# Discovering Valletta

> Looking for a destination for our summer holidays, we came across Malta (capital, Valletta) which really tempted us!

Source: https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/en/blog/discovering-valletta/
Published on 28 August 2019

Looking for a destination for our summer holidays, we came across **Malta** (_capital, Valletta_) which really tempted us! We had heard that it was a rock, in the middle of the Mediterranean, but doing a bit of research, we realised that there was more to see than stones…

## Getting to Valletta from Paris

So we left for Malta from 21 to 28 August with [**Air Malta**](https://www.airmalta.com/Home-fr-FR), for **175€** per person. You should know that the airline only serves **Paris Orly** airport, and not Charles-de-Gaulle. We had chosen an outbound flight in the evening and so flew over the island at night. Straight away, what surprised us was Malta’s urban density: we did not think it would be so built up and inhabited!

We chose not to hire a car and to get around the island by **bus**. At the airport, we therefore got hold of the magic key to public transport, namely the **Explore Card**: **21€** for unlimited journeys all over the island for 7 days! More info on [this website](https://www.publictransport.com.mt/en/bus-card-and-ticketing). From the airport, to get to the centre of Valletta, you have to take the **X4** line (watch out for the timetable, there is only one every 30 minutes). The stop is right opposite the arrivals exit.

## What to see in Valletta

Valletta is a city where it feels good to stroll and wander through the streets, with your head up to discover the façades adorned with Maltese balconies. So we have no itinerary to recommend, only a few unmissable things during your visit to the capital!

![Openwork stone facade of a contemporary building under the blue sky](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-02-6503868e.webp)

![Modern building in golden stone with irregular openings](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-03-e2a3f425.webp)

![Stone arches and ramparts at the foot of the old town](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-04-26c0b3ad.webp)

![Vast paved esplanade in front of a long palace of golden stone](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-05-98c0bff1.webp)

![Baroque church and golden facades around a busy square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-06-1a2e3111.webp)

![Palace with green balconies and a stone column on the square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-07-4093e216.webp)

From the **Triton fountain**, we went through the city **gates** and **ramparts** and turned right to go to **Castille Place**. Coming back down towards the old town, we passed a very lovely spot (_type **Bridge Bar** into Google Maps_), perfect for taking a few typical photos!

![Woman near a red telephone box at the top of a staircase](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-08-03009e6a.webp)

![Column and carved coat of arms seen from below between the facades](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-09-06f1c36c.webp)

![Lane passing under an arch, ornate balconies and a green tree](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-10-aba0cb31.webp)

![Red telephone box at the foot of a facade with stone balconies](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-11-35121696.webp)

From St Paul Street, the streets start climbing again to reach the heart of Valletta. Each street has its own character and deserves some time…

![Narrow sloping street lined with wooden balconies](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-12-3cd57395.webp)

![Row of colourful balconies on a facade of golden stone](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-13-0b633fe7.webp)

![Street running down to the fort between two tall facades](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-14-1304ffa8.webp)

![Green and turquoise wooden balconies packed side by side](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-15-243e089d.webp)

![Blue balconies and ironwork behind a gnarled trunk](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-16-3e5fec8b.webp)

![Street sloping down to the harbour, a stone cross in the foreground](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-17-b3f5bbe3.webp)

**Heritage side**  
Triton Fountain  
Fort Saint Elmo  
St John’s Co-Cathedral  
Grand Master’s Palace  
Siege Bell War Memorial

**Nature side**  
Upper Barrakka Gardens  
Lower Barrakka Gardens  
Hasting Gardens

### Triton Fountain

It is the first thing we saw when we got off the bus arriving from the airport on the first evening. And it has to be said the fountain is impressive, especially in the evening when it is lit up! You see it as soon as you are on the city ramparts, majestic right in front of the gates of Valletta.

![Fountain and esplanade seen from the city ramparts](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-18-f753d0b4.webp)

![Bronze tritons carrying the basin of the fountain](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-19-04fe3d21.webp)

![Jets of the fountain blown by the wind in front of the city](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-20-af9dc251.webp)

![Circular basin of the fountain and passers by on the esplanade](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-21-cd14dc80.webp)

### Fort Saint Elmo (_National War Museum_)

We chose to visit Fort Saint Elmo to enjoy its incredible views over the sea and over the Three Cities facing it. Entry for students costs **7.50€** (_good to know: the fort is included in the [Heritage Pass](https://shop.heritagemalta.org/index.asp?comboid=95)_[ ](https://shop.heritagemalta.org/index.asp?comboid=95)_[Malta](https://shop.heritagemalta.org/index.asp?comboid=95)_). Allow at least two hours to visit the whole fort and its museum, which retraces the history of Malta and Valletta from Prehistory, with a very interesting military and strategic angle.

