The Valetta email

When your entire capital city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – you know you’ve got something good going on! Valetta is the smallest capital city in the EU and was built in the 16th century as a fortified city surrounded by city walls. Valetta is an easy city to walk and you could potentially explore it all in one busy day. We visited Valetta as part of a bigger Malta trip (if you’re looking for the scoop on Gozo which we loved for it’s diving and natural beauty –> The Gozo email!). But you could definitely fly in for a quick weekend city break.

It’s super hot during summer so Valetta might be a great way to get a little sunshine during the shoulder seasons. We were melting at the very end of August so be warned!

One thing I found really interesting about Valetta is that there is very little greenery or plant life. During severe droughts in the 16th century private gardens were banned to conserve water. I read articles saying because of this Valetta is an ugly city. I don’t think that’s true as they more than make up for the lack of greenery with beautiful architecture and brightly coloured paints.

Restaurants we loved in Valetta

– Legligin
Legligin is a traditional Maltese restaurant that offers a tasting menu which changes daily based on what they find in the market. (€37 per person for lunch and €48 per person for dinner). The menu is roughly five to seven courses made up of multiple small dishes. Arrive hungry!! The food was delicious and hyper local with great explanations of the food and the cultural significance. If you only visit one restaurant in Malta this is probably my recommendation. We also opted for the wine pairing which was a great way to try more Maltese wines. If you’re looking to join them for dinner during peak season I would recommend online booking in advance! We saw many people pop in for a table who were sadly turned away.

This article is great for a high level overview on the different dishes to try in Malta.

– Trabuxu Wine Bar
This was a great cosy wine bar in a 400 year old stone cellar. We grabbed a spot outside along the steps and drank plenty of wine with our people watching. The service was friendly and warm. The waiters were happy to educate us on the wine of Malta and made some great recommendations. They had a good selection of local wines by the glass. We worked our way through the list over a selection of starters and snack platters. The cheese and charcuterie board was particular good with local cheese, meats and dips. A great spot for a lazy laid back evening when you’re not in the mood for a big dinner.

Things we did when not eating

– St John’s Co-Cathedral
We have seen a fair few cathedrals in our time and whilst they’re always beautiful they’re not always worth the time or the money to explore. We very nearly skipped St John’s as from the outside it doesn’t look like much. But what we tend to do when at a “pay for” site is have a quick Google for what it looks like inside and decide whether it may be worth it. I can confirm St John’s is absolutely worth is! It is possibly one of the most beautiful and ornate cathedrals I have every visited. This is a must visit cathdral in my books. The history is extensive and I would highly recommend the audio guide to really bring it all to life.

There is a very famous Caravaggio in the Cathedral, the Beheading of St John the Baptist. They do a great job of using technology to explain elements of the painting including an understanding of each character, the overall story and why Caravaggio painted the piece that way. This was really interesting and definitely worth allowing more time for your visit.

– Triton Fountain
Dramatic fountain in a huge square before you enter the walled capital city.

– Upper Barrakka Gardens
The public gardens are lovely and are nice for a quick stroll. The real draw card is the view of the Grand Harbor and the neighbouring towns of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicu (the Three Cities). You can also watch the cannon being fired at noon and 4pm every day. We co-incidentally were there when the cannon fired and whilst interesting to see I wouldn’t plan your day around catching this.

– The Three Cities
We unfortunately didn’t have time to visit the Three Cities but you can reach them by a ten minute ferry from Valetta. The ferry departs every 30 minutes across the street from the Barrakka Lift. These cities were actually the first fortified cities built when the Knights of St John arrived in 1530 and look to be packed with more beautiful buildings and history.

– Wander the maze of the old capital city
Valetta is jam packed with beautiful architecture and pockets of charm. Spend time walking about making sure to explore Republic Street, Strait Street and Palace Square. The city is famous for their medieval buildings decorated with brightly coloured wooden balconies.

Where we stayed in Valetta

We stayed at Melior Boutique Hotel which was right in the heart of Valetta. The room was lovely and clean, the location was perfect and the price suited our budget. Accommodation is relatively affordable so you should be able to find something to suit most budgets. I was particular impressed with the simple in-room breakfast where you could pick options for delivery the next morning.

Have the best time in Valetta

with all my love, Tahlia