Not to be judgmental here, but it all comes down to what you're looking for. By "old town in the middle of the country" I believe you mean M'dina. What about La Valetta, which is on the shore, and the three citties accross the bay? If you're looking for history and AMAZING architecture of the past, Malta is *the* way to go. No walks in the woods though... But some nice Mediterrannean climate and culture can make up for it