#### The view from the fort

![Breakwater and harbour entrance seen from the ramparts](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-22-af2e3d80.webp)

![Red supply ship passing in front of the fortifications](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-23-d929a4a3.webp)

![Stone fort guarding the entrance to the Grand Harbour](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-24-771654cd.webp)

#### The outside of the fort

![Columned gallery and inner courtyard of Fort Saint Elmo](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-25-a6cd8d47.webp)

![Red footbridge and jetty closing the harbour, lighthouse at the end](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-26-f4bb396c.webp)

![Stone buildings with green shutters inside the fort walls](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-27-c7f8a705.webp)

![Empty courtyard between the high stone walls](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-28-57cd8dbb.webp)

![Gravel esplanade and bastion under a cloudless sky](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-29-73a9494e.webp)

![Outer works of the fort facing the sea and the city](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-30-66c5d228.webp)

#### The fort museum

![Visitor in front of the red panels of the museum exhibition](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-31-2d474ab7.webp)

![Baroque facade in golden stone of the museum building](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-32-86301376.webp)

![Military jeep on display under the Allied flags](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-33-cce7ffca.webp)

### St John’s Co-Cathedral

Fairly plain from the outside, St John’s Co-Cathedral is one of the most ornate religious monuments we have seen in our lives! We went there around 1.30pm and there was no queue at all. Entry costs **7.50**€ for students, with an **audio guide** in French. If you are wearing light summer clothes, you will be given a skirt and a cape at the entrance to slip on to cover your shoulders (_watch out for the look!_).  
Inside, do not miss the **stairs** near the exit which let you climb a few dozen steps for a **view from above**. In the **oratory**, you also discover a work by **Caravaggio**, _The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist_.

![Side chapel covered in gilded carvings and marble](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-34-d05d663a.webp)

![High altar beneath the chandelier and the painted vaults](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-35-01a3d781.webp)

![Nave seen from above, painted vault and funerary slabs](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-36-9e4b05f9.webp)

![Large painting framed in gold beneath an oval dome](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-37-9860ec55.webp)

#### The cathedral seen from the outside

![Plain facade with two bell towers and the cathedral clock](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-38-b78db645.webp)

![Clock with three faces on the stone bell tower](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-39-d6070c99.webp)

![Gilded Maltese cross at the top of a street lamp](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-40-61f1df9c.webp)

### Grand Master’s Palace

We did not visit the inside of the Palace but it is possible to go into the courtyard to discover the **gardens** (_a bit of shade does not hurt with the heat!_).

![Inner courtyard planted with trees and flower beds](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-41-4a3d5d2a.webp)

![Long facade of the palace and its black balconies on the square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-42-f06f96a9.webp)

![Second patio of the palace, flower beds and palm trees](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-43-02e300e0.webp)

### Siege Bell War Memorial

Located between the Lower Barrakka gardens and Fort Saint Elmo, this memorial makes you think of a small Greek **temple** with its columns facing the sea. It is possible to walk around it, but watch your ears around midday because a huge **bell** rings out at that hour! The view there is still very beautiful, especially at sunset…

![Woman climbing the stairs of the memorial bell tower](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-44-25846e17.webp)

![Bronze bell seen from below beneath the dome](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-45-ae993b3b.webp)

![Stone staircase climbing towards the memorial](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-46-83a4ec46.webp)

![Couple posing in front of the harbour at sunset](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-47-d409fd93.webp)

![Bell tower of the memorial overlooking the ramparts and the harbour](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-48-28d48a93.webp)

### Upper Barrakka gardens

These gardens are among the most visited places in Valletta and we understood why. **Flower-filled gardens** (_with shade!_) overlook the sea, with a stunning view over the Three Cities. At their feet, the **saluting battery** fires cannon shots twice a day, which draws a crowd! We advise you to go by during the day but also at sunset to enjoy the beautiful light.

