UltimateIsland Guide Malta
Our favourites
Valletta’s honey-coloured skyline, with the dome of the Carmelite church and the spire of St Paul’s, above the harbour at sunset

Area guide · Malta

Valletta: Our Favourites

St John’s and Caravaggio, the palace and the bastions, MICHELIN stars and the bars of Strait Street.

The back story

  1. The back story

    Valletta: the back story

    Valletta·In depth

    The Knights’ capital, a UNESCO city of stone on a peninsula between two harbours.

    Explore View on map

  2. The back story

    Where to stay in Malta: the back story

    Valletta·In depth

    Palazzo hotels inside Valletta’s walls, a grand hotel on the bastions, Mdina’s only hotel, the sea-front towers of St Julian’s and the quiet of Gozo: how to choose a base.

    Explore View on map

  3. The back story

    The Malta Table: the back story

    Valletta·In depth

    Pastizzi at dawn, rabbit for Sunday lunch, a two-star kitchen on the bastions and fish on the quay at Marsaxlokk: how Malta eats.

    Explore View on map

  4. The back story

    Malta: the back story

    Valletta·In depth

    Temples older than Stonehenge, a city built by knights after a siege, the British Grand Harbour and a George Cross: how three small islands became Malta.

    Explore View on map

  5. The back story

    British Malta: the back story

    Valletta·In depth

    A naval base for a century and a half: the Grand Harbour fleet, the bakery in Birgu, Strait Street, the wartime shelters and the George Cross.

    Explore View on map

  6. The back story

    Malta Art, Architecture & Culture: the back story

    Valletta·In depth

    Honey-coloured limestone, a baroque city built by knights, Caravaggio’s greatest canvas, an eighteenth-century theatre and a village festa every summer weekend.

    Explore View on map

What to see and do

  1. Caravaggio’s Beheading

    St John's Co-Cathedral

    Valletta·Cathedral

    The Knights’ conventual church, its plain facade hiding a gilded baroque interior and Caravaggio’s Beheading of St John the Baptist.

    St John's Street, VallettaExplore View on map

  2. The Knights’ palace

    Grand Master's Palace

    Valletta·Palace and armoury

    The palace of the Grand Masters on St George’s Square, with its State Rooms and the Palace Armoury.

    Explore View on map

  3. The view of the Grand Harbour

    Upper Barrakka Gardens and the Saluting Battery

    Valletta·Gardens and battery

    Arcaded gardens on the bastions with the finest view of the Grand Harbour, above the guns of the Saluting Battery.

    Battery Street, Valletta VLT 1221Explore View on map

  4. The George Cross

    Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum

    Valletta·Fort and museum

    The star-shaped fort at the tip of Valletta, home to the National War Museum and the George Cross.

    Explore View on map

  5. Under the Barrakka

    Lascaris War Rooms

    Valletta·Wartime headquarters

    The Second World War operations rooms cut into the rock below the Upper Barrakka Gardens, with the Operation Husky Museum.

    Explore View on map

  6. In the Auberge d’Italie

    MUŻA – The National Community Art Museum

    Valletta·Art museum

    Malta’s national art museum, in the Auberge d’Italie on Merchants Street.

    Explore View on map

  7. The Sleeping Lady

    National Museum of Archaeology

    Valletta·Museum

    The finds from the temples, among them the Sleeping Lady, in the Auberge de Provence on Republic Street.

    Republic Street, Valletta (Auberge de Provence)Explore View on map

  8. A noble family home

    Casa Rocca Piccola

    Valletta·Historic house

    A sixteenth-century palazzo on Republic Street, still lived in by a noble Maltese family and open to visitors.

    Explore View on map

  9. Below the streets

    Underground Valletta

    Valletta·Guided tour

    Guided tours of the tunnels, cisterns and wartime shelters below Valletta.

    Explore View on map

  10. Contemporary art

    Valletta Contemporary

    Valletta·Gallery

    A contemporary art gallery on East Street, Valletta.

    15-17 Triq Lvant (East Street), Valletta VLT 1253Explore View on map

  11. Since 1732

    Manoel Theatre

    Valletta·Theatre

    The national theatre of Malta, with a gilded auditorium and a history that goes back to 1732.

