For couples · Valletta · Malta
Romantic things to do in Valletta
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
Valletta's honey-coloured stone glows at sunset, and the city is quiet and atmospheric after the day crowds leave. Wine bars on stepped streets, harbour views and boat rides make it a natural couples' break. Couples tend to stay in Upper Valletta.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 3
- Area for couples
- Upper Valletta
- Best months
- April–May and October
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset over Marsamxett
Watch the sun set behind Sliema and Manoel Island from the western bastions near Hastings Gardens.
2.Dgħajsa across the Grand Harbour
Take a traditional water taxi to Birgu at dusk and walk the waterfront back towards the ferry.
3.Wine on Strait Street
Share a Maltese platter and local wine at a table in the narrow street after dark.
4.An evening at the Manoel Theatre
Catch a concert or opera in one of Europe's oldest working theatres.
5.Gardjola Gardens in Senglea
Look back at Valletta's illuminated skyline from the watchtower garden at the tip of Senglea.
Sights couples love
Garden · Lower Valletta
Lower Barrakka Gardens and Siege Bell
Come in the late afternoon, when it is much quieter than the Upper Barrakka and the light falls on the Three Cities.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- History
Architecture · Lower Valletta
Manoel Theatre
If you can, see a performance rather than a tour; the acoustics and the intimate boxes are the point.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
- Couples
Neighbourhood · The Three Cities
Birgu and Fort St Angelo
Take a traditional dgħajsa water taxi one way and the ferry back for two different views of the harbour.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and luxury
Upper Valletta
The upper half of the grid, from City Gate along Republic Street and Merchants Street, contains St John's Co-Cathedral, the Grandmaster's Palace, the archaeology museum and the Upper Barrakka Gardens. Boutique hotels occupy restored palazzi, and the main bus terminus is just outside the gate.
- Good
- Steps from the main sights; Next to the bus terminus; Beautiful restored palazzo hotels
- Watch out
- Expensive in summer; Little parking and steep streets
- Nearby
- St John's Co-Cathedral, Upper Barrakka Gardens, City Gate, MUŻA
Romantic day trips
- Mdina and Rabat (About 30–40 minutes by bus) — Malta's walled former capital, the 'Silent City', has narrow medieval lanes, St Paul's Cathedral and views across the island from its bastions.
- Gozo (About 45 minutes by fast ferry) — Malta's greener sister island has the Citadel in Victoria, the Ġgantija temples (among the oldest free-standing structures in the world), salt pans at Xwejni and dive sites around Dwejra.
- Comino and the Blue Lagoon (About 1–1.5 hours by bus and boat) — The tiny island between Malta and Gozo has the Blue Lagoon, a channel of shallow turquoise water over white sand.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Rabbit stew, Lampuki pie and Timpana. Maltese wine is improving fast and is usually good value compared with imports.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Valletta romantic?
Valletta's honey-coloured stone glows at sunset, and the city is quiet and atmospheric after the day crowds leave. Wine bars on stepped streets, harbour views and boat rides make it a natural couples' break.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Valletta?
Sunset over Marsamxett: Watch the sun set behind Sliema and Manoel Island from the western bastions near Hastings Gardens.
+Where should couples stay in Valletta?
Upper Valletta: City Gate, Republic Street and the cathedral end of the capital.