Europe’s capital city that’s so far south it’s below 2 African capitals

A beautiful European island is home to a capital city that takes just three hours to get to by plane from the UK – but is actually situated below two capitals in Africa.

Located on the island of Malta, Valletta holds the title of one of the southernmost capital cities in Europe.

Enriched in history, Valletta is bursting with beautiful architecture and iconic landmarks. The incredible capital is a UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the three sites in Malta.

Despite being one of Europe’s smallest cities, the capital is packed full of Baroque style buildings dating back to the 16th century, boasting 31 churches in the metropolis alone.

Flanked between two natural harbours, Valletta has a small population of just over 5,000 residents. In spite of this, the city is a commerical centre and key place of work for thousands of Maltese working in government, finance and tourism.

The geographical placement of the city means it’s below two major African capitals: Tunis, Tunisia and Algiers, Algeria. These are two of the most northern cities on the continent.

The fastest direct flight time to Tunis from London takes less than three hours and the average flight time to Algiers is just a short two hours and 30 minutes. This makes the journey to Africa shorter than that of Malta’s capital.

On the opposite side to Europe, Iceland hosts not only the most northern capital city on the continent, but in the entire world too. Reykjavik boasts a vibrant art scene and mountainous backdrops, making it a popular city break for tourists.

With a sparse population density and many uninhabited areas, the city has a population of around 123,000 people.

Going over to western Europe, the city that holds the crown for being the most western capital city, according to NCESC, is Lisbon in Portugal.

A popular holiday destination for tourists, the city is home to some of the best beaches in Europe with spectacular views.

Over in eastern Europe, Moscow in Russia is the furthest capital. The city is the largest and most populated in Russia, with a population estimated to be over 13 million.