Valletta
Travel Guide > Europe > Malta > Valletta
In this Article
- Introduction
- Neighbourhoods
- Sights and Activities
- Events and Festivals
- Weather
- Getting There
- Getting Around
- Eat
- Drink
- Sleep
- Work
- Learn
- Keep Connected
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Introduction
Valletta is the capital of Malta and has only about 7000 inhabitants. It is located along the central eastern coastline and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980 because of its Baroque character combined with other building style elements. Valletta has a natural harbour where cruiseships can dock and apart from tourists from the ships, many people visit Valletta while on a package holiday in one of Malta's many hotels. The city boasts an enormous collection of churches, palaces, museums and squares which keep you busy for days if you are very interested in history and culture.
Neighbourhoods
Sights and Activities
St John's Co-Cathedral
This cathedral is unremarkable from the outside but its incredibly ornate inside is truly stunning. The barrel shaped ceiling is a single huge fresco, the lifework of famed artist Mattia Preti. Furthermore, the floor is entirely taken by a knight's graves all intricately inlaid marble in different colours. This relatively unknown cathedral can be count on as one of the most impressive in Europe. On weekdays it is open between 9:30 and 16:30; and between 9:30 and 12:30 on Saturdays. Entrance is through the Carappechia Annex on Republic Street in between St John's Street and St Lucy Street, directly opposite the Law Courts. As soon as you enter, you will be provided with an audio guide, included in the entrance fee, which is available in 6 languages. It leads you through the cathedral with 24 stops enabling you to get further historical information about the paintings and special parts of St. John’s Co-Cathedral.
The Grandmaster's Palace
The Grandmaster's Palace is the President's office and the Maltese parliament at the moment. The staterooms are quite impressive, when accessible. It also houses the Knights' armoury which is open to visitors daily from 9:00 – 17:00. At the entrance you receive audio guides which are included in the entrance fee. They provide you with further historical information about the various armoury of different epoches beginning from the medieval times up to the 17th century armour.
Other Sights and Activities
- Manoel Theatre.
- Archeology Museum (Republic Street).
Events and Festivals
Weather
Valletta has a typical Mediterranean climate with warm and dry summers and mild but relatively wet winters. Temperatures occasionally hit more than 40 °C in summer, so the best time for a visit are April to June and September/October when it's usually pleasantly warm, dry and sunny.
Getting Around
By Car
Getting around by car is not recommended if you aren't accustomed to driving in Malta, because the streets are narrow and there is a lack of parking space.
By Public Transport
Buses are easy and affordably priced (adults from €0.47 to €1.16 for special routes).
Bus routes 98 (clockwise) and 198 (counterclockwise) go around Valletta. They depart from the Valletta Terminus.
- Route 98: 6:30 - 7:00 - every 15 minutes - 8:00 - 8:20 - 8:30 - 8:50 - 9:40 - every 30 minutes - 17:40.
- Route 198: 9:30 (Mon-Sat) / 8:30 (Sun) - every 30 minutes - 18:00.
On Foot
The city is best reachable on foot because the main attractions are near or on the main street (Republic Street), which is not steep. However, the city is built on a ridge and therefore walking up and down may be challenging for some.
Further historical information about the numerous sights to see throughout Valletta can be gained by hiring an audio guide. From the Archeology Museum (Republic Street), it is available in different languages such as Maltese, English, Italian, French, Dutch, German and Spanish. You can choose independently from the 33 stops and it is not necessary to follow the given order. Stops can easily be skipped or visited in another sequence if you are tired or suffering information overload.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Budget
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Hotel | 40 Battery Street | Hotel | 76 |
| Hotel Phoenicia | The Mall, Floriana | Hotel | - |
Mid-Range
Upscale
Work
Learn
This is version 15. Last edited at 13:29 on Aug 13, 09 by Utrecht (+156). 2 articles link to this page.
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