    Explore View on map

  12. About two hours

    Valletta: the bastions walk

    Valletta·Our route

    From the City Gate round the bastions to Fort St Elmo and back by the Upper Barrakka.

    Explore View on map

  13. About 1h 45min

    Virtu Ferries to Sicily (Pozzallo)

    Valletta Waterfront·Fast ferry

    The fast ferry from the Valletta Waterfront to Pozzallo in Sicily, with coach connections to Catania.

    Explore View on map

Where to eat

  1. Two MICHELIN stars

    ION Harbour by Simon Rogan

    Valletta·Contemporary, Mediterranean·€€€€

    Malta’s only two-star restaurant, on the St Barbara Bastion at Iniala Harbour House, with farm-to-table cooking and Grand Harbour views.

    11 St Barbara Bastion, Valletta VLT 1961Explore View on map

  2. One MICHELIN star

    Under Grain

    Valletta·Modern, creative·€€€

    One MICHELIN star below the Rosselli hotel on Merchants Street.

    167 Merchants Street, Valletta VLT 1174Explore View on map

  3. One MICHELIN star

    Noni

    Valletta·Modern, Mediterranean·€€€€

    One MICHELIN star on Republic Street, with modern cooking built on Maltese produce.

    211 Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1118Explore View on map

  4. Bib Gourmand

    Grain Street

    Valletta·Modern, Mediterranean·€€

    A Bib Gourmand on Merchants Street, at the Rosselli hotel.

    167 Merchants Street, Valletta VLT 1174Explore View on map

  5. Bib Gourmand

    Rubino

    Valletta·Traditional Maltese·€€

    A Bib Gourmand for traditional Maltese cooking on Old Bakery Street.

    53 Old Bakery Street, Valletta VLT 1454Explore View on map

  6. MICHELIN Guide

    Legligin

    Valletta·Regional Maltese·€€

    Maltese cooking in a vaulted room on Santa Lucia Street, in the MICHELIN Guide.

    Triq Santa Lucia 116-119, Valletta VLT 1182Explore View on map

  7. MICHELIN Guide

    La Pira Maltese Kitchen

    Valletta·Traditional Maltese·€€

    Traditional Maltese dishes on Merchants Street, in the MICHELIN Guide.

    35 Merchant Street, Valletta VLT 1171Explore View on map

  8. MICHELIN Guide

    Guzé

    Valletta·Traditional Maltese·€€

    A bistro on Old Bakery Street, in the MICHELIN Guide.

    22 Old Bakery Street, Valletta VLT 1454Explore View on map

  9. MICHELIN Guide

    Aaron’s Kitchen

    Valletta·Traditional, Mediterranean·€€

    Home-style Maltese cooking on Archbishop Street, in the MICHELIN Guide.

    107 Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT 1446Explore View on map

  10. MICHELIN Guide

    Risette

    Valletta·Modern, creative·€€€

    Creative cooking on Old Theatre Street, a favourite of the inspectors.

    81 Old Theatre Street, Valletta VLT 1429Explore View on map

  11. MICHELIN Guide

    Kaiseki

    Valletta·Mediterranean with Asian influences·€€

    Mediterranean cooking with Asian influences on Merchants Street.

    77 Merchants Street, Valletta VLT 1174Explore View on map

  12. MICHELIN Guide

    AKI

    Valletta·Japanese·€€

    Japanese cooking on the corner of Strait Street and Santa Lucia Street.

    Corner of Strait Street and Santa Lucia Street, Valletta VLT 1455Explore View on map

  13. MICHELIN Guide

    59 Republic

    Valletta·Classic, international·€€€

    A restaurant on St George’s Square, opposite the Grand Master’s Palace.

    St George's Square, Valletta VLT 1190Explore View on map

  14. MICHELIN Guide

    The Harbour Club

    Valletta·Modern, Mediterranean·€€€

    A restaurant on Barriera Wharf, below the bastions, by the Grand Harbour.

