What You Will Do
Welcome to Malta's stunning capital city, Valletta!
With nearly five centuries of history, Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety and is widely considered an open-air museum. With its imposing fortifications and bastions, amazing baroque palaces, marvellous churches, gorgeous gardens, and beautiful architecture ranging from mid-16th-century baroque to modernism, it is without doubt one of the most breathtaking cities you will ever visit!
During this walking tour, you will learn how it all began, how it evolved over the centuries, and about the events that shaped Valletta into the city that it is today.
This walk will take you past the city’s main highlights and off the beaten track. In approximately 4 hours, you will see and learn about Valletta’s most notorious landmarks and discover its many hidden charms.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
When making your booking, please indicate your preferred start time. The guide will be waiting for you near the "Welcome to Valletta Cruise Port" sign at the time you have selected.
1
Valletta
30 minutes
Valletta is widely considered an open-air museum, and therefore there is something to see at every twist and turn, some of the main highlights you will be able to admire and appreciate during this tour include the Triton Fountain, the newly rebuilt City Gate and Parliament of Malta (designed by the world-renowned architect Renzo Piano), the Royal Theatre, Castille Square, the Auberge de Castille, the Upper Barrakka Gardens, Merchants Street, the Palace Square (also known as St. George's Square), Republic Square, St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta’s unique and charming side streets, and other historical buildings, landmarks, and attractions.
2
Triton Fountain
5 minutes
The Tritons’ Fountain is a fountain located just outside the City Gate of Valletta, Malta. It consists of three bronze tritons holding up a large basin, balanced on a concentric base built out of concrete and clad in travertine slabs. The fountain is one of Malta's most important modernist landmarks.
3
Valletta City Gate
10 minutes
The City Gate is a gate located at the entrance of Valletta, Malta. The present gate, which is the fifth one to have stood on the site, was built between 2011 and 2014 to designs of world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano.
4
The New Parliament
10 minutes
The Parliament House is the meeting place of the Parliament of Malta, located in Valletta, Malta. The building was constructed between 2011 and 2015 to designs by Renzo Piano as part of the City Gate Project, which also included building a new City Gate and converting the ruins of the Royal Opera House into an open-air theatre.
5
Pjazza Teatru Rjal
10 minutes
The Royal Opera House, also known as the Royal Theatre, was an opera house and performing arts venue in Valletta, Malta. It was designed by the English architect Edward Middleton Barry and erected in 1866. In 1873, its interior was extensively damaged by fire but was eventually restored by 1877. The theatre received a direct hit from aerial bombing in 1942 during World War II. Prior to its destruction, it was one of the most beautiful and iconic buildings in Valletta. After several abandoned plans to rebuild the theatre, the ruins were redesigned, and in 2013, it once again started functioning as a performance venue, called Pjazza Teatru Rjal.
6
Castille Street
15 minutes
Situated on the hill on the Bastion of Saint James, Castille Square is one of the largest squares in the capital of Valletta. Located very close to the City Gate of Valletta and the Upper Barrakka Gardens, the square is decorated with a small fountain and numerous monuments and sculptures.
7
Auberge de Castille (Castile)
10 minutes
The Auberge de Castille was the official seat of the knights of the Langue of Castille, León, and Portugal—one of the most powerful of the Order of St. John, with its head being the Grand Chancellor. The Knights of this Langue were responsible for the defence of part of the fortifications of Valletta, known as the St. Barbara Bastion. The Auberge is situated at the highest point of Valletta and originally looked out on the rolling countryside beyond, giving it a unique vantage point unsurpassed by any other building in the city. The original Auberge was built by the renowned Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar in 1574. It was extensively remodeled and virtually rebuilt in 1741; the present plan of the imposing structure is attributed to Andrea Belli.
Today, the Auberge de Castille houses the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta and is the administrative headquarters of the Maltese government.
8
Upper Barrakka Gardens
20 minutes
The Upper Barrakka Gardens are a public garden in Valletta, Malta. Along with the Lower Barrakka Gardens in the same city, they offer a panoramic view of the Grand Harbour. The gardens are located on the upper tier of Saints Peter and Paul Bastion, which was built in the 1560s.
9
Merchants Street
20 minutes
Merchant’s Street is located inside the old center of Valletta; it runs through the middle of the city, making it one of the capital’s longest thoroughfares. Prestigious establishments line the street, and it also hosts a daily street market. Here you can admire the numerous imposing houses, palaces, and churches that alternate with, and sometimes house, the more commercial enterprises.
10
Republic Street
20 minutes
Republic Street, historically known as Strada Reale or Kingsway, is a principal street in the capital city of Valletta. It is about 1 kilometre long and is known for legislative, judicial, and commercial purposes. It is mostly pedestrianised.
Republic Street extends from City Gate towards the granaries at Fort St. Elmo. In its downward course, the main street runs perpendicular to several other streets, given Valletta's grid layout. It also encounters several buildings and squares of note, such as City Gate, Freedom Square, the Parliament of Malta, Palazzo Ferreria, Royal Opera House, the Archaeology Museum, St. John's Square, the Courts of Justice, the Casino Maltese, Republic Square, Grandmaster's Palace, St. George's Square, Spinola Palace, the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise, and Industry, Casa Rocca Piccola, and others.
11
Republic Square
10 minutes
Republic Square is a piazza in Valletta, Malta. The square was originally called Piazza Tesoreria or Piazza dei Cavallieri, since the treasury of the Order of Saint John was located in the square. After a statue of Queen Victoria was installed in the square in the 19th century, it became known as Queen's Square or Piazza Regina. Although its official name is Republic Square, it is still commonly referred to as Piazza Regina.
12
St. George’s Square
15 minutes
Described as the heart of the capital, St. George’s Square is Valletta’s largest and most prominent square. Dating back to the 17th century, it has witnessed some of the most notable occasions in the island’s history, including royal visits, victory celebrations, and even the presentation of the George Cross in 1942.
13
St. John's Co-Cathedral
35 minutes
You will also have the opportunity to visit the St. John’s Co-Cathedral (entrance ticket is not included), where our guide will give you a guided tour of the cathedral. This marvellous 16th-century cathedral was originally the conventual church of the Order of the Knights of St. John. Built in just five years and embellished over the span of more than two hundred years, it was gradually transformed into a spectacular work of art. St. John’s Co-Cathedral is a church like no other—a church of awesome beauty coupled with an interesting and unique history. With its many treasures and adorned interiors, it is unquestionably one of the most magnificent cathedrals in the world.
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