Valletta is the picturesque capital of the small island nation of Malta. Listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city is like a great open-air museum with the baroque architecture that decorates the city, its beautiful palaces and churches and heritage museums.
The city was built from the plans of the Vatican architect Francisco Laperelli during the 16th century, immediately after the Great Siege of 1565, and Valletta still retains its splendor and grandeur to this day. Due to its unique and historical setting, the city plays host to various cultural events, from plays to operas.
The city occupies a peninsula that boasts impressive Mediterranean marine life. Valletta also offers a great view of the Grand Harbor of Malta, one of the most beautiful ports in the Mediterranean.
To truly explore and experience the beauty of Valletta’s honey-coloured streets, it is necessary to explore it on foot. As you enter the City Gates, the main streets lead up to the Fort. San Telmo. There you will also see, in the middle of small cafes and boutiques, the bomb site where the Royal Opera House used to be before the Second World War. Walking further down, you will see the Archaeological Museum that houses prehistoric ceramics, furniture from Roman and Punic tombs, and personal ornaments and sculptures from megalithic temples.
Walking along Calle República, you will see Plaza de San Juan or Piazza San Gwann with the Co-Cathedral of San Juan. The cathedral, though plain from the outside, is a must-see due to its intricate interior design. It is also the most important and spectacular monument in Valletta.
The Lower Barrack Gardens, a little further along Triq il-Meditteran, boast fantastic views of the sea, the Siege Bell and the Statue of Sir Alexander Bell. The Collegiate Church of the Shipwreck of St. Paul on St Paul Street is considered one of the city’s hidden gems due to its ornate Baroque interior. The church also claimed to have a bone from Saint Paul’s wrist and half of the column on which the saint was beheaded.
Some of the other beautiful churches in Valletta are St. Francis of Assisi, St. Augustine Parish Church, Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Carmelite Church, St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Christ the Redeemer Church, Jesuit Church. , Church of Santa María de Jesús, Scottish Church of San Andrés, Church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Church and Monastery of Santa Catalina, Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de los Cielos and Santo Domingo, Church of Santa María Magdalena, Church and Chapel of Santa Ana, Sacra Infermeria Chapel, Church of San Nicolás, Church of San Roque, Church and Monastery of Santa Úrsula, Church of Our Lady of Damascus, Church of Santiago, Church of Santa Barbara, Church of Santa Catalina de Italia, Church of Our Lady of Victories, Church of the Holy Virgin of Notre Dame De Liesse, Church of the Holy Family Fleeing from Egypt, Church of Saint Lucia
Some of the festivals and special events in Valletta that tourists must see are the Carnival in February/March, the Mediterranean Food Festival in March, the Jazz Festival in July, the Malta International Airshow in September, the Festival of the Historic Cities of Malta and the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October.