Mediterranean · Malta
Valletta Travel Guide
Valletta is a Baroque fortress city built by the Knights of St John — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's barely one kilometre long but packed with more history per square metre than almost anywhere in Europe. The perfect walkable cruise port.
How Do You Get from the Ship to the City?
Valletta's cruise terminal sits directly below the city walls at the Valletta Waterfront. Take the Barrakka Lift (€1) up to the Upper Barrakka Gardens — you emerge at the best viewpoint in Malta, looking across the Grand Harbour. From there, the entire city stretches ahead of you. Alternatively, walk the gentle ramp up (10 minutes).
What Can You See in 6 Hours?
Upper Barrakka Gardens — Start here for the panoramic harbour view and the noon cannon firing. The Saluting Battery below fires a cannon every day at noon and 4pm.
St John's Co-Cathedral — Don't let the plain exterior fool you — the interior is one of the most ornately decorated churches in the world. Caravaggio's masterpiece "The Beheading of St John" hangs here.
Republic Street — The main pedestrian thoroughfare. Walk its full length for cafés, shops, and Baroque architecture.
The Three Cities — Take the harbour ferry (€2.80 return) across the Grand Harbour to Vittoriosa. Quieter, more authentic, and even more historic than Valletta itself.
Where Should You Eat in Valletta?
Pastizzi: The essential Maltese snack. Flaky diamond-shaped pastries filled with ricotta (tal-irkotta) or mushy peas (tal-piżelli). 50 cents each. Eat them fresh and hot.
Rabbit: Malta's national dish is stuffat tal-fenek — rabbit slow-cooked in wine and garlic. Find it at traditional restaurants away from the waterfront.
Ftira: Maltese flatbread topped with tomato paste, capers, olives, and tuna. The Maltese answer to pizza.
Is Valletta Worth Exploring Independently?
Valletta is one of the simplest cruise ports to explore independently. The city is a single peninsula — you literally cannot get lost. It's flat along Republic Street, walkable end-to-end in 20 minutes, and everything is within reach. Most people speak English. Ship excursions here offer no advantage whatsoever.
Useful Local Phrases
Bonġu
Good morning
(BON-joo)
Grazzi
Thank you
(GRAT-see)
Kemm?
How much?
(kemm)
Jekk jogħġbok
Please
(yekk YOJ-bok)
Local Tips
- •Pastizzi (flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas) cost about 50 cents and are the perfect Maltese snack. Crystal Palace in Rabat is the most famous pastizzeria, but every bakery in Valletta sells them.
- •Malta drives on the left (British legacy). Look right first when crossing streets.
- •The noon cannon at the Upper Barrakka Gardens fires daily — it's loud but fun. Arrive by 11:45 for a good spot.
- •English is an official language in Malta. Almost everyone speaks it fluently, making this one of the easiest Mediterranean ports for English speakers.