Self-guided Sightseeing Tour #1 in Valletta, Malta
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9.9 km
466 m
Experience Valletta in Malta in a whole new way with our free self-guided sightseeing tour. This site not only offers you practical information and insider tips, but also a rich variety of activities and sights you shouldn't miss. Whether you love art and culture, want to explore historical sites or simply want to experience the vibrant atmosphere of a lively city - you'll find everything you need for your personal adventure here.
Activities in VallettaIndividual Sights in VallettaSight 1: National War Museum
The National War Museum is a museum in Fort Saint Elmo in the city of Valletta, Malta. It is one of the most popular museums in Malta. From 1975 to 2014, its collection mainly focused on World War I and World War II. It was refurbished in 2015, and its collections now include exhibits ranging from the Bronze Age to 2004.
Sight 2: Saint Anne's Chapel
The Church of St Anne is a former Roman Catholic church located in Fort Saint Elmo in Valletta, Malta. It was built in the 1720s and it was deconsecrated while the fort was controlled by the British military. The building has been restored and it is now known as the Memorial Building.
Sight 3: Knisja tal-Madalena
The Church of St Mary Magdalene is a Roman Catholic church building in Valletta, Malta. The church, named after Jesus' companion Mary Magdalene, was part of the Magdalene asylum situated adjacent to the church. The church was deconsecrated in the mid 20th century and was blessed again by Bishop Charles Scicluna on 25 February 2015.
Sight 4: Sacra Infermeria & Mediterranian Conference Center
The Mediterranean Conference Centre is a conference centre in Valletta, Malta. The building was built as a hospital in the 16th century by the Order of St. John, and it was known as the Sacra Infermeria or the Holy Infirmary. It was known as the Grand Hôspital during the French occupation of Malta and during the British period was named as the Station Hospital.
Sight 5: Church of Saint Nicholas
The Church of Saint Nicholas, also known as the Church of All Souls, is a Greek Catholic church in Valletta, Malta, dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Originally built as a Greek Orthodox church in 1569, it was conceded to the Confraternity of the Souls in Purgatory in 1639, who rebuilt the church in the Baroque style in 1652. The church was passed back to the Greek Catholic congregation in 2014 however the church is used from Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Sight 6: Church of the Madonna of Fair Havens and Saint Dominic
The Basilica of St Dominic or also known as the Basilica of Our Lady of Safe Haven and St Dominic is one of the three parish churches of Valletta, Malta. It is administered by the Dominican Order whose convent is located behind the church.
Sight 7: Casa Rocca Piccola
Get Ticket*Casa Rocca Piccola is a 16th-century palace in Malta, and home of the noble Maltese family de Piro. It is situated in Valletta, the capital city of Malta. There are daily tours from 10am till 5pm. The palace includes a BnB with 5 rooms and a restaurant called La Giara Restaurant.
Sight 8: HMS Maori
HMS Maori was a Tribal-class destroyer named after the indigenous Māori people of New Zealand. She served with the United Kingdom Mediterranean Fleet during World War II until she was bombed and sunk by German aircraft while at Malta in 1942. Her wreck was later raised and scuttled outside the Grand Harbour. The wreck is now a dive site.
Sight 9: Auberge de Bavière
The Auberge de Bavière is a palace in Valletta, Malta. It was built as Palazzo Carneiro in 1696, and was the residence of Grand Master Marc'Antonio Zondadari in the early 18th century. In 1784, it was converted into the auberge for the Anglo-Bavarian langue of the Order of Saint John, and remained so until the French occupation of Malta in 1798.
Sight 10: Church of Our Lady of Pilar
The Church of Our Lady of the Pillar is a 17th-century church located in Valletta, Malta. The church was built as the church of the Aragonese knights and modeled according to the plans of the architect Romano Carapecchia. The church is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.
Sight 11: Auberge d'Aragon
The Auberge d'Aragon is an auberge in Valletta, Malta. It was built in 1571 to house knights of the Order of Saint John from the langue of Aragon, Navarre and Catalonia. It is the only surviving auberge in Valletta which retains its original Mannerist design by the architect Girolamo Cassar.