    4-5 Barriera Wharf, Liesse Hill, Valletta VLT 1941Explore View on map

  15. MICHELIN Guide

    One80 St Christopher Street

    Valletta·Mediterranean, international·€€

    A restaurant on St Christopher Street, in the MICHELIN Guide.

    45A St Christopher's Street, Valletta VLT 1464Explore View on map

  16. On Republic Street

    Caffe Cordina

    Valletta·Café

    The grand café on Republic Street, with tables on the square by the old library.

    244 Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1114Explore View on map

  17. Valletta’s Victorian market

    Is-Suq tal-Belt

    Valletta·Food hall

    Valletta’s covered market, a Victorian iron-and-glass hall on Merchants Street, now a food hall.

    Merchants Street, Valletta VLT 1175Explore View on map

Bars and beach clubs

  1. The old Gut

    Strait Street

    Valletta·Bar street

    Valletta’s narrow Strait Street, once the sailors’ quarter, now a street of small bars and restaurants.

    Explore View on map

  2. Gin in Valletta

    Yard 32

    Valletta·Gin and tapas bar

    A gin and tapas bar in Valletta.

    Explore View on map

  3. In a vaulted cellar

    Trabuxu

    Valletta·Wine bar

    A wine bar in Valletta.

    Explore View on map

Shopping and food

  1. Valletta’s high streets

    Republic Street and Merchants Street

    Valletta·Shopping streets

    Valletta’s two parallel main streets, from the City Gate to Fort St Elmo.

    Explore View on map

  2. The Pinto Wharf stores

    Valletta Waterfront

    Floriana·Waterfront

    The restored eighteenth-century stores of Pinto Wharf, below the bastions by the cruise port.

    Pinto Wharf, Valletta Waterfront, Floriana FRN 1913Explore View on map

Where to stay

  1. On the bastions

    Iniala Harbour House

    Valletta·Boutique hotel

    A hotel on the St Barbara Bastion above the Grand Harbour, home to ION Harbour by Simon Rogan (two MICHELIN stars).

    St Barbara Bastion, VallettaExplore View on map

  2. Home of Under Grain

    Rosselli AX Privilege

    Valletta·Palazzo hotel

    A five-star palazzo hotel on Merchants Street, home to Under Grain (one MICHELIN star) and Grain Street (Bib Gourmand).

    167 Merchants Street, Valletta VLT 1174Explore View on map

  3. Outside the City Gate

    The Phoenicia Malta

    Floriana·Grand hotel

    The grand hotel on The Mall in Floriana, a few minutes’ walk from Valletta’s City Gate.

    The Mall, Floriana FRN 1478Explore View on map

  4. Above Marsamxett Harbour

    Grand Hotel Excelsior

    Floriana·Grand hotel

    A large hotel on Great Siege Road below the bastions of Floriana, facing Marsamxett Harbour.

    Great Siege Road, Floriana FRN 1810Explore View on map

  5. On St Ursula Street

    Ursulino Valletta

    Valletta·Boutique hotel

    A boutique hotel at 82A St Ursula Street, on the slope down to the Grand Harbour.

    82A St Ursula Street, Valletta VLT 1234Explore View on map

  6. By the City Gate

    Domus Zamittello

    Valletta·Boutique hotel

    A boutique hotel at 7 Republic Street, just inside the City Gate.

    7 Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1111Explore View on map

  7. On Merchants Street

    AX The Saint John

    Valletta·Boutique hotel

    A boutique hotel at 176 Merchants Street, near St John’s Co-Cathedral.

    176 Merchants Street, Valletta VLT 1174Explore View on map

  8. A Valletta townhouse

    Casa Ellul

    Valletta·Boutique hotel

    A small boutique hotel in a Valletta townhouse.

    Explore View on map

Share your Valletta tips

Been there? Share your experience and tips with other visitors.

  1. Loading the conversation…

House rules: keep it about Malta and the topic; off-topic political slogans and campaigning on any cause will be removed. Be civil and respectful, no personal attacks, no links or advertising. Comments are public and moderated, and we may remove any that break the rules. Please don’t share personal details such as phone numbers or emails.

The ULTIMATE letter

Malta in your inbox

An occasional email with new places, events and our latest in-depth articles. No spam, ever.