All the amazing things in Valletta
Malta’s capital is one of those cities favored by both lovers of sunny places and admirers of monuments. Europe’s southernmost capital city is sometimes referred to as an ‘open-air museum’, as it is home to as many as 320 monuments. As an extra incentive to visit Valletta we will mention that the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the average annual temperature is 23°C. What (apart from the climate) Valletta has to offer and what are the city’s most interesting attractions? Check out our walks and take an unforgettable guided tour with Walkative!
Valletta and its top attractions
The smallest capital of the European Union was founded in 1566 by the Grand Master of the Order of St John, Jean Parisot de la Valette. At the time, the entire city was surrounded by fortifications, making it one of the most fortified areas in the world. Valletta was built after the Great Siege of Malta by the Ottoman Empire and became an impregnable fortress.
The first building erected in the city was the Church of Our Lady of Victory (1566). But it’s not the only church here, Valletta is a real paradise for lovers of religious buildings – you’ll find here the Baroque Church of St Augustine, St John’s Cathedral, the Anglican Pro-Cathedral of St Paul, the Basilica of Our Lady of Safe Harbor and St Dominic or the Church of Our Lady of Pilar, among others. Many Maltese monuments were designed by the architect Girolamo Cassara.
What distinguishes Valletta from other European cities are the inns, so-called langues, located within the city, which served once as residences for the knights belonging to the Order of the Knights of Malta. There are eight such establishments within Valletta, and the most well-known include the Castilian Inn, the Aragonese Inn, the Provencal Inn, the Italian Inn and the Bavarian Inn.
Valletta is also home to many palaces and military buildings, out of which it is worth to see the Grand Master’s Palace, Casa Rocca Piccola, Messina Palace, Fort Saint Elmo, Saint James Cavalier, Saint John’s Cavalier or Fort Lascaris.
Less than 15 km west of Valletta are also two remarkable towns – Mdina and Rabat. Mdina is the former capital of Malta and one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Films such as Game of Thrones, Gladiator and Troy were filmed here. Rabat (not to be confused with Morocco’s capital), on the other hand, is a charming village full of colorful doors and balconies and atmospheric streets. Definitely worth a visit during your stay on the island!
Free walking tour – Valletta with a professional guide
Looking for a guide to show you how beautiful and wonderful Valletta is, or visiting nearby Mdina and Rabat? Free tour is a perfect option for everyone. All you have to do is book the tour via our website and turn up at the meeting point. After the tour, you value the work and commitment of our guide yourself. Free walking tour in Valletta is designed for small groups and individual tourists. We guarantee a great time, visiting the most interesting attractions, unforgettable stories and a day full of excitement! With Walkative! you can also visit other sunny European cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Dubrovnik or Split.