Getting around Malta

Valletta’s harbour ferry system is excellent, cheap and frequent. The ferry from Sliema to Valletta costs €2.80 (GB£2.40) return! The ferry from Valletta across to Birgu and Three Cities is €2 (GB£1.75).

The bus system around Malta is excellent and extensive with fares around €2.

Valletta

For Europe’s smallest capital, Valletta bursts forth with a vibrant energy that captivates every visitor. This enchanting city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, boasts an extraordinary array of monuments that tell tales of resilience and artistry. Stroll along the majestic fortifications, lose yourself in the awe-inspiring St. John’s Cathedral, delve into the compelling narratives at the history museum and the National War Museum, marvel at the stunning churches that dot the skyline, and savor exquisite meals by the sparkling historical waterfront.

The city is built up of dusty limestone buildings covered in bright coloured window boxes and religious motifs on ceramic plates and there are still the red telephone boxes reminding visitors that Malta was a British colony.

The streets are built tall and long so they benefit from shade while allowing cool sea air to drift throughout the city.

What to see in Valletta

There are a lot of sights speckled across the city and it is best explored on foot roaming the streets and gazing up at all the brightly coloured windows. I started at St Pauls Cathedral (where the Sliema/Valletta ferry docks) and made a rough itinerary of the sights I wanted to visit.

St Pauls Anglican Cathedral

Built between 1839 and 1844 and funded by the Dowager Queen Adelaide widow of King William IV. During her visit in 1838 she discovered that there was not an Anglican church in Malta and ordered one to be built. The cathedral was dedicated to St. Paul and has a huge steeple of 65m (210ft) which stands out marking the capital’s skyline.

Next to the cathedral is the Carmelite Dome in which the original had to be replaced in 1958 when the dome was bombed during World War II. The cathedral is free to enter.

Teatro Manoel Theatre

Teatro Manoel is the oldest theatre in Malta. Construction began in 1731. It isn’t the flashiest of theatres but it’s worth walking past with a photo to say you’ve seen it.

Fort Saint Elmo and the National War Museum

The National War Museum is housed within the fortified walls of Fort Saint Elmo and is home to a superb collection of artefacts. These artefacts narrate the military history of Malta from the early phases of the Bronze Age roughly 2,500BC when the first inhabitants arrived from Sicily, the great siege of 1565, the construction of Valletta’s fortresses, Malta under the British Empire, the two world wars, and Malta’s membership into the European Union in 2004. Tickets cost €10 (GB£8.70)

Basilica of Saint Dominic

First constructed in 1571 it was dedicated to Our Lady of Safe Haven because of the great number of sailors who used to go to the small chapel that the Dominicans had built prior to the construction of the large church in order to thank the Mother of God upon their safe return to harbour after long and dangerous sea voyages. You can enter the basilica for free.

Lower and Upper Barrakka Gardens

I love both these gardens. They overlook the harbour and make a great place to watch the comings and goings of people and boats. They were created in 1661 as the private grounds for some of the knights that resided here. They were opened to the public in 1824 and are a relaxing nook of the city. Grab a spot on a bench and watch the world go by. At the Upper Barrakka Gardens cannon fire is heard at 12 noon.

Siege Bell

Located near Lower Barrakka Gardens is the Siege Bell Memorial that was built in 1992 to commemorate the 7,000 people who lost their lives during the Siege of Malta in World War II.

Monument of Sir Alexander Bell

Located at Lower Barrakka gardens is a lovely monument devoted to Sir Alexander Bell. It was built in 1810 as a memorial to Sir Alexander Bell, a British admiral who was the first Civil Commissioner of Malta.

Grandmaster Palace

The Grandmaster’s Palace was built between the 16th and 18th centuries as the palace of the Grand Master of the Order of St. John, who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798, and was also known as the Magisterial Palace. During British rule it was home to the Governor of Malta. Nowadays, the Palace is the seat of the Office of the President of Malta.

Victoria Gate

Located near Upper Barrakka Gardens is Victoria Gate. It was built by the British in 1885 and was named after Queen Victoria. The gate is the main entrance into the city from the Grand Harbour area which was once the busiest part of the city.

Parliament Building

Located at the end of Merchant Street near the city centre is Parliament Building. The building was constructed between 2011 and 2015 that also included building a new City Gate and converting the ruins of the Royal Opera House into an open-air theatre.

St Lucia’s Street

St Lucia’s Street is brimmed with charm and beauty. A stepped street lined with cafes and bars offering drinks and light snacks. The streets atmosphere really comes alive at dusk.

Merchant Street/Republic Street

Both are principle streets in the capital offering a vast array of shopping experiences, souvenirs and restaurants.

Valletta Grand Harbour Cruise

There are plenty of tour operators that offer a Grand Harbour Cruise. If you have the opportunity take one of the tours. It offers wonderful views of Valletta, Sliema, The Three Cities and the dockyards from out over the water. The cruise lasts around an hour and a half and costs €20 (GB£17.40)

Villa Guardamangia

Located in Pietà just outside the Capital Valletta this was the home of Queen Elizabeth II for a period of two years from 1949 whilst Prince Philip was serving in the Royal Navy. This limestone villa were The Queen spent her younger years was purchased by the Maltese government and is slowly being renovated.

Where to eat in Valletta

You won’t find it difficult to find anywhere to eat or drink in Valletta. Why not try these venues below.

Grano – www.facebook.com/granovalletta

Located on the steps of St Lucia’s Street offering drinks and very generously filled sandwiches. I tried the mildly spiced chicken sandwich which was delicious.