Sight 12: Saint Paul's Anglican Cathedral
St Paul's Pro-Cathedral, officially The Pro-Cathedral and Collegiate Church of Saint Paul, is an Anglican pro-cathedral of the Diocese in Europe situated in Independence Square, Valletta, Malta. A "pro-cathedral" is a church with cathedral status though not being the main cathedral. It is one of three cathedrals of the Anglican Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe.
Sight 13: Basilica of Our Lady of Carmel
The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a Carmelite Roman Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, located in Valletta, Malta. It is one of the major churches of Valletta, and it forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes the entire city. The present church was constructed between 1958 and 1981 on the site of a late 16th century church which was destroyed during World War II.
Wikipedia: Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta (EN)
Sight 14: Manoel Theatre
Teatru Manoel is a theatre and important performing arts venue in Malta. The theatre is often referred to as simply "The Manoel", and is named after Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller, Fra António Manoel de Vilhena, who ordered its construction in 1731. The theatre is reputed to be Europe's third-oldest working theatre, and the oldest theatre still in operation in the Commonwealth of Nations.
Sight 15: Main Guard
The Main Guard, originally called the Guardia della Piazza, is a building in Valletta, Malta, located in the square facing the Grandmaster's Palace in the city centre. It was originally built as a guardhouse in 1603 by the Order of St. John, and it remained in use after the British took over Malta in 1800. A Neoclassical portico was added in 1814, and a British coat of arms and a commemorative inscription were installed later on above the portico. These have become one of the main symbols of British rule in Malta. The building used to house the Office of the Attorney General.
Sight 16: Palace Armoury
The Palace Armoury is an arms collection housed at the Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta, Malta. It was the main armoury of the Order of St. John in the 17th and 18th centuries, and as such it was the last arsenal established by a crusader military order. Although today only a part of the original armoury still survives, it is still one of the world's largest collections of arms and armour still housed in its original building. The Palace Armoury has been open to the public as a museum since 1860.
Sight 17: Greek-Catholic church Our Lady of Damascus
The Church of Our Lady of Damascus is a Greek Catholic Church in Valletta, in Malta, observing the Byzantine rite. It is also called Id-Damaxxena.
Wikipedia: Church of Our Lady of Damascus, Valletta (EN), Website
Sight 18: Knisja tal-Ġiżwiti
The Church of the Circumcision of Our Lord, also known as the Church of the Jesuits or the Church of the University, is one of the oldest and largest churches in Valletta, Malta. It was originally built between 1593 and 1609 by the Jesuit order, and it is located adjacent to the Old University Building, which originally housed a Jesuit college known as the Collegium Melitense. The church was rebuilt in the Baroque style by Francesco Buonamici after suffering extensive damage in an explosion in 1634. The church remained in use after the Jesuits were expelled from Malta in 1768, and it is also used for Masters and Doctoral graduation ceremonies of the University of Malta, the successor to the Collegium.
Sight 19: Church of St. Roque
The Church of St Roque is a 17th-century Baroque church located in Valletta, Malta. The church is the official parish church of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Malta and is subsequently used for Orthodox Divine services. The Romanian Orthodox parish is dedicated to the Birth of John the Baptist. The church still remains officially owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta.
Sight 20: Lower Barracca Gardens
The Lower Barakka Gardens are a public garden in Valletta, Malta, twinned with the Upper Barrakka Gardens in the same city.
Sight 21: Il-Monument ta' Sir Alexander Ball
The Monument to Sir Alexander Ball is a neoclassical monument in the Lower Barrakka Gardens in Valletta, Malta. It was built in 1810 as a memorial to Sir Alexander Ball, a British admiral who was the first Civil Commissioner of Malta. Attributed to the architect Giorgio Pullicino, the monument is in the form of an ancient Greek temple.
Sight 22: Church of St Lucy
The Church of Saint Lucy is a small Roman Catholic church situated in Valletta, Malta. The church was built in 1570 and features a titular painting above the high altar and the corpse of St Lucian, the martyr.
Sight 23: Victoria Gate
Victoria Gate is a city gate in Valletta, Malta. It was built by the British in 1885, and was named after Queen Victoria. The gate is the main entrance into the city from the Grand Harbour area, which was once the busiest part of the city. The gate is located between Marina Curtain and St. Barbara Bastion, on the site of the 16th-century Del Monte Gate.
