Valletta
Valletta: the back story
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Olga Prystai · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Valletta: the back story
Valletta was founded in 1566, after the Great Siege, and named after Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette. UNESCO lists the whole city: a grid of streets of honey-coloured stone and timber balconies, the cathedral, the palace and the auberges of the knights.
Start at the City Gate, walk down Republic Street to St John’s Co-Cathedral and the Grand Master’s Palace, and end at Fort St Elmo. Above the Grand Harbour, the Upper Barrakka Gardens give the view of the Three Cities.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsWalk it end to end before breakfast, when the streets are empty.
Our advice: stay at least one night inside the walls.
Why it's on our list
- The cathedral and the palace
- Both harbours
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Valletta: the back story before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Valletta: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest ferry landing
- Valletta Waterfront (Sicily ferry)Harbour ferries1.1 km14 min walk
- Sliema ferry (The Strand)Harbour ferries1.5 km19 min walk
Key sights
- St John’s Co-Cathedral150 mWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Upper Barrakka Gardens450 mWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Fort St Angelo900 mWalk 11 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Spinola Bay2.5 kmWalk 31 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum3.3 kmWalk 42 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Malta International Airport6.1 kmCycle 24 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Marsaxlokk7.0 kmCycle 28 minCar or taxi 19 min
- Mdina10 kmCycle 40 minCar or taxi 25 min
- Golden Bay16 kmCar or taxi 36 min
- Ċirkewwa (Gozo ferry)19 kmCar or taxi 44 min