![Stone arcades and mosaic floor of the terraced garden](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-49-2a5d0d55.webp)

![Woman leaning on the balustrade facing the fort opposite](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-50-9b10ef66.webp)

![Bronze statue and flower beds beneath the arcades](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-51-0d2ffee6.webp)

![Turquoise pool reflecting the trees in front of a neoclassical temple](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-52-7b12b5f1.webp)

![Woman sitting on a bench in the shade of the arcades](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-53-325507c8.webp)

![Cannons lined up on the battery above the Grand Harbour](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-54-a314b445.webp)

### Lower Barrakka gardens

These gardens are a little further “north”, towards Fort Saint Elmo. There are fewer people than at the Upper Barrakka gardens, which gives a more **intimate** and **romantic** feel. They give a different viewpoint over the city, in particular over the **Siege Bell War Memorial**.

![Neoclassical temple surrounded by palm trees and oleanders](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-55-beebe778.webp)

![The harbour at dusk seen over the parapet of the garden](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-56-bac24664.webp)

![Long stone arcade open onto the sea at the end of the day](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-57-52678c12.webp)

### Hastings gardens

To reach these gardens, you have to take the big staircase on the right as you go into the fortified city. We were there for the **sunset** and the show was grandiose! The park sits on the **ramparts** and looks out over the sea as well as the towns facing Valletta. The rampart walls are impressive in their width, about ten metres thick to protect the city. The chance to take lovely photos…

![Backlit tree lined path in the garden](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-58-ccf7fcd3.webp)

![Neoclassical monument surrounded by a railing and tall trees](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-59-a4104d08.webp)

![Massive ramparts and stone ditch seen from the garden](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-60-35d531f2.webp)

![Woman sitting on the rampart facing the setting sun](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-61-590f3bb0.webp)

![Bastion and moat bathed in golden light](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-62-b76d605f.webp)

![Couple posing on the tree lined esplanade of the garden](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-63-498ef576.webp)

## Our accommodation in Valletta

We had booked a very lovely room on **[Airbnb](https://www.airbnb.fr/rooms/30982150?source_impression_id=p3_1567082783_XP1hPs%2B%2FsHNOasxf)**, in the heart of the centre of Valletta (St Paul Street). The room (with a lounge and a private bathroom) was in a typical old building, with the kitchen on the terrace (_very handy for eating “like at home”!_). From the rooftop, we had a stunning view over the Three Cities and the sea! For **470€** for **7 nights**, the value for money is unbeatable for such a place!

![Blue table and chairs on the terrace facing the harbour](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-64-6d233022.webp)

![Green and blue chairs in front of the city's bell towers](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-65-84d93ac9.webp)

![Lane sloping down to the water between two stone walls](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-66-7131295d.webp)

## Our favourite places to eat in Valletta

- **[Sotto ](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g190328-d9977994-Reviews-Sotto_Pizzeria-Valletta_Island_of_Malta.html)**: an excellent pizzeria with a wide choice and fair prices! The restaurant is in a vaulted cellar with a lot of charm.
- **[Theobroma Cacao Collective](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g190328-d10343464-Reviews-Theobroma_Cacao_Collective-Valletta_Island_of_Malta.html)** : on Old Theatre street, a little stall that offers vegan pastries and above all, a delicious iced tea (2.50€) and chocolate milkshake (3.50€)!
- **[Taproom ](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g190328-d10226826-Reviews-Taproom-Valletta_Island_of_Malta.html)**: a very good Italian restaurant in a beautiful stone room; the prices are rather high, close to 15€ for pasta for example.
- **Venchi**: delicious Italian ice creams (3.50€ for two flavours), in the city’s covered market.
- **Food market**: it is in the basement of this market that you find an upmarket supermarket where we did our shopping for a week. Local, quality products!

## What we thought of Valletta

Valletta is a city that enchanted us, by day as by night, with its ochre walls and its balconies that are so typical. We will surely come back, in another season!  
**So we can only recommend that you spend a few days in Valletta and its surroundings to enjoy its exceptional architecture and its many sea views!**

In the middle of organising a trip to Malta? Read [our articles about this beautiful island](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/en/destinations/malta/).

![Closing Valletta banner in front of the ramparts at sunset](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/a-la-decouverte-de-la-valette-67-6bb8a66f.webp)