Piadina – www.facebook.com/PiadinaCaffe

Found on St Lucia’s Street is a small very reasonably priced wine bar offering refreshments and bar snacks. Ideal spot for an Aperol Spritz.

Kingsway – www.kingswayvalletta.com

Located on Republic Street you’ll find this lovely bistro cafe offering reasonably priced food and beverages right on Republic Street, ideal for people watching.

Caffe Cordina – www.caffecordina.com

Located on Republic Street is the oldest cafe in Valletta offering drinks, sandwiches and cakes.

Is-Suq-Tal-Belt Food Court

Found at Triq il-Merkanti is an international food court offering independent food stalls in a communal surrounding.

Rabat

If you have time 7 miles out of Valletta is the city of Rabat. From Valletta bus station (near Upper Barrakka Gardens) wait at bus stand C2 and catch either bus 51, 52 or 53. Tickets cost €2 (GB£1.70), leaving every 30 minutes and takes around 40 minutes to get to Rabat bus terminal.

Rabat is only a small town but brimming with charm and is best married with a visit to the citadel of Mdina. Both are only five minutes walk from one another were Mdina borders the Rabat bus terminal.

What to do in Rabat

Other than wandering the streets of Rabat gazing at the beautiful architecture and brightly coloured window boxes ensure you make time for some of the towns highlights.

St Pauls Catacombs

These underground tunnels were used by the Romans as cemeteries up until the 4th century. They were built in the 3rd century and are composed of over 30 different areas of which 20 are open to the public. In the Middle Ages the catacombs were used for religious worship though they later just became storage areas until their re-discovery in the 1980s. Tickets cost €6 (GB£5.20)

Parruccan Confectionary

Located near Pjazza San Pawl is this cute bakery offering an assortment of delicious cakes and treats.

Pjazza San Pawl

This is a lovely square fringed with cafes and bistros with a view of the church.

Grotto Tavern

Located at Pjazza San Pawl this beautiful bistro cafe offers indoor dining or outdoor seating. Ideal for a quick drink and something light whilst people watching across the square.

Mdina

Catch the same bus towards Rabat for Mdina. These two cities are best explored together. Mdina, also known as the ‘Silent City’ is a fortified citadel that was Malta’s capital in the middle-ages. Mdina was also heavily featured as the backdrop in Game of Thrones.

Mdina is a beautiful place to literally wander the maze of streets. If you’re fortunate you maybe able to catch a glimpse of the city’s guards who stand at the gateway into the city.

Sliema

Sliema is a resort town situated across the harbour from Valletta. The waterfront features a long promenade and the 18th Century Fort Tigné in the south. To the north St. Julian’s Tower is a 17th Century watchtower and battery. Right at the promenade centre stands the Stella Maris Church that dates from the 1850s.

Spaced all along the harbour front are ferries and boats offering excursions and the ever so reliable Sliema-Valletta ferry crossing that literally takes 7 minutes. The promenade is lined with cafes, bars, restaurants and shopping outlets. Sliema additionally has a taxi booth were you can pre-pay for a taxi back to the airport situated outside Zara on the promenade.

Where to eat and drink in Sliema

Sliema has a heap of places to eat and drink from local bistros to food stalls to fast food joints.

The Londoner – www.thelondonerpubs.com.mt/home

I’m not usually one to visit a British pub as they are always quite loud with music with cheap tables and chairs and sticky sauce bottles but this was quite the opposite. It was well dressed, music at an appropriate level and the food menu was very appetising.

Jeff’s Pastizzeria

This isn’t the kind of venue you may think at first reading the name. It’s a small bakery offering all sorts of baked goods but I do suggest trying the local Maltese pastry called ‘Pastizzi’ which is puff pastry filled with mushy peas. It sounds vile but it is actually very nice.

The 3 cities District

Vittoriosa (also known as Birgu), Senglea, and Cospicua trace their origins back to the Middle Ages and have been inhabited more or less since people arrived on the island. The Three Cities were also the original home of the Knights Hospitallers, who were a Catholic military order known as the Knights of Malta, and feature a lot of wonderful architecture and history. They aren’t as visited as other destinations on the island so it can be a good way to get away from the crowds for a short time.

The 3 Cities is best known for withstanding the attacks of the Ottoman invaders during the 1565 Great Siege.

There isn’t a huge amount to do here but it is lovely to visit Notre Dame which is nothing like the one of similar name in Paris, the American University of Malta and the ship yards.

To get across the The 3 Cities make your way to Upper Barrakka Gardens and you’ll find a small vendor selling tickets priced at €1 (85p) to use the Barrakka Lift that descends 190 feet (58m) to the road below. Cross over the road and you’ll discover a fleet of small boats with a maximum occupancy of 6 people per boat that will cross the harbour for €2 (GB£1.75)

Manoel Island

Tiny Manoel Island, formerly known as Bishop’s Island, is a small island which forms part of Valletta’s Grand Harbour. It is named after the Portuguese Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena who built a fort on the island in the 1720s. Whilst I was visiting I couldn’t find any ferries that could take you to the island but it is connected by a short land bridge on the Sliema side of the harbour. It’s a lovely place to head for a stroll after a meal and explore.

Final Thought

This was my first visit to this tiny island nation and I was expecting it to be a little pedestrian. I was very pleasantly surprised how vibrant, modern and architecturally colourful it was. There are heaps of photo opportunities all around the city.

Malta isn’t too far from The UK and is often overlooked by tourists which makes Malta a comfortable place to holiday away from the crowds flocking from around Europe.