Sight 24: Church of the Madonna of Liesse
The Church of Our Lady of Liesse is a church in Valletta, Malta. The church was built in 1740 on the site of a 17th-century church. The cupola was built to the design of the Maltese architect Francesco Zammit. The church is located on the waterfront of the Grand Harbour, close to Lascaris Battery and the site of the fish market. It is especially venerated by the people of the port area.
Sight 25: Barrakka Lift
The Barrakka Lift is a lift in Valletta, Malta which was constructed in 2012, on the site of a previous lift which had operated from 1905 to 1973 and which was demolished in 1983. It is located inside the ditch of the fortifications of Valletta, and links Lascaris Wharf to St. Peter and Paul Bastion and the Upper Barrakka Gardens. It therefore allows access from the Grand Harbour to the city.
Sight 26: Upper Barrakka Gardens
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.
Sight 27: Saluting Battery
The Saluting Battery is an artillery battery in Valletta, Malta. It was constructed in the 16th century by the Order of Saint John, on or near the site of an Ottoman battery from the Great Siege of Malta. The battery forms the lower tier of St. Peter & Paul Bastion of the Valletta Land Front, located below the Upper Barrakka Gardens and overlooking Fort St. Angelo and the rest of the Grand Harbour.
Sight 28: Lascaris War Rooms
The Lascaris War Rooms are an underground complex of tunnels and chambers in Valletta, Malta that housed the War Headquarters from where the defence of the island was conducted during the Second World War. The rooms were later used by NATO and are now open to the public as a museum.
Sight 29: Church of Saint James
The Church of St James is a Roman Catholic church in Valletta, Malta. A previous Mannerist church was built on site in the early 17th century and demolished in the early 18th century to build the present baroque church. Built on the designs of Romano Carrapecchia, the church served for religious service to the Langue of Castille. It remain an active church, found in Merchants Street, and it is a scheduled cultural building in a World Heritage Site. The church has a number of artistic features, including its imposing façade and paintings, one drawn by Filippo Paladini and another dating back than the present church itself. Nowadays the church is also used for services by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Sight 30: Auberge d'Italie
The Auberge d'Italie is an auberge in Valletta, Malta. It was built in various stages in the late 16th century to house knights of the Order of Saint John from the langue of Italy, and it originally had a Mannerist design by Girolamo Cassar and several other architects. The building continued to be modified throughout the course of the 17th century, with the last major renovation being carried out in the 1680s during the magistracy of Gregorio Carafa, giving the building a Baroque character.
Sight 31: Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Visit the website
Wikipedia: Church of Saint Catherine of Italy, Valletta (EN)
Sight 32: Our Lady of Victory Church
The Our Lady of Victory Church, formerly known as the Saint Anthony the Abbot Church, was the first church and building completed in Valletta, Malta. In 1566, following the Great Siege of Malta, Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette and his Order showed interest to build a church in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin as a form of thanksgiving; the construction was funded by de Valette.
Sight 33: Grandmaster Jean de la Valette
Fra' Jean "Parisot" de (la) Valette was a French nobleman and 49th Grand Master of the Order of Malta, from 21 August 1557 to his death in 1568. As a Knight Hospitaller, joining the order in the Langue de Provence, he fought with distinction against the Turks at Rhodes. As Grand Master, Valette became the Order's hero and most illustrious leader, commanding the resistance against the Ottomans at the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, sometimes regarded as one of the greatest sieges of all time.
Sight 34: Royal Opera House
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 was 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 by the Italian architect Renzo Piano and in 2013 it once again started functioning as a performance venue, called Pjazza Teatru Rjal.
Sight 35: Church of Saint Barbara
The Church of St Barbara is a Roman Catholic church situated in Valletta, Malta. The church was built to service the spiritual needs of the knights of Provence.
Sight 36: Church of Saint Francis
St Francis of Assisi Church, dedicated to St Francis of Assisi, in Valletta, was built in 1598 and was completed by 1607.
Sight 37: National Museum of Archaeology
The National Museum of Archaeology is a Maltese museum in Valletta, with artefacts from prehistory, Phoenician times and a notable numismatic collection. It is managed by Heritage Malta.
