Valletta AN INSIDER S GUIDE TO MALTA S CAPITAL SAMPLE FULL OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

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1 FULL OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Valletta AN INSIDER S GUIDE TO MALTA S CAPITAL PERFECT GUIDE FOR: CRUISE PASSENGERS DAY VISITORS EXTENDED STAYS VALLETTA 2018 SAMPLE 1

2 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Hi there! I m Ed, a traveller-turned-expat who s lived in Malta for over a decade, but was born and raised in The Netherlands. With family roots in this small but proud island nation, my goal is to introduce Malta to culture seekers around the world. I m the founder and editor of the Malta travel and holidays guide for the curious traveller in which, I provide rich information to travellers planning their trip. With this guide I hope to give you all the info you need to get the most out of whatever amount of time you choose to spend in Malta s capital city. Whether you d like a set itinerary or to explore certain areas or points of interest yourself, there s something for everyone in this guide. There s no way any travel guide can do Valletta justice and so my aim isn t to paint a complete picture for you. It s to help prepare you to get the most out of visiting 2

3 the city, to point you in the right direction and give you a bearing to help you make the most out of your time there. It will help you to get to know its past, its points of interest, and little nooks that show you a quirkier side of town, etc. After all, the fun of travel comes from exploring and discovering things as you go along. With Valletta taking on the mantle of European Capital of Culture for 2018, there s never been a better time to visit Malta s capital city! All photos found within this guide were taken by me. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION I HAVEN T ANSWERED IN THIS GUIDE? Get in touch with me at IF YOU LIKE THIS GUIDE, PLEASE RECOMMEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS! edward@maltauncovered.com BEST VIEWED ON ADOBE ACROBAT PC/MAC 3

4 CONTENTS THE BASICS OUT AND ABOUT IN VALLETTA PRACTICAL INFORMATION MAJOR POINTS OF INTEREST 1 THE BASICS VALLETTA AT A GLANCE HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE You can easily move to different parts of this guide by clicking or tapping on the arrow. SETTING THE SCENE - Valletta s rich history The Knights of Malta Interesting facts of how Valletta was built Valletta in World War II 4

5 2 OUT AND ABOUT IN VALLETTA BEFORE YOU SET OFF ITINERARIES AND WALKING ROUTES DAY 1 (Valletta in one day) 1. Starting point: Upper Barrakka Gardens 2. St. John s Co-Cathedral 3. Grandmaster s Palace 4. La Sacra Infermeria (Knights Hospitallers) 5. Fort St. Elmo and National War Museum 6. Siege Bell War Memorial 7. Lower Barrakka Gardens 8. Victoria Gate DAY 2 1. Fortifications Interpretation Centre 2. The Manoel Theatre 3. National Library 4. Casa Rocca Piccola 5. Church of Our Lady of Victories 6. St. James Cavalier 7. The Saluting Battery 8. Lascaris War Rooms DAY 3 Merchants Street St. Catherine of Italy Auberge d Italie Castellania Palace 5

6 2 Food market: is-suq tal-belt Basilica of Saint Dominic St. Elmo Breakwater Bridge Other points of interest to consider: - The Malta Postal Museum - National Museum of Archaeology - Malta 5D BALCONY SPOTTING FOUNTAINS CHURCHES AND RELIGION - Church of Our Lady of Liesse - Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel - St. Augustine Church - Parish Church of St. Paul s Shipwreck EVENINGS IN VALLETTA Bars and cafes for evening drinks Valletta Waterfront Frequent events Annual events DAY TRIPS OUTSIDE OF VALLETTA The Three Cities Sliema Beaches Gozo and Comino Sicily 6

7 3 PRACTICAL INFORMATION WHEN TO GO WHEN NOT TO GO HOW TO GET THERE By air I By car I By public transport By boat I By tour bus Getting to Valletta from the cruise port GETTING AROUND WHERE TO STAY Hotels and other accommodation Boutique accommodation High-end hotels Budget accommodation FOOD AND DRINK Tips for eating out in Malta Quick snacks and sandwiches Lunch options Dinner Top 10 restaurants in Valletta WHERE DO I GET THE BEST? Best places for Maltese food Five best coffee shops in town Best places for ice cream 7

8 4 MAJOR POINTS OF INTEREST IN VALLETTA CATEGORY A Must-see! 1. Fort St. Elmo 2. Fortifications Interpretation Centre 3. Grandmaster s Palace and Palace Armoury 4. The Manoel Theatre 5. National War Museum 6. St. John s Co-Cathedral & Museum CATEGORY B Great 7. Casa Rocca Piccola 8. Church of Our Lady of Victories 9. Lascaris War Rooms 10. The Malta Experience / La Sacra Infermeria 11. The Malta Postal Museum 12. The Saluting Battery 13. St. James Cavalier and St. John s Cavalier CATEGORY C Worth it, time permitting 14. Malta 5D 15. National Museum of Archaeology 16. The Royal Opera House 17. Valletta Living History HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE You can easily move to different parts of this guide by clicking or tapping on the arrow. 8

9 2 OUT & ABOUT IN VALLETTA Carmelite Church at sunset. 9

10 BEFORE YOU SET OFF OUT & ABOUT IN VALLETTA A few tips to help you get off to a good start! C O N T E N T S A few notes on navigation and street names With most sections you ll find a handy little map to help you find your way around. With short distances and easily recognisable landmarks it s not easy to get lost, and if you do, the chances are you ll discover some neat little place tucked away in a small alley. It s worth noting that street names are used interchangeably in Malta, using either the Maltese or the English version. It s confused Google Maps a little as well it seems, so wherever Google recognises the English version I ve used that, otherwise the Maltese version (in which Triq means street) is provided. Museums To save on entrance fees: Consider buying multi-site passes. For example, some of the bigger sites are maintained by Heritage Malta (heritagemalta.org), which are available for purchase on their website or at one of their sites. 10

