Whether or not you've ever been to Malta, you're probably more familiar with its dramatic coastline, sun-drenched landscape and labyrinthine limestone cities than you know. Was it only CGI magic that had made this Mediterranean archipelago, encompassing the isles of Malta, Gozo and Comino, seem such a vibrant destination? Across the Grand Harbour, Fort St. Angelo's imposing walls shone like bullion bricks, while red-domed churches punctuated the skyline of the "three cities" (Cospicua, Senglea and Vittoriosa) behind it. Brightly painted dghajsas - boats shaped like gondolas but freed from their funereal black lacquer - plied the waters in the shadow of a cruise ship. Tourists come here for the hiking, cycling and scuba diving, and virtually no one leaves without taking a gander at the Azure Window, an impressive natural stone arch that frames a stunning view of the sea. [...] it boasts a big draw - the Blue Lagoon, a scenic cove where the water is surreally teal on an incandescent day. Bathed in luminous Mediterranean light, the islands appeared even more beautiful in real life than in "reel" life - something you can't say for most celluloid sirens. Seemingly every surface is covered in gold, silver or marble, and the cathedral also houses "The Beheading of St. John the Baptist" and "St. Jerome Writing" - two of the most famous paintings by Caravaggio, who was inducted into the order for his troubles.
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