The Three Cities (Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea)

There was no way we could miss visiting the Three Cities which face Valletta. We saw them every day from the rooftop of our flat and they were winking at us with their impressive forts and their picturesque harbours.

Getting to the Three Cities from Valletta

To cross over, we took a shuttle boat (3€ return) with the company Valletta 3 cities Ferry which you catch at the foot of the Upper Barakka Gardens. The trip is very short and takes about fifteen minutes: the boat dropped us in the port of Senglea. We started our day of discovery with this stone peninsula.

What to see in the Three Cities

Senglea (Isla)

We really liked this small town where few tourists go. You can follow the ramparts down below, by the sea and the harbour, and then visit the inner streets. Unfortunately, because of an event planned that day, we couldn’t get into the Il-Gardjola gardens (remember to go there for the view over Valletta!).

Cospicua (Bormla)

This town really charmed us with its architecture, its many views over the other cities and over Valletta and with its colours. We went there on the day a religious festival was being prepared, so the whole town was decorated for the occasion! We wandered through the little streets, a bit at random, and discovered magnificent, very well restored facades. Numerous belvederes and a long promenade give you a view over both Vittoriosa and Valletta.

Fort Saint Angelo

The lovely surprise of that day was discovering Fort Saint Angelo at the tip of Cospicua. The fort can be reached from the harbour: on the left hand side, a passage gives access to the rocks below the fort. Perfect for a good quiet swim, facing Valletta! We were there at the end of the day, at sunset, and we were almost alone facing the sea.

Leaving in the evening at sunset lets you enjoy the beautiful warm colours over the Three Cities… A lovely spectacle that brings out the ochre-coloured stone of the monuments lining the harbour!

Our favourite spot in the Three Cities (Cospicua)

• Nuovo Cafe San Giogio: a good spot for Italian food in Cospicua (Bormla). Special mention for the homemade tiramisu whose portion is gigantic!

What we thought of the Three Cities

Visiting Senglea and Cospicua was one of our loveliest discoveries in Malta. The harmony of the stone architecture and the view over Valletta make all the charm of these small towns. The big plus: swimming at the foot of Fort Saint Angelo. We were really surprised by the tranquillity of these towns, even in the middle of August. We recommend devoting a whole day to them to enjoy each of the towns! If you want to discover a quiet place, far from the hordes of tourists, this is it.

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