Fort St Elmo
Fort St Elmo sits at the tip of the Valletta peninsula, the fortress that bore the brunt of the Great Siege of 1565. Entry is paid at a modest price.
Church in Valletta
St John's Co-Cathedral
St John’s Co-Cathedral is a plain-fronted church that hides one of the most ornate baroque interiors in Europe. Entry is paid at a modest price. Every surface is carved, gilded, or painted. Caravaggio’s “The Beheading of St John the Baptist,” his largest painting, hangs in the oratory. Budget travelers pay the ticket and see both the painting and the church. The contrast between the austere exterior and the gilded interior is the whole point.
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- Saint John Street, VLT 10 Valletta
- Good to know
Nearby
More in Valletta
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Lower Barrakka Gardens
The Lower Barrakka Gardens are a quieter public garden on the eastern bastion of Valletta, with views over the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. Free.
National Museum of Archaeology Malta
The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in the Auberge de Provence (the former headquarters of the Provencal Knights), displaying Malta's prehistoric temple treasures including the Sleeping Lady figurine and artifacts from the megalithic temples that predate the Egyptian pyramids. Entry is paid at a modest price.
Strait Street
Strait Street (Strada Stretta) is Valletta's former red-light district and sailors' entertainment strip, now a narrow lane of bars, cafes, and live music venues. Free to walk.
Teatru Manoel
Teatru Manoel is one of the oldest working theaters in Europe, built in 1732 by Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena. Guided tours are paid at a modest price.
Upper Barrakka Gardens
The Upper Barrakka Gardens are a public garden on the highest point of Valletta's fortifications, overlooking the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities across the water. Free.
Working out what Valletta costs?
The whole of Valletta