Wikipedia: National Museum of Archaeology, Malta (EN), Website
Sight 38: Saint John's Co-Cathedral
St John's Co-Cathedral is a Catholic co-cathedral in Valletta, Malta, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It was built by the Order of St. John between 1573 and 1578, having been commissioned by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière as the Conventual Church of Saint John.
Sight 39: Saint Paul's Shipwreck
The Collegiate Parish Church of St Paul's Shipwreck, also known as simply the Church of St Paul's Shipwreck, is a Roman Catholic parish church in Valletta, Malta. It is one of Valletta's oldest churches.
Wikipedia: Collegiate Parish Church of St Paul's Shipwreck (EN)
Sight 40: Queen Victoria
A statue of Queen Victoria stands in front of the National Library of Malta in Republic Square, Valletta, Malta. Sculpted out of marble by the Sicilian artist Giuseppe Valenti, the statue depicts the Queen sitting down and wearing a shawl of Maltese lace. It was installed in the square on 5 August 1891, replacing a bronze statue of António Manoel de Vilhena.
Sight 41: Malta Law Courts
The Courts of Justice building is a courthouse located in Republic Street, Valletta, Malta. It was built in the neoclassical style between 1965 and 1971 on the site of Auberge d'Auvergne, which had been destroyed by aerial bombardment during World War II.
Sight 42: Church of Saint Augustine
St Augustine Church is one of the churches built during the creation of the new city of Valletta, Malta.
Sight 43: Saint Andrew's Scots Church
St. Andrew's Scots Church, sometimes known as the Church of Scotland, is a 19th-century church in Valletta, Malta. The church was built to the neo-Gothic design of Maltese architect Giuseppe Bonavia. It is still an active church today, as a joint congregation of the Church of Scotland, as part of the Presbytery of Europe, and the British Methodist Church South-East District.
Sight 44: War Memorial
The War Memorial is a memorial obelisk in Floriana, Malta, which commemorates the dead of World War I and World War II. It was inaugurated on 11 November 1938 by Governor Charles Bonham-Carter to the memory of those killed in World War I, but in 1949 it was rededicated to those killed in both world wars.
Sight 45: Malta Memorial
The Malta Memorial is a war memorial monument to the 2,298 Commonwealth aircrew who lost their lives in the various Second World War air battles and engagements around the Mediterranean, whilst serving with the Commonwealth Air Forces flying from bases in Austria, Italy, Sicily, islands of the Adriatic and Mediterranean, Malta, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, West Africa, Yugoslavia and Gibraltar, and who have no known grave.
Sight 46: The Phoenicia
Get Ticket*The Phoenicia Malta, formerly called the Le Méridien Phoenicia, is a 5-star hotel in Floriana, Malta. The Art Deco hotel was built in the 1930s, and was opened in November 1947. It is regarded as one of the top hotels in Malta. The hotel had one of the earliest restaurants of good standards in Malta in the 1950s. It had three floors originally, but further floors were built along the years.
Sight 47: Saint Publius Parish Church
The Saint Publius Parish Church, also known as the Floriana Parish Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in Floriana, Malta, dedicated to Saint Publius. It was constructed at several stages between the 18th and 20th centuries.
Sight 48: Knisja tas-Sarria
The Church of the Immaculate Conception known also as Sarria Church is a Roman Catholic Rotunda church in Floriana, Malta.
Sight 49: Msida Bastion Cemetery
The Msida Bastion Historic Garden, also Msida Bastion Cemetery or Msida Bastion Garden of Rest is a former Protestant cemetery in Floriana, Malta, in use from 1806 till 1856. It was restored and reopened as a garden in 2002. It is listed in the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands under number 52, as a Grade 1 Monument. Currently, Din l-Art Ħelwa are the caretakers of the Msida Bastions with a team of over 25 volunteers coordinated by the garden's Warden, all aiding in the general upkeep and research of the site.
Sight 50: Hastings Garden
Hastings Gardens is a public garden in Valletta, Malta. It is located on top of St. John's Bastion and St. Michael's Bastion, on the west side of the City Gate. The garden offers views of Floriana, Msida, Sliema, and Manoel Island. Inside the garden is a monument placed by the Hastings family in honor of Francis, Marquis of Hastings, who was a governor of Malta. Lord Hastings died in 1826 and is buried in the garden.
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