Malta's capital, Valletta, has taken first place in the 2025 Readers' Choice Awards, beating out tourism giants Paris, Athens and Lisbon.
The city was named the most beautiful capital in the world by Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
More than 182,000 magazine readers voted and rated the city's culture, cuisine and hospitality highly.
Valletta scored 97.33 out of 100. The city, less than one square kilometer in area, is a veritable open-air museum of Baroque palaces, ancient fortifications, churches, and narrow streets. Founded in the 16th century by the Knights of Malta, Valletta has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.