Valletta is deliberately built low to maintain harmony with the fortress walls, preserving its architectural identity and the visual balance of its unique skyline.

Checkout the complete ranking below;

Below is the full ranking of the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards for the best cities in Europe.

20) Prague
19) Budapest
18) Venice
17) Porto
16) Reykjavik
15) Marseille 14
) Paris
13) Rome
12) Athens
11) Florence
10) Palma
9) San Sebastian
8) Stockholm
7) Lisbon
6) Munich
5) Madrid
4) Copenhagen
3) Vienna
2) Oslo
1) Valletta