3 days in Valletta

Day by day

1. Day 1: St John's Co-Cathedral and Upper Barrakka Gardens and Saluting Battery

   St John's Co-Cathedral, Upper Barrakka Gardens and Saluting Battery and Grandmaster's Palace, then Manoel Theatre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      St John's Co-Cathedral

      The Knights' conventual church looks austere outside but inside is a blaze of gilded carved stone, ceiling paintings by Mattia Preti and a floor of some 400 inlaid marble tombstones of knights.

   2. Late morning

      Upper Barrakka Gardens and Saluting Battery

      Arrive about 15 minutes before noon to get a spot on the terrace for the gun salute.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pastizzi

      Pastizzerias across Valletta and every town; the best are straight from the oven and cost very little.

   4. Afternoon

      Grandmaster's Palace

      The seat of the Grand Masters of the Order of St John, and later of British governors and the Maltese president, faces St George's Square.

   5. Evening

      Manoel Theatre

      If you can, see a performance rather than a tour; the acoustics and the intimate boxes are the point.

2. Day 2: Fort St Elmo and National War Museum and Lower Barrakka Gardens and Siege Bell

   Fort St Elmo and National War Museum, Lower Barrakka Gardens and Siege Bell and Casa Rocca Piccola, then Strait Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Fort St Elmo and National War Museum

      Walk the ramparts after the museum for views over both harbours and the breakwater.

   2. Late morning

      Lower Barrakka Gardens and Siege Bell

      A small, shaded garden on the eastern bastions, centred on a neoclassical monument to Sir Alexander Ball, with views over the harbour mouth and breakwater.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ħobż biż-żejt

      Snack bars and cafés across the island, especially near swimming spots.

   4. Afternoon

      Casa Rocca Piccola

      Take the guided tour rather than wandering alone; the family stories are the highlight.

   5. Evening

      Strait Street

      Come after dark for a glass of Maltese wine at a table set out in the narrow street.

3. Day 3: Lascaris War Rooms and National Museum of Archaeology

   Lascaris War Rooms, National Museum of Archaeology and MUŻA – National Community Art Museum, then Strait Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Lascaris War Rooms

      Tunnels cut deep beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens served as the British command centre for the defence of Malta in WWII and as a headquarters for the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily.

   2. Late morning

      National Museum of Archaeology

      Visit before your temple day trips; the figurines make far more sense once you have seen the sites.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ftira

      Bakeries and kiosks in Valletta and across Malta; try Gozitan ftira on a day trip to Gozo.

   4. Afternoon

      MUŻA – National Community Art Museum

      Malta's national art museum moved into the Auberge d'Italie on Merchants Street in 2018, with works by Mattia Preti, Maltese Baroque painters and 20th-century Maltese artists, arranged around themes rather than strict chronology.

   5. Evening

      Strait Street

      Wine bars and small music venues in the old sailors' district, with tables in the narrow street.

Before you go

• St John's Co-Cathedral: Queues build when cruise ships are in; arriving early or booking online saves time.

If it rains

• Swap in Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum (Paola): Combine it with the Tarxien Temples, a 10-minute walk away.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Upper Valletta keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Lower Valletta ($$$) suits couples, quiet stays and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–14 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.7 hours in December to 14.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Valletta
• 2 days in Valletta
• 5 days in Valletta

Questions travellers ask