Valletta is the capital city of Malta and one of the most beautiful and unique cities I’ve ever seen. When visiting the island of Malta you can’t miss coming to Valletta even if you’re not staying at the capital. I’m happy to tell you about 10 great things to see and do in Valletta.
The locals call it Il-Belt. You will see road signs with this name so don’t get confused, they’re leading you to Valletta. Valletta got its name after its founder – Jean Parisot de la Vallette, who was the respected Grand Master of the Order of Saint John.
Valletta is one of the smallest European capitals with a population of around 6,500 inhabitants. Still, it is a city with so many things to see. Valletta was built like a fort with walls surrounding its perimeters by the Knights of Malta. The capital of Malta is also a commercial and political center of the island. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980 and it was the European Capital of Culture in 2018. Now that we got to know the city a bit, let me tell you about 10 great things to see and do in Valletta.
City gate
The first one on the list of the 10 great things to see and do in Valletta is the City gate.
There are more than one entrance to Valletta but if you’re coming with a bus from any part of the island the first thing you’ll see is Valletta City gate. The present gate, which is the fifth one on the site, was built between 2011 and 2014. The designer is the Italian architect Renzo Piano. When you enter Valletta you’ll see some old and some new buildings, all of them made of beige Maltese rock. It’s truly a unique thing to see on the island. Close to the entrance you’ll see the Parliament building and an open air Royal Opera house. You can’t miss these two buildings. The first one was built recently (2011) and the second one was built at the end of the 19th century.
Republic Street
Republic street is the street that leads from City gate to the sea front. When you enter Valletta you are in Republic street. In this street there are so many things to see and admire. Like I already mentioned the first things you’ll see are The Parliament building and the Royal Opera house. Republic street is about 1 km long and it’s mostly a pedestrian zone.
When you continue going down Republic street you’ll also see Palazzo Ferreira (you can’t miss those gorgeous green balconies), Archaeology Museum, Saint John’s square, the Courts of Justice, Republic square, Grandmaster’s Palace, Casa Rocca Piccola. All these beautiful buildings are located in one street. Beside the buildings what may interest you are the shops along this street.
Expect this street to be busy almost at all times. What I can suggest is if you’re only coming for a walk is to come in the afternoon. At this time you won’t find that many people as during the day or evenings.
Merchant street
Merchant street in Valletta is parallel to Republic street. As in Republic street you can find shops and lots of small cafes and restaurants here. Merchant street in Valletta was once a place where you could come to a market and find everything you needed. On some days if you come in the morning you’ll also be able to visit a small market which offers lots of different things. This street is perfect for an afternoon stroll, a cup of coffee and an ice cream.
Upper Barrakka Gardens
One of the most beautiful views in Malta is from Upper Barrakka gardens. From here you can see a part of Valletta (the Grand Harbour), Sliema and The Three Cities.
Upper Barrakka gardens is a public garden, which means you can enter it free of charge. The gardens were originally used for recreation of the knights of the Italian league of the Order of Saint John. They were opened to the public following the end of the French occupation of Malta in 1800.
The gardens are located on the upper tier of St Peter and Paul bastion which was built in the 1560s. The bastion’s lower tier contains the Saluting Battery. Saluting Battery is one of the coolest things you can see in Malta. The battery is open daily and you can take a guided tour. Gun salutes are fired every day at noon and 4 pm. Cruise liners visiting the Grand Harbour can also commission six-gun salutes. If you happen to be here at noon or later in the afternoon don’t miss out on this!
Lower Barrakka Gardens
Lower Barrakka Gardens is also a public garden in the capital city of Malta. They are smaller than Upper Barrakka Gardens and offer a view of the Grand Harbour and the breakwater.
Saint John’s Co-Cathedral
Saint John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta is a Roman-Catholic Co-Cathedral, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It was built by the Order of St John between 1572 and 1577. The interior is a work of art by Mattia Preti, the Calabrian artist and knight. It is one of the finest examples of high Baroque architecture in Europe.
The most interesting thing you can see inside the Saint John’s Co-Cathedral is the famous painting by Caravaggio The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. I was inside and saw it and I can tell you that this work of art is worth a visit to St John’s Co-Cathedral.
