A tiny baroque capital built by knights, with harbour views on every side.
Valletta is Europe’s smallest capital and a UNESCO city of honey-coloured baroque streets, grand churches and harbour views. It is compact enough for a day but rewards a longer stay.
Approximate per person per day, including a share of a twin room, and excluding flights. Not live prices.
Valletta
A plain-fronted cathedral hiding one of Europe’s most lavish baroque interiors, with Caravaggio’s Beheading.
Monday–Saturday, roughly 9:30–17:00; closed Sundays
Valletta
A grand palace of the Knights, now the President’s office, with an armoury.
Daily, roughly 9:00–17:00; some rooms close for events
Valletta
A star-shaped fort at the tip of the peninsula with a museum on the Great Siege and WWII.
Daily, roughly 9:00–17:00
Mdina (10 km)
A quiet, walled old capital known as the Silent City, with lanes to wander.
Open daily; churches have set hours
Valletta
One of Europe’s oldest working theatres, a small jewel box of gilt and velvet.
Guided tours daily; performances in the evening
Birgu
A dgħajsa taxi boat across the harbour to Birgu, a quiet old fortified town.
Boats run daily; Birgu shops are quiet on Sundays
Wied iz-Zurrieq (15 km)
Sea caves lit up in vivid blue by sunlight, reached by boat from a small fishing harbour.
Daily, weather permitting; mornings are best
Well reviewed and fairly priced for what you get: not simply the cheapest.
Valletta, Valletta
Rated 9.1/10, priced in line with similar 5★ hotels in Valletta, in a central location.
Valletta, Valletta
Rated 8.7/10, priced in line with similar 4★ hotels in Valletta, in a central location.
Valletta, Valletta
Rated 8.5/10, priced in line with similar 3★ hotels in Valletta, in a central location.
A historic café open since 1837, with an ornate interior and terrace on Piazza Regina.
Known for: Coffee, pastries, light lunches
About £14–25 per person
Local favourite Good for Couples · Families
A famous hole-in-the-wall bakery selling pastizzi, flaky pastries filled with ricotta or peas.
Known for: Pastizzi
Under about £14 per person
Local favourite Good for Couples · Families
A cosy bakery-restaurant serving Maltese specialities such as ftira and rabbit stew.
Known for: Ftira, rabbit stew
About £14–25 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
A refined restaurant serving Maltese-influenced dishes in a historic townhouse.
Known for: Modern Maltese cooking
About £25–50 per person
Special occasion Good for Couples · Groups
Valletta · Highlights
A balanced first-visit plan built from our Valletta picks: the headline sights, a local favourite or two and time to breathe.
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