By air
Malta International Airport (MLA), ~8 km
Europe · Malta
Valletta, Malta
A golden fortress capital built by the Knights
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October — warm and less crowded
Don't miss
St John's Co-Cathedral
Upper Barrakka Gardens
The Grandmaster's Palace
Fort St Elmo
Things to do
Exploring the bastions
Caravaggio at the Co-Cathedral
Harbour ferry rides
Evening walks on Republic Street
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Mandyy88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes for steps, sunscreen, light layers
A quieter corner
The Lascaris War Rooms beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Valletta?
April to June and September to October — warm and less crowded. What to pack: Comfortable shoes for steps, sunscreen, light layers.
How do I get to Valletta?
Fly into Malta International Airport (MLA), ~8 km.
What is there to do in Valletta?
Exploring the bastions, Caravaggio at the Co-Cathedral, harbour ferry rides, evening walks on Republic Street. A quieter find: The Lascaris War Rooms beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens.
What should I eat in Valletta?
Pastizzi, ftira bread, stuffat tal-fenek rabbit stew and imqaret date pastries.
About Valletta
- Coastal
Where it is
Valletta is the capital of Malta, built on a peninsula between the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour on the island's north-east coast.
History
Valletta was founded in 1566 by the Knights of St John after they withstood the Great Siege of 1565, and it is named after their Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette. The Knights filled it with churches, palaces and bastions. It was later ruled by France and Britain until Malta's independence in 1964, and was listed by UNESCO in 1980.
People
Valletta's people speak Maltese, a language of Arabic origin written in the Latin alphabet, as well as English, and the city's festas fill the streets with band music and fireworks.
Known for
- Baroque churches and palaces
- Massive harbour bastions
- Caravaggio's paintings
- Views over the Grand Harbour
Did you know?
St John's Co-Cathedral holds Caravaggio's Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, the only painting he is known to have signed.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.