The main entrance of the cathedral is inSt John’s Square, but the visitors’ entrance is from Great Siege Square in Republic Street.
The cathedral is open to the public from Mondays to Fridays between 10:30 and 14:30 (last admission is at 14:00), and on Saturdays between 09:30 and 12:30 (last admission is at 12:00). It is closed on Sundays and public holidays. The entrance fee is €15 for adults, €7.50 for students or senior citizens, while children under the age of 12 can enter free of charge when accompanied by an adult. This fee also includes audio guides available in Maltese, English, Italian, German, French, Russian.
Manoel Theatre
One of the 10 amazing things to see and do in Valletta, Malta is definitely Manoel Theatre.
Manoel Theatre got its name after Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller, Fra Antonio Manoel de Vilhena who ordered its construction in 1731. The theatre is the third-oldest in Europe. You can find it in the Old Theatre Street in Valletta. It is a small venue with 623 seats. The inside has an oval-shaped auditorium, three tiers of boxes constructed entirely of wood, decorated with gold leaf, and a pale blue trompe-l’oeil ceiling that resembles a round cupola. Trompe-l’oeil is an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects exist in three dimensions. Manoel theatre has a very luxurious vibe. Despite numerous alterations over the years, it retains many of its old architectural features, such as the white Carrara marble staircase, shell-shaped niches, and Viennese chandeliers.
I recommend visiting the theatre when in Valletta. Its interior will impress you and you will feel like you’ve been transported to a different time.
I also suggest booking your guided tour online at the official website which you can find by clicking here.
There are tours from Monday to Thursday (5 times a day) and the maximum number of people is 10. The price for visiting Manoel Theatre is 5 euro per person.
Grandmaster’s Palace
Grandmaster’s Palace was built between the 16th and 18th century. It was the palace of the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John who ruled Malta. It eventually became the Governor’s Palace and it currently houses the Office of the President of Malta. Parts of the building, namely the Palace State Rooms and the Palace Armoury, are open to the public as a museum.
Grandmaster’s Palace is located in the center of Valletta, in the Republic street and it looks onto Saint George’s square.
When you go inside through the gate you’ll pass through the courtyard which will lead you inside the Palace. The Interior of the place is very impressive. It takes some time to see it all, but I think it’s worth it.
Don’t miss the Armoury while you’re there! The armoury includes many suits of armour, cannons, firearms, swords, and other weapons.
Casa Rocca Picola
Casa Rocca Piccola is a 16th century palace of a Maltese noble family. It is still a private home but tourist groups are welcome. You’ll find Casa Rocca Piccola in the Republic street close to Grandmaster’s Palace. What’s interesting is that beside a usual tour you can take a private tour guided usually by Marquis and Marchioness de Piro followed by refreshments. How cool is that? Another very cool thing is that there are a few rooms in the house that you can actually stay in. The Palace has 50 rooms and most of them are open to the public. This place is completely amazing (you can see more info on the official website and you will see why it’s on my list of 10 great things to see and do in Malta.
Cafe Cordina
The last but not the least of my 10 great things to see and do in Valletta, Malta is a visit to Cafe Cordina. Cafe Cordina is close to the Republic square in Valletta.
Here you can enjoy a meal, but what I recommend is trying some of their desserts and having a cup of coffee. It’s one of the prettiest places to sit and watch people passing by. Cafe Cordina is located in an old palace and that’s why it’s not a usual coffee shop, it’s a piece of art. Inside, the beautiful decor is highlighted by the unique vaulted ceiling which is embellished with paintings by the renowned Maltese painter Giuseppe Cali. Since it’s a very busy spot it can happen that you’ll wait some time for your order, but relax and enjoy your afternoon in the beautiful Valletta.
If you already visited the capital of Malta let me know what do you think about my list of 10 great things to see and do in Valletta.
If you want to know what are those things you need to visit while on the island of Malta click HERE!
Another thing that may be helpful if you’re planning to visit Malta is where to stay in Malta. I’ve rounded up the best areas to stay on the island in this blog post.
