READERS WRITE

The walled city of Mdina was once the capital of Malta and is the first of its fortified cities. I was travelling alone and, sick of the tourist traps, I hired a four-wheel drive and set out to find something different. I wasn't disappointed. Mdina is gorgeous and ethereal.

The Phoenicians were the first to build a protective wall around the city settlement on a crag overlooking almost the entire island of Malta and you can feel that level of protection and seclusion to this day. You walk over a moat and through a grand gate into what feels like a whole different world, where everything is enclosed and enveloped and secret. Pedestrian only, Mdina is picturesque with narrow streets and paths that wind around each other and break out into tiny squares and secluded piazzas. There are hidden courtyards and maze-like dead ends.

The saying in Mdina is that you can only see as far as one can shoot an arrow. Mdina wasn't given the name 'The silent city' for nothing - I didn't see or hear a soul and it was so beautiful. I spent the afternoon sitting on top of the east wall with magnificent views over Malta, soaking up the atmosphere of the silent passages, joined only by a rather beautiful and sleepy cat, who lounged in the sun beside me. I have never felt so peaceful and so stolen away from the hustle and bustle of the 21st century.

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