11 Have a look at dealtoday.com.mt on the day you re planning to visit places like Manoel Theatre and The Malta Experience/Sacra Infermeria. Discounts of up to 50% are regularly available; as a day deal and you don t need a printed ticket, just provide proof of payment on your smartphone when you get there. For most museums, you can opt to buy tickets in advance online to skip some of the queues, although you re only likely to encounter those with the top five or so museums. To avoid disappointment, check the opening hours beforehand, just in case. Most museums are closed on major public holidays (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year s Eve and New Year s Day at the very least), some also on Sundays, while most will only be open during the morning on Saturdays. Most museums maintain a Facebook page and will provide up-to-date opening hours there as well. Some points of interest, like churches, won t charge an entry fee. It is, however, customary to make a small donation to help support the expensive upkeep and periodical renovation works required to preserve these buildings for future generations. Your generosity to maintain these treasures of humanity is highly appreciated. Practical tips Wear comfortable shoes. To get around in Valletta you re going to depend on your own two feet and if you 11

12 Shallow steps - a common sight in Valletta s streets. intend to visit a number of places, you ll be doing quite a bit of walking. If you re looking to do your sightseeing in Valletta during the hot summer months, don t forget your sun lotion, hat and drinking water and plan for frequent stops to get a drink and some food along the way. I ve provided suggestions both within my recommended itineraries as well as the Food and Drinks section in this guide. The streets inside Valletta are not all completely level. In fact some of the streets towards the sides of Valletta are lower lying than those in the centre, which means there are a number of streets with shallow steps. Well known from photos of the city, these steps are particularly shallow and were designed that way to make it easier for a fully-clad knight in armour to make his way up in times of conflict. 12

13 Safety and security Crime rates are relatively low in Valletta, with petty theft and pickpocketing generally being the biggest threat, although even those types of crimes aren t very common. As always, it pays to be vigilant, as you would be in any other country, particularly in crowded areas. Walking around during the evening is also safe, even when alone. Although cars pass through some of the streets of Valletta, there isn t much traffic to speak of or any really dangerous situations to be aware of, as a pedestrian. Whenever you can, do walk on the pavements to avoid any accidents from happening in the first place. Most of the central streets are pedestrianised. 13

14 Although cars pass through a few of Valletta s streets, traffic isn t a major issue for pedestrians. 14

15 ITINERARIES AND WALKING ROUTES C O N T E N T S This section is the most practical part of this guide and you can use it in two ways: Typical street scene in Valletta. 1. Follow my walking route(s) The walking routes have been planned to help you get the most out of whatever time you choose to spend in Valletta (from one day to three full days of exploration). Apart from giving you a handy route to follow, I ve ordered the points of interest in such a way that if you only have a day to spend in the city, you will get to see the most important sites first. You can also get more information on most places listed by following its shortcut to the full description in the Points of Interest section (Part 4 in this guide) 15

16 That doesn t mean that you ll be scraping the bottom of the barrel on day three. All points of interest listed in my itineraries are places I genuinely believe will add value to your trip. Each walking route shows you a time check at different points. Those times are estimates based on exploring the various points at an easy-going pace. 2. The DIY approach: Pick and choose to plan your own walking routes If you prefer putting together your own itinerary, the Points of Interest section, together with its accompanying map, will help you pick and choose the places that fit with your personal interests. You ll notice that within the itineraries there are shortcuts for each point of interest to take you to the full information available further down in this guide. This will help you evaluate which places you d like to list for yourself. 16

17 DAY 1 Valletta in one day! C O N T E N T S Squeezing all that s worth seeing in Valletta into one day is a big challenge. I ve put together an itinerary and walking route that focuses on some of the must-sees the city has to offer, to help you get the most out of a short visit, if you re stopping over at Valletta as part of a cruise, for example. If you d like to get a complete list of the top places to visit and see, jump to the Points of Interest section where each place is rated with an A (must-see), B (highly recommended) and C (worth visiting if you have the time). 17

18 DAY 1 WALKING ROUTE Triq Il-Lanca St Elmo Bay Fort St Elmo astings arden King George Triq in-nofsinhar e Sliema Ferry Triq San Mark Triq Melita Main Bus Terminal h Triq Girolamo Cassar f Xatt Pinto Triq Zekka g Triq Il-Lanca d Triq San Gwann Republic Street Zachary Street c b Triq id-dejqa k Merchants Street Saint Paul s Street Triq Sant Orsola a 1 i q Old Theatre Street 2 Saint Lucia s Street Upper Barrakka Gardens Punent l j Triq L-Arcisqof n m p 8 St. Christopher s Street Old Bakery Street 1. Upper Barrakka Gardens 3 a. Upper Barrakka lift b.the Malta Stock Exchange c. Auberge de Castille d. Saint James Cavalier e. City Gate f. Parliament building g. Royal Opera Theatre (it- Teatru Rjal) h. The marketplace (monti) 2. St. John s Co-Cathedral o 7 St. Ursula Street Triq Lvant Xatt II-Barriera Lower Barrakka Gardens 7 St Elmo Place 4 Triq il-mediterran 6 5 Siege Bell War Memorial i. Kantina Café j. Piadina Caffe k. Law Courts (opposite cathedral entrance) l. Republic Square m. National Library n. St. George s Square 3. Grandmaster s Palace (Palace State Rooms and Armoury) 4. La Sacra Infermeria (Knights Hospitallers) 5. Fort St. Elmo and National War Museum 6. Siege Bell War Memorial o. Colourful balconies p. Red British phone box 7. Lower Barrakka Gardens 8. Victoria Gate q. Triq Sant` Orsola 18