On May 31, the itinerary for the fourth day: Valletta - Blue Lagoon - Dingli Cliffs - Mdina Ancient City (9:00-17:00).
Morning: Head to the Blue Lagoon, one of Malta's three blues. Many tourists are swimming and playing here. It is recommended to try the almost individual pineapple juice, only 8 euros!
Afternoon: Go to Dingli Cliffs. The weathered stones, wild succulents, and little snails here all evoke a sense of the power of nature. The desolation contrasts sharply with the prosperity of the city. After that, head to the "Silent City" Mdina, and look for the old city gate that appears multiple times in Game of Thrones! Strolling between the old city walls is the best way to experience Mdina. Visit the Mosta Dome and listen to the guide narrate the story of the "Miracle of Malta." Return to the hotel in the evening.
That day, we set off from the hotel after breakfast, heading to the Malta dock to take a boat to see the Blue Lagoon.
Malta is famous for its three natural landscapes: the Blue Window, Blue Lagoon, and Blue Grotto.
The Blue Window on Gozo Island has become a relic, while Comino Island has the most beautiful bay - the Blue Lagoon, with its clear blue waters and fine white sand. Tourists from various countries crowd the hillsides, beaches, and waters, enjoying the generous gifts of nature.
This small island between Valletta and Gozo is the third inhabited island in Malta.
The guide introduced that Comino Island is governed by Gozo Island. There are only two indigenous residents on the island, now aged 84 and 73, down from eight. It is known as the "Little Maldives."
It is the filming location for the movies "Troy" and "The Count of Monte Cristo."
There used to be a priest and a police officer stationed here, but they have all left. During the peak season, two traffic police are on duty on the island every day.
Our small yacht took fifteen minutes to reach here.
On the way to the small boat, we unexpectedly found the sea view here particularly beautiful, with rocky caves, many private yachts, and water entertainment activities.
Upon arriving at the shore, we were surprised to find that the area of the sea surface is not large, but there are many European and American tourists coming here to swim.
The dense crowd coming to this small island to swim was something we did not expect, and another surprise was that there was not a single place to cool off.
The weather was too hot, so I quickly found a cool place to rest.
After returning from the small island to Malta, we headed to the ancient city of Mdina.
The guide introduced that Mdina was once a Spanish fief, and there are still 92 noble descendants in the ancient city. The ancient city mainly consists of Renaissance houses from the 13th, 18th, and 19th centuries, covering an area of only 0.9 square kilometers.
This is the filming location for "Game of Thrones," "Gladiator," and the Baijiu Mountain advertisement.
It is a niche internet celebrity tourist attraction in Malta, and many European and American tourists like to come here.
In the ancient city, there is a five-star hotel converted from a building built in 1530, costing 700 euros per night.
Mdina is located in the central part of Malta, and it is an older city than Valletta, known as the "Noble City."
Before the arrival of the Knights of Malta, it was the capital of Malta. It is also translated as "Medina," which means "fortress" in Arabic.
The city is situated on top of a hill in central Malta, with cliffs to the east and north.
Mdina is also known as the "Silent City," and it is one of the few remaining medieval and Renaissance castles in Europe.
For many years, Mdina could only be explored on foot, as its narrow streets are not suitable for vehicles.
Mdina, which became popular due to "Game of Thrones," is referred to as Malta's "Silent City."
The history here is said to date back over 4000 years, but most of the buildings in the city, as well as the city walls built around 400 AD, were destroyed in the great earthquake of 1693 and were rebuilt again. The city is filled with medieval and Baroque-style architecture and has been tentatively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Although Mdina has been tentatively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has not been officially listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Mdina is internationally recognized for its rich historical and cultural value, and its architectural styles range from medieval to Baroque, as well as its status as an important historical and cultural city in Malta, making it an important candidate for cultural heritage sites.
However, to become a World Cultural Heritage Site, a location must meet the standards set by UNESCO and go through a rigorous evaluation and recognition process. Although Mdina has the potential to become a World Cultural Heritage Site.
The small city covers only 0.9 square kilometers, and the alleys are narrow enough to accommodate only one horse-drawn carriage. But every step in the city reveals a scene, with ancient iron window balconies above, stubborn red flowers below, colorful domed iron gates when turning around, and a wide expanse of blue sea and sky in the distance.
Even a casual glance out of a small shop window seems to penetrate thousands of years of history, as if it were a door to another world, and the next moment, opening it would reveal medieval knights riding by.
In the ancient city of Mdina, there is a famous gate that appeared in "Game of Thrones." Standing at the entrance, one can almost feel the presence of the characters that appeared in the TV series.
A Baijiu Mountain advertisement familiar to Chinese people was also filmed here.
This Baijiu Mountain advertisement tells a story of classical European romance and the mineral water of nobility.
Although most people do not understand this advertisement, they know it is a Baijiu Mountain advertisement, and they did not expect that we Chinese would also come to this ancient castle to play.
As soon as I entered the ancient city of Mdina, I was attracted by the magnificent St. Paul's Cathedral. This cathedral has a long history, and every stone seems to tell an ancient story.
We took a horse-drawn carriage through the narrow alleys of the ancient city, where many beautiful scenes await your discovery. Wandering through these narrow alleys feels like traveling to another era.
According to the guide, there is a popular café run by descendants of a fallen noble family.
A few of us went to the internet celebrity café to have a cup of coffee.
I stood on the second-floor terrace, enjoying the view of the island and overlooking the streets of the ancient city.
The café is quite spacious, but there is still a queue for seating. An American coffee costs only two euros, and the most famous dessert here is the Black Forest cake.
After having enough fun and resting, we left the ancient city and then went to Dingli Cliffs.
Dingli Cliffs, located on the west coast of Malta, are about 5 kilometers long and 250 meters high, making it the highest point in Malta, showcasing the deep blue of the Mediterranean.
Standing high and looking far, the sea and sky blend into one!
You can stroll along the cliffs and feel the spectacular sea view; you can also watch the sunset as the evening glow spills over the sea, with different light refracting different glows, attracting you to press the shutter hundreds of times every minute.
This is truly a place for shooting stunning landscape photos.
On the way back to the hotel, it was still early, so we stopped by the Cathedral of the Assumption for a visit.
Here, there is a circular dome similar to the Pantheon in Rome and unexploded bombs dropped by American planes during World War II.
This is the center of religious activities in Malta.
At the bar next to the church, we tasted local specialties of lemon liqueur and cactus fruit wine for free; it was too sweet, and some of my companions bought two bottles.
This was yet another perfect day.
（To be continued）